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S.S. “Nile”,      near St Vincent

14th  Sept ’94

My dear Mother,

I was very glad indeed to have your letter at Lisbon.

I had also a long & interesting letter from Julie, one from Emma & a few lines from Addie along with some notes about business.^[1]

Nothing reached me from the Pater.

We have had fine weather & a pleasant voyage so far. A chess tournament is going on, in which I am one of eight competitors. The life on board has been as usual, a daily sweep on the prow, some whist & poker, reading, sleeping, flirting, & pacing the decks. To-night there is to be a dance. I have not yet produced my cake, partly because one lady who provides afternoon tea for us had another cake, & partly because the mate of the hold will not be able to get at my box till to-morrow.

We have a very pleasant & lively set of passengers, – lots of girls & consequently entertainment “galore”, as Mrs Wilson, a jolly little woman from Cork, would say. There is a Miss McClymont, whom I have seen at the Tennis Club in B.Aires; – a tall & rather pretty girl. She was lately staying a Banbridge with the Dicksons, to one of whom Norman Ferguson is engaged & she knows the Fergusons well.^[2] She was at a garden party at the Fergusons’ but does not remember having met any of the Sintons.^[3] I wonder if Dora was there & if she remembers this young lady.

There are several newly-married couples on board. One does not notice them very much during the day, they are at their best by moonlight.

Friday.     The dance is over & the cake is found, so we shall have some of the latter for supper to-night. The “ball” was very good. Our band was composed of two nigger musicians, – one played the flute & the other the violin. We danced till about half past eleven, wound up with Sir Roger & then had supper.^[4]

Cricket is played with a ball tied to a string, so that a “boundary hit” (overboard) may not result in a “lost ball”. Miss Bridges, the belle of the ship, has just been batting vigorously while her numerous admirers bowled & fielded & chorused approval. You remember the name of Mrs Gotto’s^[5] friends, the Schwinds.^[6] One of them is on board, a young fellow of 22 or 23, a very good sort & a good-looking youngster. I think the lady who was at Newcastle is his aunt. There is a Mrs Hockin, a very nice woman, with two children, a bright little girl & a boy of 15 or so. She wears a peculiar dress for dinner, a sort of tea-gown I suppose it is, cream-coloured, with long floating sleeves. This has earned for her the name of Cleopatra – I don’t really see why – but she is rather stately.

St. Vincent, Sat’day 15th

Just about half the voyage over now. We stay here a day to coal, a very dirty, disagreeable proceeding. The black dust penetrates every-where & there is no getting away from it. The island is so hot & uninviting with its bare jagged rocks that I have never been tempted to land.^[7]

I must close this now to send it off with the agent.

Love to all.

Jack.