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- 1 June 1876 (Creation)
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1 folded sheet, 1 envelope
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Hôtel Central, 12 Rue des Feuillants (Marseilles).—The city is noisy but amusing. He liked Bordeaux and would like to see more of Lyons, but they were driven from Avignon by the bugs. Has just recovered from an attack of constipation. Describes a climbing expedition with Lucy. Is thinking of learning some Arabic and visiting Algeria.
(With an envelope.)
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Transcript
Hôtel Central, Rue des Feuillants,12. June 1/76
Dearest Fred. Here we are in the very middle of a noisy city {1}, but it is bright and amusing. I think the big towns of France are too much neglected for Paris; I like Bordeaux very much, & should like to see more of Lyons, but the rascally hotel keeper at Dijon (Hôtel du Jura, den of thieves; evangelical service every Sunday) made us miss our train, hoping we should go back to him, so that we only got to Lyons after dark. The reason we could not stay at Avignon is simple but effective; the bugs drove us out. I think I was upset by the camphor wherewith we fought them, the want of sleep, and the nuisance of having to go on when we had got lodgings and thought we should rest quiet for a week; anyhow I became as one that hath no excrement, and whose inward parts refuse to make dung. This always gives me a sick headache, but with castor oil (huile de ricin) and a good climb I have gotten the better of mine enemies. It was the more painful as the whole city is divided between lieux d’aisance (in rows on each side of the shop, mighty convenient and no extra charge for paper) and great cafés. This is a fertile plain with bare hills all round, and I had a strong desire to get to the highest point visible on the west. I reconnoitred one afternoon and found an omnibus group going to the edge of the hills, so on Tuesday {2} we started just after breakfast and succeeded—at least I did, but Lucy gave in within ten minutes of the top because I had let her rest on a spur which she thought was the end. Even so there was a fine view of the theatre of hills, the plain in the middle covered with houses olives and figtrees, and the sea. Also a confounded church which towers above everything here, Notre Dame de la Garde, was at last well below us and could be looked down upon with just contempt. But from the top one could see over the range to a great arm of the sea, the Étang at the upper end of wh. is Arles, while further away to the W {3} are the mouths of the Rhône—too far away to be seen. We saw some lovely green lizards about 7 in. long with 5 in tail besides—pardon, I mean ·15m. with ·1m. tail. Also a snake near a meter† long, but as I could not see his head, do not know them by their backs, had no stick, and as he was (This was among the azaleas.) {4} active in departing, I did not lay hold of him. On the way down we asked the way of two old women in a cottage and got some real Provençal—I could only make out lo cammin and derecho but as this was well supplemented by gesticulations it served. We were that thirsty that on reaching the omnibus station—about 4 miles from Marseille—we tossed off a bottle of wine between us, and have been roaring drunk ever since. Every evening the frogs make the most infernal racket and din that was ever heard—we thought at first of geese and crows and then of some dire machinery, but it must be frogs. I had a moonlight walk last night by the shore to the east. It was very dusty and noisy. I think we must expedite by train to La Ciotat to get real sea-side. My last scheme is to learn a smattering of Arabic and run over to Algeria—who can tell how useful it would be? Ourassek atini Xalib—please give me milk—is all I can make out as yet. Herewith Lucy’s portrait—we had to go up 17000 steps to get them done, which is why we look so out of breath. I should like much to see those married men at Cambridge. Thy Willi.
[Direction on envelope:] F. Pollock Esqr | 12 Bryanston St | London W | [In the top left-hand corner:] Angleterre [There is also an inscription in Arabic in the bottom left-hand corner.]
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The envelope was postmarked at Marseille on 2 June 1876, stamped ‘Marseille a Lyon’ the same date, and postmarked at London, W., on 3 June 1876.
{1} Marseille.
{2} 30 May.
{3} Indistinct. Perhaps altered from ‘West’.
{4} ‘This . . . azaleas.’ written at the foot of the page which ends here; brackets supplied.
† Sic.