Chumbi Tibet. 19-02-1904

My dear Bertie

Thanks for the letter received yesterday and also for the cigarettes that arrived this morning. I am delighted to have them as the ones I got from the stores - "an Egyptian blend" I do not care for very much. Yours are beauties - I remember from a Tin you sent me over before. Yours are Capstans.

We are very quiet here, the General and Staff have returned from Tuna where they thought there might be some fighting but nothing happened. For the last three days we have had snow but not enough to worry one - though we have had to beat it off our tents to prevent them coming down. My house has become very leaky as it not asdfasd and rainproof. Still it is not very cold and when it is snowing the wind ceases to blow, which is a great blessing.

I am including a cutting from one of the papers, which you might read and afterwards send on to Delia. The Calcutta papers, "The Englishmen" and "The Statesmen" both of whose correspondents are here both give very good accounts of expedition and if you see anything interesting in the "Pioneer" you might cut them out and send them to Delia. I see plenty of papers but as they don't belong to me I cannot mutilate them.

Every night I make up a Bridge party and everyone is delighted to come and play a few rubbers as my house is very warm and comfortable and time passes rapidly until bedtime. We had just finished last night when one of my sergeants rushed in to say that a Tibetan Dooly* bearer was lying outside with his throat cut. I found the man lying in the snow unconscious and bleeding from several cuts in his neck . However when I had taken him in to the surgery and examined him I found that the wounds were not very deep and I think he will recover.

Our troubles here are well shown in this case it was that it was so late (11.30pm) that I had no warm water and I had to use frozen water - and carbolic acid was also frozen and when I had only washed the wound for a few minutes my own hands were so frozen I could feel nothing. However I took the man in to my hut and kept him before the fire all night. The next morning handed him over to the NF Hospital. He had been attacked by one of my own Tibetans (they were all drunk, being their New Year's Day - Feb 18) but at the Court of Enquiry yesterday at which I was a witness, practically no evidence could be extracted from other Tibetans as to how it happened.

I was very pleased to hear about the ponies. I expect you want a stronger bit for Kitty and her head kept lower. She used to be so handy that Hoare at Fatahynah offered me R500/- for her to play in the Polo Tournament at Hainital where there is a very small ground and afterwards to sell her to me again for R400/- - my original price. Of course I would not take it as he rode R1000/- - R1200/- ponies himself - being a heavyweight - and what was R100/- to me with the chance of Kitty being damaged. On his side it would have been a tremendous bargain, as he knew Kitty had often played there and knew the ground.

I received my mail letters from Delia this morning - she is greatly worried over her Servants - the nurse has gone sick and the housemaid wants a holiday!!! Poor Delia. The servant question here is no mean difficulty. Most of the servants after coming a few marches - ran away - and I don't blame them - it is hardly worth dying of pneumonia or losing most of your Toes or Fingers from frostbite for the sake of any extra R5/- 10/ per mensam. My Servant does me well except on a few occasions when to cheer himself up he drinks a bottle of native liquor and is incapable for 24 hours. Still I don't worry him as his joys are very few and far between up here.

My boss is still away and I am running the show. The Madras Sappers have not improved yet but I don't think the General likes to send them down as they have certainly done good work. Sheppard arrived here from Guntak yesterday to see the General and today the General goes with him to Guntak on Inspection Duty. We are all here very interested in the Russo Japanese war but our news is somewhat late. How well the Japs are doing the Russians will have no time to give to us!! Well so long - much love, send this on to Delia.

Your Affectionate Brother

Cecil

PS: I have had some photos taken of the Hospital Camp and also a group of the personnel. I have sent the films down to Calcutta to be developed. They are very good and when they arrive I will send them along.

Editor’ Note: Doolie* is a kind of litter suspended from men's shoulders, for carrying persons or things; a palanquin.

