These papers illustrate the career of Frederick Smith, covering his days as a student at the Royal Veterinary College (1873-1876), as a veterinary officer for the cavalry in India (1879-1885), as professor at the Army Veterinary School, Aldershot, and then returning to service, rising through the ranks during the Second Anglo-Boer War until joining the War Office during the First World War. Papers relating to this work include official correspondence, case notes, diaries and research data. Smith contributed a great deal of literature to the veterinary profession, with papers regularly published in journals from 1876 until the year of his death. The papers include research notes and data, extracts from other sources, drafts and proofs, and published copies of the articles.
Smith’s research and publications covered a broad scope, but there were particular interests in horse anatomy and physiology; stable hygiene and nutrition; saddlery; the loss of horses in war; and the eye and foot of the horse. Smith was also concerned with veterinary education and the reputation and status of the veterinary profession as a whole, and this is reflected in his correspondence with his peers.
There is very little information regarding Smith’s personal and family life within the collection. Some mention is made in Smith’s autobiography, but these papers are wholly concerned with Smith’s professional life and activities.
We currently have digitised parts of the correspondence series of this collection, they are available below. We will be adding to this periodically so follow us on social media or check this space again to find out what new content has been added. For more information on the Frederick Smith papers please click on the archive catalogue link at the bottom of this page.
Click here for full transcript of letter
[FS/2/2/4/2/19]
Bloemfontein
Kroonstad 1900
[No Salutation]
[[1]] [15 lines redacted] or these changes above noted will bring in three or four new D.V.O with one of whom I might exchange. So you see how the case stands.
Well when I wrote my last letter the lady of the house her goods chattels, cocks & hens, cattle etc were waiting with her children to come into occupation of my house. I did not only sat tight, all that day & all the next.
[[2]] I gave them breakfast, was very polite but refused to budge, on the saturday[sic] night they found it was no go so went off to some other place. On Monday morning the daughter came to me & said she wanted to get some furniture. I said certainly your hats [3 words illeg.] wardrobe & I have taken great care of them, [3 words illeg.] more than once, but she wanted more than hats she required the table looking glass & a cupboard where I kept my “kittels” & even the Clock! I was astounded, repented extremely but really I could not part with anything, & only to fancy her having asked for the 8 day clock I brought with me from America. Could’ not be done very sorry — Well I must have the glass, very sorry cant[sic] be spared. Cant[sic] even give you the hair which was in the drawer of it as I had it burned not expecting you to turn up. I gave her three picture papers & she went off, much to Hallett’s relief & mine. I have not seen her since & strange to say dont[sic] want to. I think they rather calculated on the seductive style of the damsel, for I heard she threatened to pay me a visit the first after-noon[sic], but I told Hallet to say that I felt the heat very much in the afternoon & made a point
[[3]] of taking off all my clothes [1 line redacted] whether he delivered this I dont[sic] know (I rather doubt it) but the damsel did not put in an appearance.
Two or three obliging hens come & deposit an egg in my garden every day or so. I keep Jugguroo the syce[1] on the watch. He came in the other day in great glee & reported that a hen had ‘borned’ an egg under the stone, the latter being a rock she sits under. Faithful Jugguroo! his reward is the shell when I have emptied it. I never
[Continuation of page missing]
[[4]] infernally envious & when I see the pictures of the home coming of the Duke of Norfolk[2] I cannot help but smile I suppose he was not a fortnight or three weeks in the Field & I have been nine months. I seem to have been out here all my life! Most of the correspondents have gone home, lucky dogs. I saw a photo of a group of them including Basil Gotto[3]. How I envy them, & yet I want to see the show out.
