Private Journal of Henry Francis Brooke: Late Brigadier-General Commanding 2nd Infantry Brigade, Kandahar Field Force, Southern Afghanistan, from April 22nd to August 16th, 1880 — John Shaqi
Private Journal of Henry Francis Brooke: Late Brigadier-General Commanding 2nd Infantry Brigade, Kandahar Field Force, Southern Afghanistan, from April 22nd to August 16th, 1880Brooke, Henry Francis
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Private Journal of Henry Francis Brooke: Late Brigadier-General Commanding 2nd Infantry Brigade, Kandahar Field Force, Southern Afghanistan, from April 22nd to August 16th, 1880
Brooke, Henry Francis
Afghan Wars; Brooke, Henry Francis, 1836-1880
On SATURDAY, the 27th, at 6 o'clock, I went down to the Dock to see
my precious horses embarked, and found Alfred Christopher had arrived
before me and was superintending their embarkation, which we managed
without any difficulty, and then drove back to the Camp, where we
breakfasted with Colonel and Mrs. Wardrop, and at 10 a.m. embarked in
the Steamer "Umballa" for Kurrachee. At the embarking place several
of my friends had come to see me off, and General Aitchison, Colonel
Maude, and Colonel Wardrop came off to the ship with me and remained
until we were going to sail. On board, besides myself, there is Colonel
Anderson, who commands one of the Native Infantry Regiments at
Kandahar, returning from sick leave in England; Captain Cooke-Collis,
who is going up as Brigade Major of one of the Infantry Brigades; and
a young gunner called Fox going to join his Battery at Kandahar. We
can just make up a quiet rubber at Whist, which is an advantage, as if
we can we intend to travel together all the way. There are only two
steamers in the week from Bombay to Kurrachee--one on Tuesday which
goes direct to Kurrachee in sixty hours (the distance being under 600
miles), and the one leaving on Saturday which calls in at four Ports on
the way, and takes seventy-two hours. We shall, therefore, not be at
Kurrachee till Tuesday in the forenoon, not in time, I fear, to get off
by that evening's train for "Sibi." I was rather afraid we were going to
[Sidenote: By sea to Kurrachee.]
have bad weather, but it was very fairly smooth for the first twelve
hours after leaving Bombay, but early this morning, Sunday, 28th March,
the wind freshened a good deal, and I found it difficult to get through
my dressing, and considered it advisable not to attempt to come down to
Breakfast, but to satisfy myself with a frugal meal of toast and iced
water on deck. We have just been into the little Port of Verawul where
we dropped our mails and some passengers (natives), and are now on our
way to another small place (Porebunder) where we shall be in an hour or
so. The sea is calmer again, I am glad to say, so I have been able to
manage to write. We hear that the heat in Sind, and until one gets into
the highlands near Quetta, is very great, or, at least, was so by the
latest accounts, but as it is still rather early for very great heat
even in those parts, I hope it may have cooled down a bit before we
arrive. I am a little bit nervous for fear I should be stopped at Sibi
to superintend the forward movement of troops from that place. General
Burrows is now there, and has been there for the last six weeks, and
he may have arranged to move forward on my arrival, leaving me there
till all the troops are passed (about a fortnight later). I hope this
will not be the case, but I shall not be surprised if it is, as he
has had his share of the work there, especially as Sibi (pronounced
See-bee) is, I am told, the most awful place for heat, flies, dust and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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