Near Chumbi, Tibet 11-2-1904

My Dear Bertie

I haven't written for some little time but there has been nothing to record. We are supposed to be wintering here and one day is very much like another. I have been out several times with gun or rifle after sport but there is practically nothing to shoot here just a few "Chinnals" or pheasants have been shot and a goat of blood partridges. I have been practising with my revolver and with my Winchester rifle and now manage to make some fair scores.

I also occasionally take out my pony for a gallop - he has turned out quite a good bargain. I was very pleased to hear "Banters" and "Kitty" are playing polo regularly again. I can't understand that foreleg of Kitty's - unless she injured it in the train - with your lightweight she ought not to go lame. I am awfully fond of both of those ponies; especially Banters who has always done me tip top. I think with his saddle and bridle on, Bantams is one of the prettiest of ponies.

I am at present PMO to the force here - as Colonel Waddell is away in Calcutta - so I have been rather busy as I have to keep an eye on the medical arrangements all along the lines of Communications. I am not really senior after Waddell but as I am senior here with the General I take precedence over the other medical officers who are not here.

I think it is getting warmer here - at all events one does not feel the cold so much now. I am quite comfortable now and as fit as I have ever been in my life. We are very excited about the outbreak of hostilities between Japan and Russia though we have seen no papers yet. We however get Reuters telegrams from the General so know most of the important news and wonder how it will affect this show, it will certainly make it easier as both the Chinese and the Tibetans have been hoping they will be backed up by the Russians. However I expect when we move on beyond Tuna where the Mission with an escort of 4 legs of Pioneers now are and have been for the last three weeks - there will be fighting as the Tibetans are said to be throwing up barriers.

At Tuna it is simply a dog's life - the cold, diet and general discomfort is so bad - no wood being obtainable for fires that I believe all of our people would not mind throwing up the Chance of a Medal and going home. A dusty wind is always blowing and most of the men have lost their voices from this irritation to their throat.

By the bye, the Madras Sappers and Miners who had been in the Teesta Valley since June last and are now here with us - have become very seedy indeed - a very high percentage of Sick amongst the men. This is due to the fever contracted by nearly all of them during the rainy season last year. I have had to point this out to General and I should not be surprised if they all had to come down to India. They all are played out. Their officers, Heycock, Garsten-Lewis - are very sick about it and of course are trying to get their men out of Hospital as soon as possible but I don't think it will be any good. I wonder if your company will come up in their stead, You must keep this to yourself as this is of course an Official Secret and the General would not probably like it known.

We have managed to get up "Bridge" in my shanty every night and the Battery generally come over for a game - this is a great improvement and passes the evening well. I have been very hard up for cigarettes but at last have received a couple of Tins from the stores - I have tried Commissariat Rum occasionally but cannot stomach it at all. However one never requires alcohol much.

I have received good letters and papers from Delia every week, who appears to be going on all right. I wonder how the war will affect Tim - I'm afraid badly except in the way of people "selling". I suppose our little lot of investments will suffer too. Did I tell you Tim kindly bought for me £250 Anglo French Exploration Company Shares. It sounds an awful gamble but I remember you told me that Tim strongly advocated them. I am awfully glad Watson's failure did not affect either of us. Thomas was in the Watsons - I expect he will be very sad although I think he had nothing but a current account. Well so long and take care of yourself.

Your Affectionate Brother

Cecil

PS: I heard from No 19 that you had been very "proud" to them this Christmas, lavishing money right and left. I am delighted to hear you thought of Mrs Harnbey and An Collard - You are much better at these things than I am.

Chumbi Tibet, 6-02-1904

My dear Delia,

I am hoping you will receive a letter from Bertie sent by me by this mail but should you not receive one I am writing a few line to say I am quite fit and quite well and nothing of importance has occurred here. The PMO Colonel Waddell CIEIMS* has gone inspecting on the lines of Communication and I am at present officiating for him with the General so I am rather more busy. I think it is getting warmer, at all events one is getting more accustomed to it.