14 Septr. Well I did not go to the dance after all I was busy writing & moreover was not keen on it. I dont[sic] know why. It closes [Continuation of page missing]
[No Valediction]
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[1] A horse groom (especially used in India)
[2] Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk (1847-1917)
[3] Captain Basil Gotto (1866-1954), sculptor who worked as war correspondent for the ‘Daily Express’ during the Second Boer War, and as staff officer for musketry during the First World War
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[FS/2/2/4/2/20]
*[1]
*[2]
[No Salutation]
[[1]] to a rice lover like me begins to pall after a time. We have tried washing the rice for the last day or two to get rid of the sticky mass & get the grains separate. The result would have amused you it was converted into a water pap which I duly swallowed, but I have requested not to trouble further with this process but run on the old lines. In spite of being conservative I did think a fresh pudding would be useful, so I directed a bread pudding to be made. You might ‘Dear Madge’ follow the recipe carefully as you will find it invaluable for home consumption or for the purpose of giving permanent indigestion to your many friends; here it is — Take a sufficient number of slices of bread, place in a commandeered (otherwise stolen) pie dish, cover with water, sprinkle on sugar to taste & bake. Serve hot, & if it is not the nastiest, doughy, indigestible, pasty poultice like mess you have ever seen or tasted you will surprise your ever affectionate Fred ‘Madge’. We did not repeat Madge’s experiment. Even I could not
[[2]] tackle it, it nearly killed the [illeg.] & paralysed the chef. We are still eating plain boiled rice. & the funny thing is that when I get to India I will get little else. You might send me a prescription for a pudding, a beef steak pudding & a currant dumpling would be to me at the present moment as much source of satis-faction[sic], as a big dinner at the Cecil is to many people to night[sic]. Its the crust of the puddings which at present defeats us.
Now breakfast is quite good I get my oatmeal from B’f’tein[Bloemfontein]. I steal my eggs & a paternal Govt provides me with some excellent fat bacon. Butter I have practically not tasted since I left England I cannot eat the tinned filth & practically never think of it. It never occurs to me that I go month after month without even seeing it. But my breakfast is a great success, & Hallet is positively crushed if the meat turns out tough, or the rice insufficiently boiled. I have taught him how to make a stew; good thing I like stews for I have two a day month after month. Yah! that would suit you! Our idiotic hen took it into
[[3]] her red head that she wanted a family, so she gave up “borning” eggs, & took to sitting in one place all day. How Hallet prides himself on his know-ledge[sic] of poultry, but he reported that the hen was “terrible” slow in laying (everything is terrible with him, my mare is terrible thin, or Tommy is terrible fat) & took all day over it & then did nothing. With my intuitive genius in these matters I grasped the situation, & directed Jugguroo to pour over the devoted would be mother a pint of water every time she was found sitting in the nest. The results were quite good, she went off in the sulks for a few days, but has returned with renewed vigour, & brought a pal back (not a male) & these two fight like the devil in the morning for the use of the one nest, for the honour of laying an egg for master.
So Hallet is cheering up, he was much depressed when the hen went off. Now see what a thin veneer civilisation is, & how the savage will come up, I have finally made up my mind that the day I leave here for good, I shall eat that hen & taste poultry for the first time for many weeks. How low one is capable of falling!
[[4]] My cat has kittens, but they never appear at the family mansion. They lie in an outhouse & are positively wild, they spit, fight, bite & scratch any innocent hand extended towards them. I dont[sic] invite ‘Tiddles’ into my part of the show, for to tell you the truth I am not sure she whether her habits are strictly sanitary, at any rate I dont[sic] like the smell. She is fond of the horses & rubs herself up against Tommy’s legs.
The Baccy has arrived. Excellent stuff not quite like I smoked last time but very good. It may be a trifle strong & I want something weak, please therefore send me Wills Capstan Navy Cut Yellow Label Mild & I will try that & see whether that or the Scotch mixture suits me best. I fancy though always a poor smoker that I am not as good as I was.
