Series 03: John Brady Nash letters, January 1914-December 1915 - Page 668
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[Page 668]
One of them a man from Victoria sits next to me at meal time, he is particularly intelligent, very cleanly in his habits and polite on every occasion.
When in the Ezbeheih gardens [Ezbekieh Gardens], in the center of Cairo this afternoon I plucked from a large gum tree a few of the leaves & of the fruit. I do not know the exact variety, Mr Maiden could tell of course at a glance.
Judging from recent information from London one wonders if the Government of Great Britain is about to break down under the stress of the war. A column in La Bourse Egyptienne of this evening is headed "La fausse nouvelle de la demission de Lord Kitchener". The heading and the following paragraphs are followed, after reading, in the brain by the suggestion "Where there is smoke there is sometimes fire". It will be somewhat disconcerting if a change has to come about in the leadership with us.
Good night. Good night. Good night. I shall add some words tomorrow morning and then drop the enclosing envelope in the post that it may be ready for the first outgoing mail. [A group of Xs and Os] Car. [A group of Xs and Os] Joe. [A group of Xs and Os] Kitty.
17-11-15 – 11 A.M. Have just been wondering whether to post this letter or await the chance of a mail bringing letters from you during the day. No notification has been given as to the outgoing of a mail for Australia, and as there has been at least one posted by me in time for any odd steamer I shall wait until the afternoon.
An English or rather Australian is acting as cook for the officers mess here. Yesterday was his first day. He put onions & tomatoes in the soup, and the seasoning in the roast fowl was well supplied with onions, a nasty taste has been left in my mouth, though I have used Charcoal, as also Carbolic to remove it. Notwithstanding these disabilities the meals were a great improvement upon that supplied by the local people, & it is said by those responsible that the cost will be less. Of course all these details depend upon the officer who runs the show, if he knows