The papers apparently are taking great interest in the expedition - We have the Daily Mail, Reuters and Times correspondents with us but they are apparently not allowed to write much. I have written a long letter to No 19 by this mail - so probably they will send it on to you. Much love to you and the youngsters hoping you are all well.

Your Affectionate Brother Cecil Mainprise.

* Editor’s Note: Laurence Austine Waddell (1854 - 1938) was a British explorer, collector in Tibet, and author. He was considered one of the foremost experts on the country and was the cultural consultant on Sir Francis Younghusband’s 1903-1904 invasion of Tibet. He documents the people and religion of the Tibetan capital, including British-Tibetan military clashes and peace negotiations in his book Lhasa and its Mysteries-With a Record of the British Tibetan Expedition of 1903-1904.

Chumbi Valley, 24-1-1903

My dear Bertie,

I admit I have been rather slack lately in writing but there has been very little to record. General MacDonald and Staff arrived here from Phari on the 19th and with them came Colonel Waddall Tibbs - the PMO. On the following morning the General and his Staff inspected this hospital and were very pleased with the appearance of our Camp.

We are rather higher here than the rest of the camp being situated on a raised piece of ground - the front of this I had made in to a kind of terrace and this was levelled with three flights of steps cut into it and leading in to Camp - gives our camping ground a most imposing appearance. On the front of the Terrace is our Flag Post with flag flying. The Camping Ground itself was beautifully level not a stone to be picked up anywhere - all Tents pitched most accurately and in a line - a stable built for my pony - also my assistant surgeons - and lastly our living house beautifully warm and sunny.

All this impressed the General and PMO very much. They said though I had arrived last our Camping Ground and arrangements were best in Camp I made my formal call on him during the afternoon and he - General MacDonald - was very pleased - though a very quiet man. I hear he was out in China at Tiantsin on "railways" but he never mentioned you - do you remember him? I will enclose you a list of the staff here and Heads of units. When read please forward to Delia, also the "baby pictures". Delia talks of her babies - so I am sure she will be interested in mine.

Many thanks for the Cake and potted meats which arrived safely yesterday. The Cake I started on yesterday and much enjoyed. The Battery 7th MB -3 Officers - are dining with me tonight and I intend to do them "proud". I have an excellent cook and I believe that I fare better than most judging of the meals I have taken outside, Certainly the luncheon I had at the Battery yesterday my cook would never look at. Everything very "Kutcha" and dirty - their servants had run away and their native driver was cooking for them!!!

It is very cloudy and dark today and looks very much like snow. The General and Staff have hired a native house about ¼ mile from here and are already ensconced - awaiting Snow! Since I have been here all my "pals" have been exceptionally good in writing and sending papers. I had a letter from Miss Bull by the last mail I think I must really send it on - also from Lady Hapwood - Mrs Thomarsson - Ralph - and by this morning's mail letters from Grandma - Daisy and Delia.

Thanks for offering to send me anything more but you must not really trouble. I have sent a R/-100 to the Calcutta stores and if I want anything can send for it myself though of course an unexpected present like your last is much more exciting to receive. Yesterday I sent for 5lbs of bacon and 3lbs of Cheese, Chocolate and Cigarettes - as I have nothing to smoke without sponging on my friends. Your Company - Sappers & Miners are still at Guntak though the Madras Sappers have come on. I hope your fellows come on shortly as I want to meet them. I hear from Rumour - the West Ridings and another Native Regiment are coming up in March as there is certain to be fighting when we leave Tuna - where the Mission at present are. Must really close - a splendid long letter from Delia this morning.

Yours

Cecil

Chumbi 15-1-1904

My dear Bertie,

I received your letter this morning and I was glad to hear that you had had such a splendid Christmas. There is a Drake Brackman in this show. I expect it must be a brother of your friend. My last letter I wrote direct to Delia as I wanted it to catch the mail. I continued from Kapaap from which place I despatched my last letter to you and which you tell me you forwarded on. Except for the cold and the hard going over huge boulders very slippery from the ice, the Talap Pass presented no difficulties and we arrived here on the 7th, finding the General and the Mission had gone of to Phari, twenty miles from here. There has been no fighting except that one officer of the Gurkhas 4th had a brickbat thrown at him when at Phari which knocked him silly for a time during which his rifle and ammunition were run off with. It has been kept very quiet and I don't know the full particulars. He had some Sepoys with him but they had been given instruction not to fire so the fellow, a Lama, got away all right.