11 Oct — Kruger[3] declared war this day last year & we are still at it. A force Force came in here this morning & was sniped at a man being shot killed within a mile or two of this place. I should declare peace & then hang every man caught. I would offer a good price & get all the ring leaders. I was so busy yesterday that I could not touch this letter
[No valediction]
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[1] This letter bears no address or date, presumably because it is incomplete
[2] Annotated with ‘3’ (presumably the page number)
[3] Paul Kruger (1825-1904), President of the South African Republic 1883-1900
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[FS/2/2/4/2/21] (1)
Kroonstad 1900
*[1]
*[2]
[No Salutation]
[[1]] yesterday morning or Monday night by a bullet in the neck while asleep. I only saw him the day before & told him how much better he was looking & he said he felt wonderfully better poor chap he is gone, another victim to our policy of humanity & civilization. I am sorry for his wife & poor little boy. I have thought of them many times to day[sic]. I wonder whether he would even have thought of mine? Prince Christian Victor’s death came in this morning[3] — flags half-mast high.
I still hope my photo by Moore may turn up but I begin to doubt it. I thought it would amuse you to read of the people who wanted my house. I dont[sic] intend they shall have it until I’ve done with it & goodness knows when that will be. The ‘washer-lady’ was an awful caution. I had no idea there was a second one in the world.
Well we are laying the whole of the Free State desolate it is necessary. every town & village is a Boer stronghold, the people feed them, hide them & keep ammunition for them. The whole place is being razed to the ground & the women & children brought in. I pity the latter poor little things what an experience. You
[[2]] can only conceive what it is by having an armed party come to the Croft[4], give you a few minutes to take out your personal property such as money & then the damage begins. All the windows are just pulled out to use the wood for firing then everything is piled up in the middle of the rooms on the table & the fire lighted below, after the whole place is burned out, the walls are blown down with dynamite & this is being done everywhere.
The whole village of Botha-ville[sic] has been levelled to the ground except the Dutch church. It was here that de Wet[5] drew his supplies from. By destroying the country we prevent the men from living, they carry no food or ammunition & therefore have no transport every farm feeds them. But where there are no farms they must give in or starve. Its horrible work thank Heavens I have to take no share in it. This morning I saw women being escorted in by Tommies[6] with Rifle & bayonet
I dont[sic] why. One had an immense woman with the hideous black bonnet like this[7] [illustration] that they all wear which hides their faces
[[3]] completely, had eight children all of a size, behind walked poor T.A.[8] hating the job most heartily, I expected any minute to see him pick up one of the tiny stragglers & carry it. It would have been a touch to have completed the picture; one child was crying & that always distresses me. All these people have Kruger[9] Steyn[10] & certain English MP’s to thank for all the untold misery they are suffering. Talk of pacifying the country. Why as long as you & I live it will be a second Ireland. Much better deport the lot, & give them a place to themselves. I dont[sic] blame the war, it was inevitable, these people made up their mind to drive us into the sea & divide South Africa between them — that is the other side of the picture. The present business will last for months, probably a year or two, we will wear them down by slow degrees, but they are very obstinate, it would not last three months if we undertook to do the job thoroughly but it is no use burning one farm & leaving its neighbours standing. The Scotch hospital has gone home & most of the sisters with it. They seemed to
[[4]] have very little else to do but boast & go about with cameras. I heard that they nearly had so many they could not employ them all. There are fewer now. I fancy there must have been many engagements for the students (who came out as hospital orderlies) nurses & doctors were very thick. I do not think they are of the same class as the Netley sisters, lots of them appeared on very friendly terms with the men. There is a Dutch nurse here who originally belonged to a Boer ambulance. She is a very fine young woman & very pretty. She has settled down here apparently as a monthly nurse — [13 lines redacted].
[Letter Incomplete — No Valediction]
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[1] Annotated with, presumably the page number, ‘2’
[2] Annotated with ‘Majr J Hanwell RA’
[3] Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein (1867-1900) died in Pretoria of enteric fever on 29 October 1900. He was the grandson of Queen Victoria
[4] Smith’s home – The Croft, Little Heath, Charlton, in South East London
[5] Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (1854 –1922) was a South African Boer general, rebel leader and politician.
