Southemes
June 22d 1866
My dear Papa,
When I wrote last, I think it was to Monie, I told her, that the weather was so bad here, that we thought of going away, and leaving the sea altogether, but the following day there was a decided change for the better, so we determined to have patience, & stay a little longer: and though the weather is still very variable, it is not half so cold. The night before last there was quite a storm from the South – & yesterday morning some of the people here said that there was a disabled ship drifting on to the sands. We all spent most of the day in trying to see her & at last I succeeded pretty well. A message was sent to the Coast guard at the Corse, within the mouth of the Nith – to bring their boat, & go off to her. but they took an hour & a half, before they got here for they chose to come by water, instead of bringing the boat in a cart across the point, which is only four miles. So when they arrived here, the men declared they were quite tired, & they never would be able to reach the ship, she was so far off. There is a captain of a merchant ship here just now, staying with his father, an old fisherman, & he was quite indignant at the way the whole thing was mismanaged. There is no boat here, or else he would have gone off at once with any one who would have gone with him. The coast guard did not go any further – but fortunately a Maryport steam tug was seen to go to the sinking vessel – which soon afterwards disappeared. From the first it was supposed the crew has deserted her, but still they could not be quite sure. Today quantities of pieces of timber have come on shore & one with the ship’s name “The Jane” – Today it is very fine & much warmer so I think it is likely we shall stay here another week, – then go home for a few days previous to starting for the “South.” – I hope you are having nice weather now, or when I last heard from Mamie it was rather stormy: Will you ask whoever writes next to mention Aunt Caroline’s address, if she is in London just now, as I have forgotton <sic> it. Goodbye dear Papa
Yr affecte daughter
Tilly