Half the troops are here and half at Phari but I understand that we are all shortly moving up to Phari where about 2000 Tibetan are expected to be threatening about. It is intensely cold here but my Tibetan Doolie bearers have built me a house of stones where I have a fire all day long and I hence am fairly comfortable at night. I crawl in to heaps of bedding sown together to form a "bag" which is the only way to keep warm. Stores are now off and I have come down to the Tummy's ration of bread, meat, potatoes, sugar, Tea, etc. Luckily I have an 'A' cook who makes these things into a splendid dinner. At present I am messing in the hospital as the tents are so small and everyone is moving about daily so much so that everyone makes their own arrangements for messing and there is no general mess. However when I do dine out I find that I get a much finer dinner at home.

I have very few sick so I am not overworking. I tried my hand at my rifle yesterday and hit a handkerchief rolled in to a knot at one hundred yards twice following - my only shots - so I think it is fairly accurate. I then had a turn with my revolver where I went all round a tin - could not hit it for "nuts" so before I fire at a Tibetan I shall run up to him and fire. I am actually keeping a diary so I shall be able to write a book on my return.

I went to see the only English woman in Tibet, a missionary at Yatang. She has been here since 96 -although the Indian Government have tried hard to turn her out. She keeps a "store" otherwise the Tibetans themselves would turn her out. I bought some stores and she gave me the most delicious lunch ending up with some Mince Pies so I did very well. Her name is Miss Anna Taylor and her Sister describes in the Illustrated London News Supplement of December 5th 1903, a visit to her and this part of the World. There is also a lot about her and Tibet in the Guardian, which number I do not know (this information for Delia).

My dog Pincher is doing wonderfully well and I do hope he will live. I have never seen him fitter with an appetite like a wolf. I received Delia's mail letter yesterday, written on Christmas day. I'm afraid my money for toys for the Children arrived too late. Still it would do for New Year's day. Everyone seems to have been exceptionally kind to the youngsters who had any amount of toys. Goodbye, I am very fit and actually managed to have a bath today at 12 o'clock when the sun was up.

Your affectionate brother

Cecil

PS: The two Sappers here are Capt. Elliott CRE and Garstin - Sappers & Miners (Madras) - but don't think they have met you. Cecil.

Chumbi Valley, 11-01-1903

My Dear Delia,

Here we are at the headquarters of the Mission after some of the coldest and harshest marches it is possible to conceive. I hope Bertie has sent on to you my letter written at Kupapp just before we were about to cross the pass. Except for the bitterness of the wind and rarification of air, which causes some people an intense headache - with nausea and sickness - there was nothing remarkable about the Pass. No snow had fallen and everything was very easy. I was able to ride up but on the other side there is practically no road and one had to scramble down for about 6 miles as best as one could.

That evening I found only about half of my warm socks left in my boots. Two marches after leaving the Pass we arrived here and found orders to remain here until the Headquarters Staff returned from a flying Column Expedition in a few days time when we shall pick up our Battery. It is all nonsense saying the Valley here is warm and sunny and well cultivated. It is very bleak and barren, a nasty cold dusty wind blows all day and it freezes all day long. Even in the sun during the day it is freezing and consequently one is always wrapped up. At night I only take off my coat and boots and sleep in my clothes and a warm cap and gloves. It is the only way to keep fairly warm.