[6] Slang term for soldiers in the British Army
[7] Illustration by Smith of a black bonnet.
[8] “Tommy Atkins” Slang for common British Soldier.
[9] Paul Kruger (1825-1904), President of the South African Republic 1883-1900
[10] Martinus Theunis Steyn (1857-1916), president of the Orange Free State from 1896 to 1902
Click here for full transcript of letter
[FS/2/2/4/2/22] (1)
*[1]
Kroonstad 1900
[No Salutation]
[[1]] of some use to him, & in return he gave me the Chateau in which I am now living. further I can arrange with him to keep it on when I go away inspecting[2] at any time. We were talking about the destruction of the farms here by burning. We are burning 35 belonging to rebels & the poor little children & women are sent in here. Its a sad sight for war to be made on children but so it is. He told me in confidence that an officer sent out with type written orders so that no mistake could be made actually burned down the farm & home of a loyal subject!! There are some fools outside the A.V.D[3]!
Hallet does all my mending, quite good on socks. He has also put a new tail to my shirt, at first he used a piece of rough flannel belonging to an old shirt of his own, but that scrubbed the J.B off me. Then a bold plan suggested itself & that was to cut up the worst shirt in order to repair the best & that has been done with great success.
My drawers have got two big eyes in the seat of them these will also have a bit of flannel let into them. He takes quite an interest in this work, but he must not be hurried he has but one pace as you know — I have a clerk an Irish Yeoman oh! such a beauty he can neither take nor deliver a message he can write, but cannot read my copy very well
[[2]] Here is an example of his intelligence. He was copying something I was sending to Duck[4] in which I said “The A.V.D are asked to make bricks without straw: — My clerk wrote “The A.V.D are asked to make “drinks without shame”! I think that takes the biscuit. You can see what a really useful man he is.
King G.O.C[5] to Hunter[6] has just been in he was going away today but could not get off, we met last night at dinner & tonight we are both dining with the same fellow. He is a bright cheery fellow full of yarns he was shut up in L’Smith with Hunter. Describing Hunter he said that his utter indifference to danger is remarkable & is in fact absolute recklessness. He would stand up on a parapet to let a pow pow get turned on him & then coolly get down on the enemy’s side of the earth work & pick up the pieces of shell. On one occasion a shell was heard screaming over head[sic]. Hunter rushed to a rock & King thought that for the first time he had seen Hunter unwilling to face the music, but not a bit of it, he jumped up on the rock, tapped himself on <the> waist &
[[3]] said “now just watch it going to hit me in the Tummy”! It passed just over his head & burst behind him. Such a man does not know what fear means; the brave man is the man who experiencing[sic] fear, yet has so much control that he never shows or exhibits it.
McMahon (who I have mentioned to you before) told me rather a characteristic tale the other day. During a recent march he invariably went to a Farm House for the night & had a bed there rather than sleep in the open. The people were always unfriendly to start with, but in one place they positively refused to let him in. Well he said it is no use your saying that for I am both going to eat & sleep here to night[sic] & if you dont[sic] admitted[sic] me of your free will I will force myself on you. They most unwillingly consented & he had dinner. Shortly they had a song then one sister (there were only the two sisters in the house) played while the other danced with McMahon & finally he danced with both in turn! Is it possible to imagine anything more funny, after the manner in which they received him. They had very little idea they were dancing with a Baronet. If you saw this on the London
[[4]] stage you would say what far fetched rubbish.
All the women in the Free State expected to be assaulted, a man at Brandfort sent his 15 yr old daughter away for safety to Lindley — & yet at this very place the hated “rooinek”[7] turned up & yet strange to say his daughter was not molested!
Lea[8] has a relation in the A.S.C[9]. I have never met him but quite by accident I heard he was here the other day. I at once went to try & find him, but he was out & the next day had gone. I was very sorry as I should very much like to meet him as you may imagine.
