firmly with all forms of
disorder.

* * * * *

AGRA.

_August 12th, 1915._

To R.K.

This last list is almost more than I can bear. It is hardly possible
to think of poor dear Gilbert as killed. Do let me know how Foss is
and how he gets on. Your letters are such a joy, and they give me news
I get from nobody else.

I'm afraid my share in the correspondence may become even less than
before, as I shall henceforth be on more than nominally active service
and under the eye of the censor.

Luly is clamouring for lunch, which we eat at 11, and I shall have no
peace afterwards till the ship reaches a landlocked bit of Gulf: so
goodbye for the present.

* * * * *

"S.S. VARSOVA,"

BOMBAY.

_August 16th, 1915._

TO HIS MOTHER.

I shall just have time to write you a line about our journey so far,
and may be able to write to Papa later.

They gave me a very nice farewell dinner on Friday at Agra. Raju came
and sat next me and it all went off very well. Almost the whole
station turned up. After dinner we sat outside, playing the
gramophone, etc. Swift, seconded by Luly and Purefoy, made a
determined effort to make me tight by standing me drinks and secretly
instructing the Khitmagar to make them extra strong; but I was not
quite green enough for that and always managed to exchange drinks at
the last moment with the result that Swift got pretty tight and I
didn't.

I sat in the bungalow talking to Purefoy till 2, and was up again at
6. From 6 till 11 I was busy with seeing to things and hardly had a
moment's peace. We paraded at 10.45 and marched to the station, with
the Punjabis band leading us. It was excessively warm for marching
orders--96 deg. in the shade--and the mile to the station was quite
enough. There was a great crowd on the platform and everyone was very
nice and gave us a splendid send-off. I was too busy all the time to
feel at all depressed at leaving Luly and Purefoy, which I had rather
feared I should. Partings are, I think, much more trying in the
prospect than at the actual moment, because beforehand the parting
fills one's imagination, whereas at the moment one's hopes of meeting
again come into active play. Anyway, I hadn't time to think much about
it then, and I was already very sleepy. We started at 12.5.

At 1.30 Sergt. Pragnell came running along to say that L/C. Burgess was
taken very bad; so I went along, with th