We passed through some Tibetan villages after the Pass but all the houses look incomplete - no doors or windows - and as if they were being pulled down. Except for their Chinese characters there was nothing remarkable about them. I understand that we are all shortly to leave this Camp and go on to a Camp in the Valley about miles from here. Here the General proposes to winter - what he intends to do when the snow comes I can't imagine as Tents won't stand snow but collapse unless one goes out every hour and removes snow off the flaps.

One doesn't care to smoke or drink here but everyone eats heartily one's rations from the Commissariat, - Meat Tea Bread Sugar Potatoes, Rice - brought up some stores but they are rapidly disappearing.

I don't think there is much prospect of fighting although yesterday we heard At Phari Tong - one of the 8th Gurkha officers had been struck on the head with a stone and his rifle and ammunition seized.

I am very fit indeed but shall thoroughly enjoy Civilisation again as all of us say. My dog Pincher has suffered in the cold and I think now will be all right. He sleeps with me and doesn't go out expect when the sun is up.

I received your mail letter safely in and you had already heard of my setting off. And Daisy was with you and also wrote to me 8th-12-03. I have been so sorry to hear of Tim's eyes and really think he ought to see an oculist as they have been bad for so long now. Has he tried Yellow Oxide of Mercury Ointment - "Golden Ointment" this is a splendid remedy for most eyes after washing with Boracic lotion. Very many thanks for the photo of yourself and the Children. I think it is capital of you all and the Children look "very pretty" and sweet.

My hands are so "cracked" and "sprayed" I cant write any more - please thank Laura - May Stevenson, Mrs Stevenson, Ralph - No 19 for their Christmas letters - when I can, I will answer them but there is only about two hours in the day when one can write and then I have my office work.

Much love Dear Delia

Yours affectionately Brother Cecil

Talap Pass 5-1-1904

My Dear Bertie,

We got away from Runypo on Jan 1st and arrived yesterday at Gnatong after one of the stiffest climbs I have ever had. The last two marches were terrific and old campaigners were all unanimous in saying that this expedition takes the cake. Yesterday on arriving at Gnatong , Colonel Kerr and the 8th Gurkhas were good enough to give me a good Tea and afterwards dinner so I had luck in this respect though I had to sleep in a Tent with a fine icy blast blowing all round as the Dake bungalow such as it is, was full. However by taking off my coats and boots and putting on fur slippers I went to bed as I was having put on the bed everything that I possess including a native lambs wool rug weighing 12lbs. With this I felt warm but the air is so rare that it is rather hard to breath and no one cares to smoke. Bathing and washing is a luxury, it is too dangerous one might catch pneumonia. Feeding is rather a difficulty as "rations" are not generally available and stores at exhorbitant prices have to be used.

We left Gnatong this morning and we have encamped with the Pass before us - in as barren and windy a spot as can be imagined - everything frozen including ourselves. However with fur caps and Pashteen Coats we manage all right.

The Hospital is travelling alone though up to Gnatong -3 other officers accompanied us in camp. At this camp there is Thornton who is running the Kashmir Pony Corps. He remembers you at Peshawr and was out in China. He says China was cold but most people were not under Canvass and the Clubbing and rations were excellent while here the latter are by no means good. I am dining with him tonight but must take over to his tent, plates knives etc!

Tomorrow we cross the pass after which it will be warmer. After tomorrow we still have two more marches to reach headquarters in the Chumbi. I hear however our Battery is 5 days march from the Chumbi so whether we shall go in at once I don't know. I am as fit as a fiddle but find my knee requires "nursing" over the rough ground as it occasionally "gives" but as long as I don't slip over anything I can march miles in fact I marched almost the whole way up although I have a pony it is too bad a road to ride. Of course I keep my knee very "dark" - no one knows about it. However as I am always allowed to ride it doesn't matter much. Several of the establishment have been knocked up by the severe marching but I enjoy it except for the ends of the march - rough feeding and chilly tents.

Send this on to Delia and give her my best love. I shall not be able to send her a letter this week as there are no post offices before the Chumbi. Good luck old fellow, I hope you are going strong. It is too cold to write more.

Your Affectionate Brother

Cecil