Another person who is here is Gibley’s Brother with the Australian Contingent, quite by accident I was discussing affairs with a colonial officer & hearing he came from Coolgardie[10] I asked him whether he knew a doctor of the name of G. Why he replied he is out here & named the station where he is just north of Kroonstad. I sent him a message by this fellow.
A fellow sat next to me for some time before I knew him to be an Australian V.S. he came over with one of the contingents & had just returned after Typhoid. He asked me whether I knew Stanley of Warwick.
[5 lines redacted]
[FS/2/2/4/2/22] (2)
[[1]] [3 lines redacted] hear something of some time ago, I believe they all turned out well medico’s, solicitors etc. She was a Governess in an [3 lines redacted]!
So you see its[sic] a small world, & yet all the world is here. It is very interesting to hear from other fellows who are a bit more in the ‘Know’ than I am so far as society is concerned, that if a chap turns up at any function unless he has lost a leg or arm or otherwise knocked about, the universal question is “Why are you not in South Africa” “What are you doing at home”.
Scores & Scores of men I learn on the best authority came out here for the reason that they got so tired of being asked the same question — Pirie[11] the M.P. was actually driven out by his constituents, hated it, but could not remain.
We made a good bag close to here the other day 4000 odd. King was with Hunter at the time & tells some funny tales about the surrender which you will hear some day. very[sic] indicative of the ‘Slim’ Boer. Finally King had to take the Boer ‘chief of the staff’ to see de Wet[12] & tell him that the surrender of Prinsloo’s force had occurred. The C of S was a man of the name
[[2]] Of Grobler. King says he was an absolute pig at the table & in addition he had to sleep in the same tent with him as Grobler was a prisoner of war on a special job. He saw him take the following mixture, boiled fowl two helpings on one plate over which he dolloped half a dozen sardines with plenty copious oil, at that moment raspberry jam was placed on the table & he seized it & actually put it over the sardines.
King says wherever he took him he had to apologise afterwards for his behaviour. They drove here from where the force surrendered & Grobler used to blow his nose in his fingers & wipe the latter on poor Kings travelling rug which they were using as a driving apron!!! Such are the manners, customs & civilization of some of the leading Boers! I’m not having any thank you at present; I was more put off by the rug story than the filthy mass the brute compounded for himself — I dont[sic] know why it is but I have no difficulty in getting
[FS/2/2/4/2/22] (3)
[[1]] [top half of page missing]
of them, they will be very interesting reading in the future. He has
I forgot to tell you that Theiler[13] knew me through my physiological work which is very gratifying — Mr Watkins-Pitchford a civil V.S. out here was shut up in Ladysmith, Theiler knew it & was very fond of Pitchfork[sic] so he tried to send him in some cigarettes but was not allowed, still it was very thoughtful of him & showed a nice spirit.
[Letter Incomplete – No Valediction.]
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[1] Annotated with ‘3’, presumably the page number
[2] Smith was inspecting field veterinary hospitals and individual units across the region at this time
[3] Army Veterinary Department
[4] Veterinary Colonel Francis Duck (1845-1934)
[5] General Officer Commanding
[6] General Archibald Hunter (1856-1936), senior officer in British Army
[7] Rooinek = an English person or an English-speaking South African (used chiefly by Afrikaners).
[8] Arthur Sheridan Lea, physiologist (1853-1915)
[9] Army Service Corps
[10] Coolgardie, Western Australia
[11] Duncan Vernon Pirie (1858-1931)
[12] Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (1854 –1922) was a South African Boer general, rebel leader and politician.
[13] Arnold Theiler (1867-1936), veterinary scientist
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Letter 1
FS/3/3/3/1 (1)
Useless Bay,
Tierra del Fuego,
29/1/1905
[[1]]
My Dear Smith,
It was a pleasure to have your letter of Oct. 24 about a fortnight ago.
