Letter from William Henry Seward to William Henry Seward, Jr., March 1, 1871
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Letter from William Henry Seward to William Henry Seward, Jr., March 1, 1871
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:meb
student editorTranscriber:spp:srr
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1871-03-01
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Letter from William Henry Seward to William Henry Seward, Jr., March 1, 1871
action: sent
sender: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Kolkata, India
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1839-06-18
Death: 1920-04-29
location: UnknownUnknown
transcription: meb
revision: crb 2018-03-26
<>
Page
1
e
This is a letter written by Olive Risley Seward for William
H. Seward Calcutta March 1, 1871
My dear William
We left Madras on Sat-
urday last after a stay with
our friends Lord
more [ agreable ]
Alternate Text: agreeable interesting and
instructive than any two trav-
elers who have only one right
hand between them can [ discrib ]
Alternate Text: describe
between them, unless they should
have rest on shore or on sea
which is not allowed to me and
my overtaxed amanuensis.
Our voyage here was made
in four days over a sea, the
temperature of which indicated
the material of liquid silver
rather than of water. We last
night entered the mouth of
the Ganges, no less the Ganges
Page
2
because it is one of 20 [ chanels ]
Alternate Text: channels
through which that golden river
seeks the sea, and no less the
Ganges because the channel which
be accorded is miscalled the
[ Hoogly ]
Alternate Text: Hooghly. The Vice Roy
and the Consul General
United States with our American
friends Mr
bined to give us a gratifying
reception. They received us in
barges from the steamer, and
conveyed us with coach and
four horses in livery and with
escort to the residence of Mr.
McAllister which is also the
home of the Consul General. This
afternoon we are to decide
upon the delicate point whether
we can accept the invitation
of the Vice Roy for our stay
in Calcutta leaving the kind
friends who are now entertain-
ing us, meantime we have
accepted an invitation to dine
Page
3
with the Vice Roy tomorrow. As
yet I can tell you nothing of
Calcutta except that it is
very hot but happily as hos-
pitable as hot.
I learn from the Consul
with chagrin that I made a
bad mistake in thinking that
your pretty gold checks, if signed
by me and drawn upon you
would not bring the money as
easily here in Calcutta as they
had done in China nevertheless
it was something for us both
that I was able to apprise you
by telegraph of our whereabouts
and to receive in 36 hours an
answer that you were all well
Lady Napier wrote for me a
letter which I dictated to Nellie
Do you know that I have
never seen a child that grew
in knowledge and gentleness
and grace so much like
another as Nellie grows like
Page
4
Lady Napier. I wonder whether
it is the [ Scotish ]
Alternate Text: Scottish blood in both!
We are all ^as^ well as usual
and after a day or two we
shall be able to give you a
programme of our further travel.
We adhere to the excursion by
R. Navy through India & Bombay
but remain undecided concerning
an exploration of the Persian
Gulf. All this entire letter
is written by dictation except
what follows. (Olive sends her
love and is too sorry every
day that she cannot write
a good long letter to Aunty
Jennie
agree in this and in assurances
of affection and love to all
the dear friends
William H. Seward
(Signed by himself cera)
e
Editorial Note
My dear William
We left Madras on Sat-
urday last after a stay with
our friends Lord
Birth: 1819-09-19 Death: 1898-12-19
and Lady Napier
Birth: 1823-12-20 Death: 1911-08-24
more [ agreable ]
Alternate Text
instructive than any two trav-
elers who have only one right
hand between them can [ discrib ]
Alternate Text
between them, unless they should
have rest on shore or on sea
which is not allowed to me and
my overtaxed amanuensis.
Our voyage here was made
in four days over a sea, the
temperature of which indicated
the material of liquid silver
rather than of water. We last
night entered the mouth of
the Ganges, no less the Ganges
because it is one of 20 [ chanels ]
Alternate Text
through which that golden river
seeks the sea, and no less the
Ganges because the channel which
be accorded is miscalled the
[ Hoogly ]
Alternate Text
Birth: 1822-02-21 Death: 1872-02-08
of Indiaand the Consul General
Birth: 1821-10-31 Death: 1879-04-30
of theUnited States with our American
friends Mr
Birth: 1830-02-07 Death: 1882-04-03
& Mrs
Birth: 1828 Death: 1910
McAllister, com-bined to give us a gratifying
reception. They received us in
barges from the steamer, and
conveyed us with coach and
four horses in livery and with
escort to the residence of Mr.
McAllister which is also the
home of the Consul General. This
afternoon we are to decide
upon the delicate point whether
we can accept the invitation
of the Vice Roy for our stay
in Calcutta leaving the kind
friends who are now entertain-
ing us, meantime we have
accepted an invitation to dine
with the Vice Roy tomorrow. As
yet I can tell you nothing of
Calcutta except that it is
very hot but happily as hos-
pitable as hot.
I learn from the Consul
with chagrin that I made a
bad mistake in thinking that
your pretty gold checks, if signed
by me and drawn upon you
would not bring the money as
easily here in Calcutta as they
had done in China nevertheless
it was something for us both
that I was able to apprise you
by telegraph of our whereabouts
and to receive in 36 hours an
answer that you were all well
Lady Napier wrote for me a
letter which I dictated to Nellie
Birth: 1862-09-11 Death: 1921-10-05
Do you know that I have
never seen a child that grew
in knowledge and gentleness
and grace so much like
another as Nellie grows like
Lady Napier. I wonder whether
it is the [ Scotish ]
Alternate Text
We are all ^as^ well as usual
and after a day or two we
shall be able to give you a
programme of our further travel.
We adhere to the excursion by
R. Navy through India & Bombay
but remain undecided concerning
an exploration of the Persian
Gulf. All this entire letter
is written by dictation except
what follows. (Olive sends her
love and is too sorry every
day that she cannot write
a good long letter to Aunty
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
Jennie
Birth: 1839-11-18 Death: 1913-11-09
and Nellie) We bothagree in this and in assurances
of affection and love to all
the dear friends
William H. Seward
(Signed by himself cera)