Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
of the Greig's songs that I knew and simply revelled in the
beauty of the morning. Then I got at last to the camp, where
I was very thankful once again to meet some really good
English fellows.
But perhaps the greatest joy of arriving somewhere like the
base camp was the pleasure of reading the letters that would be
waiting for him. They usually arrived about a month or five
weeks after posting in England, but for some reason the first
letters sent to Holmes at Mosuril did not arrive for eight weeks,
causing him much anguish as he waited.
28th April: There was a mail came in yesterday and nearly
everyone got letters except Wayland and I. It was a little dis-
appointing, but I suppose the next boat will bring us news
from home. 2nd May: Allan returned from Mozambique but
brought me no letters - a matter of disappointment. 5th May:
There was a mail in today - but still no letters! They take the
devil of a time to come. Next week, surely, cannot fail to bring
news.
At last some arrived on the 12th of May and he confessed to
Bob how upset he had really been:
It gave me the most acute delight today to get your letter,
with one from home and a Times. Having gone over eight
weeks without having heard from anyone in England, I was
beginning, rather foolishly, but nevertheless having the feel-
ing, to despair. And every mail bringing piles of letters but
never any for me gave me a pang of disappointment and irri-
tability of manner which I found difficult to conceal. Now,
having heard from you I feel quite wild with excitement, and
have for the first time realised in a keen way, how far I have
travelled.
So arrival at Sawa heralded not only the company of people
his own age, but also the pleasure of more letters from home.
That evening he sat down to reply to his parents and describe
his new surroundings:
The Sawa valley is only one of five which intersect a vast