How good you are in writing!
As I respond, I am wondering how I shall be able to acquit myself in this brief letter in giving you some fairly comprehensible account of my being & doing since last I wrote from the “Milton”.
Yet once again have I realised a complete upset to definite [1 word struck through illeg] plans — the outcome of too little knowledge of what lay ahead.
How curious are these such upheavals &
[[2]]
reversals in our lives!
Yet without where we have done our upmost in shaping a course, they cannot but be for the best — or at least be intended by providence for the best?
Until this reaches you, you will have believed me to be in Patagonia, whereas I am — as you will see — in Tierra del Fuego, still nearer the S. Pole.
On landing in Punto Arenas — in winter — the country proved completely [1 word struck through illeg] impassable in the severest winter [1 word struck through illeg] known since its occupation by history recording man.
There was no prospect of being able to penetrate it for 2 months.
I therefore crossed to Tierra del Fuego, to ‘put in’ time here — this being open: the N. it [1 word struck through illeg] of it at least has proved so splendid a field for [1 word struck through illeg] work that I have remained on, foregoing Patagonia altogether [.] Certainly, all things have worked for the best.
[[3]]
I am indeed thankful to have been driven to visit this weird remote [1 word struck through illeg] intensely fascinating land, so little comprehended by the world without — &, I am constrained to add, by its own people within.
How am I to condense the results achieved during 5 month’s [1 word struck through illeg] strenuous work — constantly on the move, & for the first part of my time in the face of nature’s elements which must be experienced to be adequately realized — I am afraid into [1 word struck through illeg] a brief letter?
I am afraid I cannot, so please take this will for the deed wherein I come short, though impelled by the best of intentions.
It did not take me many days in Fuego to grasp the fact that it’s [sic] largest & most interesting fauna are it’s [sic] Birds. I have therefore, directed my energies mainly to collecting these.
My species now number exactly 60 in
[[4]]
duplicate, triplicate, or more examples of some of them.
It would do your heart good to see the result of my labours — all done perforce by my own hand. It has been heavy work, [1 word struck through illeg] but there is [1 word struck through illeg] something solid to show for it.
There is not a single bad skin in all my 109 specimens.
All have been done with scrupulous care — often too under cruelly trying conditions.
Naturally you will like to hear something of them, in detail:-
In game birds I have 3 species: all Grouse — apparently: the largest weighs rather over 1lb: the smallest 2 ½ oz.! The smallest game Bird in the world I should think: smaller than any Bustard Quail I do not include in Game Birds either Snipe or Geese or Duck — all of which I have.
I have 2 sp. [species] Geese, & 5 of Duck — which are not all there are by any means, but all [1 word struck through illeg] I have been able to acquire.
[[5]]
The Most sensational birds I have — to me at least. are a tiny Reed Warbler no larger than a Bumble Bee, a tiny Black Wren from the depths of the forest at the entrance of Admiralty Sound, a tiny tiny owl from the forest weighing exactly 3 oz, probably the largest Bird of Prey in the island — an Eagle measuring 5ft 91/2 in from wing tip to wing tip, a tiny grey Titmouse — 3 examples from the forest & a black Oyster Catcher. All Birds mentioned by Darwin, these are particularly interesting for this reason: – In this connection I have The White faced Oyster Catcher [Haematopus leucopodus]. The little Pink legged Plover [Pleuvianellus sociabilis] — of both of which only the one example collected In 1838 exists in the B.M. [British Museum],
[[6]]
a Scarlet & Black Woodpecker [Symbol for male] & [Symbol for female], Nuthatch [symbol for male] & [Symbol for female] [Oxyyurus], & such common but highly idiosyncratic forms as the ‘Tero-Tero’ Plover, Two species of Starling, a Blackbird. & the curious little mound owl. In Eggs, I have [1 word struck through illeg] done a certain amount
— all indeed that has been possible.
