Lhassa Tibet 16-081904

My dear Delia

I received your nice long letter also letters from Amy and Daisy Bull, by the Mounted Infanty two days ago. I was delighted to hear that you were going away for a change to Florence Wilkinson and afterwards I hope you will manage to get down to No 19 which you are sure to enjoy. When you go to the market on Saturday mornings, think of me and how often I remember it. I don't remember answering Tim's letter which he kindly wrote to me thanking Bertie and me for offering to subscribe towards the house rent of 26 Gladstone Road. Please thank him from me for this letter and say that I am only too delighted to give a hand in anyway and that the offer is not quite unselfish as on my return I am looking forward to spending some of my time at No 26 which I could not do if you gave up t he house so you must look on my Contribution as what I should have to spend at a hotel if Tim was not good enough to allow me to live with you. I really think we shall be leaving here about the 15th September and I ought to be home for Christmas. Great Scott! If I am what a "bust-up" I shall have.

I went in to Lhassa last week with the escort that accompanied Colonel Younghusband who was visiting the Amban (Chinese). There is very little to describe, the place it is quite as dirty as I expected. The inhabitants look the same as those at Phari or any other Tibetan city- there were apparently no aristocratic Tibetans to be seen anywhere and except for the Palace of the Dalai Lama, no sights to be seen. I believe we are to go shortly to the Arsenal at Lhassa which made the guns used against us and blow it up, but there are no definite orders out yet. They say the Tibetans have agreed to 6 Articles out of the 9 Articles forming the Treaty so we are getting along gradually. I wrote to Bertie by the last Mounted Infantry Mail and I expect he has sent the letter on to you. We are having a lazy time of it here - sometimes fishing, sometimes reading or "loafiing". We are all training ponies for the Lhassa race meeting to be held here shortly. I have entered my pony for a couple of races so now I turn out at 7.30 am every day to give him a gallop. So Arthur has returned to Aden - poor fellow it is no fun going back to duty after a spell at home. I know how I felt it. I was delighted to receive a dividend from the Anglo French Exploration Company for £5.10 for the half year so evidently they are improving.

Goodbye dear Delia.

I am very well hope you are the same.

Your Affectionate Brother, Cecil Mainprise

Love to Daisy Bull!!