Mammals are a very poor fauna indeed:-
I doubt if there are more than some 20 sp. [species] all told — land & Marine — In & around the Island. What I have are almost exclusively mainly Rodents including the very remarkable Stenomys (?) corresponding to the Tuko-Tuko of Patagonia.
The most interesting valuable acquisition [1 word struck through illeg] is probably a Bat from the forest at the mouth of
[[7]]
Rio McClelland to the S. of the Bay. This is the only one I have seen, & there are men in Fuego who have been here years who have never before seen a bat & who doubted their existence.
I shot my first Guanaco [Anchenia] on Aug 28th.
They are very curious creatures indeed worthy inhabitants of this extraordinary land.
Their thick soft close woolly fleeces are very nice and warm — like nothing else I have ever seen. I cannot say I care much for the flesh.
The stomachs of these animals sometimes contain very extraordinary stones.
I have 5 — 2 large, 3 small — taken from the stomach of an old [symbol for male], shot by a Mr E. C. Clarke who has very kindly given them to me [.]
The material results of my work in other ways have been collections of insects — Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, & Hymenoptera
*I have taken about 150 photos — how these will turn out I don’t know, as they have yet to be developed. Time exposes in the wind, & in forest light, are so difficult to judge R.C. [signature]
[[8]]
…almost exclusively. Earthworms & marine [1 word struck through illeg] fresh water, [1sp] & hard shells. Amongst Odds & ends. I have 3 examples of a Green Lizard.
Darwin I think found neither Lizards nor Earthworms??
Mine¬ has been altogether a most interesting time however hard in the face of [illegible] of conditions.
If I have a regret it is that I have not been able to do more than the work of one man.
My last achievement has been the ascent of Nose Peak at the entrance of admiralty sound.
I’ve never tackled a harder physical task in all my days.
Darwin pronounced this forest “impenetrable”. Practically speaking it is.
I leave for home — D.V — at the end of Feb or the beginning of March, when I hope we shall meet.
This I will address & to the W.O.[War Office] as I think you will be in England by the time this reaches there: if not, it will go on to you without delay.
[[9]]
[Rotated page 8]
I much appreciate your wise & timely remarks on the question of my visit to New York being deferred No! I do not think it will ever come off now. I am myself quite heart whole & philosophic, as becomes one of my age & experience of life; but the lady I can see plainly is much vexed with herself — & at first was furious with me. Any woman who controls my destinies to the extent of being a partner in marriage must take me for what I am & I know I am — a solid honest serious straight man who will not forego what he conceives to be his responsibilities in life for all this woman [and] whoever comes into this world if these cannot see life things from [anywhere?] near the same point of perspective… Do let me put you up for the Savile on my return? It is a club to suit you down to the ground, & the expense — after all — is
little??
[[10]]
[Rotated page 5 ]
With every good wish for you in 1905, yours most sincerely, Richard Crawshay. [signature]
P.S. Congratulations on your book being in type. It will form part of my little library, ere long. By this mail I see Fitzwygram has gone to join the ever increasing majority. What a personality he had!
Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study electronic image(s) of this document where possible.
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Letter 2
FS/3/3/3/2
Melchbourne Vicarage,
Sharnbrook,
Bedfordshire,
19/10/07.
[[1]]
My Dear Smith,
Seeing your promotion, to quite the top of the tree, in the Gazette this morning, I am impelled to write and congratulate you: & yet, it is with a deep sense of regret — and shame — that I find myself doing so, after this long period of silence on my part!
This must have puzzled you, if you have had time to think of
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any such fleeting acquaintance as myself, although I can only say that to me you have always appeared a friend — one of whom too, I often think, & never otherwise than kindly, even though I have not been able to maintain proper communications on paper: another thing, also, reminded me of you today in the report of the Desecration to Kruger’s grave, in the association with the account I had from you now years ago of the somewhat similar thing done to Prince Christian’s grave.
This long silence has been due to my “way of life” since my return
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from Tiera del Fuego what with work at what has culminated in a great book (“The Birds of Tierra del Fuego”), & my dear Mother’s death occurring in the midst of this –completely paralysing me for a time — I have almost “gone under” as a member of the world in which I have hitherto lived.
Perhaps, you will understand? So many cannot! “He laughs at scars who never felt a wound” — I have never more thoroughly realized than in the course of the last 2 ½ years. Long since, your work has seen the light of day.
I remember all you told me — &
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still more so all I saw — of your method of working at this. As for my own effort, it has almost been the end of me. But, if I may say so, the result is worthy of a whole life better than mine.
At the outset, I had no idea of attempting more than a paper for the P. Z. S., [Proceedings of the Zoological Society] on the “Ibis” (the organ of the British Ornithological Union). It then, worked into a book. Quaritch finally on taking on himself the whole cost of publication was so nice about it & so anxious to have a really handsome book that I set myself resolutely to work to achieve this; & the further I progressed the more I came to find to do, until really
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there seemed to be no end to my task.
Briefly summed up, the book consists of an account of all species of birds collected & observed by me, embodying all I am able I to say myself together with everything I have been able to discover of interest or importance or written by others. This involved a lot of research in the libraries of the R.G.S, [Royal Geographical Society] Z.S [Zoological Society] & of the B.M [British Museum]
I have even investigated the records of such old-time voyages as Magellan (Magalhaens is his correct name), to take, Drake, Cavendish, Sarmiento, Hawkins, Narborough, De Bougainville, Cook, & of course
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King’s Stokes & Fitzroy’s Survey of the “Adventure & “Beagle”: 1826 -1836 (in which Survey Darwin was naturalist from 1832-1836)
All later A– such as the “Astrolabe” & [“illegible”] Antarctic expedition, & the “Erebus” & “Terror” under Clarke Ross – I have also comprehended as far as I have been able to see my way.
The book has 21 hand-coloured plates by Keulemans (who is considered the best bird artist of the day, or stone at least), landscapes from my photos, a map (by Stranford) & an illustrated dedication. *
Tierra del Fuego being such a
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“To those who farthered me by the way” — R.C [signature]
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unique & little-understood island, I thought it well to devote a lengthy preface to it — historically, physically, botanically & zoologically — divided up into the headings “Tierra del Fuego” “Flora”, “Fauna” & “Last Words”.
The introduction is brief & deals with the main subject of the book.
I hope to have a copy for you.* It has progressed towards publication as far as my having received, last week, a completely – sketched copy unbound.
I think the price will be about £3=10: perhaps more.
You will remember telling me how interested you are in such primitive races of man as the Onas? Well! I have written a good deal about the in the preface. I hope, too, that I shall be the means
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* I take ’30: ‘ only 300 are issued. R.C [signature]
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Of having them henceforth protected & not — deliberately exterminated — as hitherto.
Someday, ere I again go abroad — I think of another journey to the land of my last sojourn: people, too, press me to go — I hope to see you once more.
Right glad am I to see you promoted to your present position!
Doubtless, you will keep up touch with Todd.
Here, I am making my base with my brother, who is Chaplain — vicar to St John, The Lord-Lieutenant of this county. It is a nice quiet restful place with few neighbours & these all exceedingly friendly. There are, in fact, only three families anywhere near — the St Johns (who own the whole country) & two others closely related to them, I shoot — a bit — Partridge driving; where one sees something of the “complexities & unrealities of modern civilisation” about which I have written in my “Last Words” on Tierra
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[rotated the first page of the letter]
Del Fuego. To the Old Great — Game Hunter, it is a credulous spectacle — & [illegible] — to see young men shooting in England — with their leaders & their [illegible] seats (On which they sit waiting for the birds) & cigarettes always in their mouths. However, though I shoot with them, I have none of this! With all best wishes!
Yours most sincerely,
Richard Crawshay [signature]
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