Bombay,
March 28th 1852
My dear Mamma,

I received your very welcome letter by the last mail and am glad to hear that Grandma is still in tolerable health and hope the next time I hear from you she will be much better. I am very much obliged to Maria for the very nice mark she sent me. I must say that the subject is very appropriate altho I should not like to come from anyone else as the last sentence would be of doubtful signification. I was sorry to hear that you had not got my clothes as I left them for Mr Scott to bring home, and would have sent them some other way but had not time as Capt Scott wanted me to go for his luggage and that occupied me all morning until the ship sailed. Would it not be better to threatened? her with the Police as the servant girl, and a lodger of the name of Duncan, who lives in the house and saw me give clothes in charge, jacket trousers and waistcoat. She much be a very bad character it shall make me more cautious again. I hope that you will get them as it would be rather much to lose. I am much obliged to Joseph Nelson for his trouble and hope he shall be successful. We have not commenced discharging coals yet but hear that the ship is going to China, which, should she do I will not be home until July a year. I was ashore since I wrote last and saw a great number of queer People and curious things. There were Palacequins for reclining in and a gig like sort of machine called Bogy which were all the conveyances I saw. There is no glass in the windows and the walls of the houses are greatly discoloured, so that the streets have a very poor appearance but the roads are beautifully smooth and level. In morning you can see the women who are not much larger than a girl of 10 years carrying water in the eastern style in copper vessels on their head. The men convey it in larger quantities in leather bags on their backs, as we read of in the Bible. The water we got on board ship is very bad, but there is good water at Elephanta about 4 miles distance, where there are caves and curious carved images which were formerly worshipped by the Brahmins. There are not many curiosities here but should we go to China I will bring some home. The Natives are great rogues and you can hardly buy anything from the without being cheated. My health was remarkably good on the passage out. Had only to take medicine once since I came in. I have had a slight cold but am much better. Tis a wonder the salt provisions had not a bad effect on me, as I was always a little scorbutic before but we are allowed lime juice and vinegar which is a preventative and I had spuds the most of the passage. The twilight is very short and does not last more than 20 minutes, which is not so pleasant as in Old Ireland but the weather is beautiful and there has only been one slight shower since we came and there is always a breeze which is very grateful and cooling. The mosquitoes are troublesome at night, but I suppose Grandma can inform you about them.

There is little fear of a person indulging much in liquor here as I only tasted it 3 times since we left.1Christmas day the Capt. gave us plumb Duff and some grog, another time coming around the cape when all hands were on deck all night and next day, and I was 7 hours at the wheel along with another hand and again off the Mauritius reefing topsail and I tell you "we needed it". The vessel rolled tremendously. One would think she would never rise again and when we went below in the house on deck where the Boys live "such a mess as there was, the harness casks had broken adrift, and all the beef and pork was rolling from side to side among about a cart load of paint pots and paints that had been stowed there pro. term. in the middle of which were our chests were gloriously swimming, was not that beautiful? One of my blankets fell out of my hammock and was all daubed over. Tis well I had 2 but considering the length of the voyage we had very favourable passage. Capt. brought a large Newfoundland Dog with him and he did very well until we came into Harbour, where in a few days he went mad, but fortunately did no harm altho he was racing fore and aft the decks as if a dozen tin pots were after him but his career was ended by a leaden bullet from the mates fowling piece.

I was glad to see the Downpatrick newspapers which you sent me as any news from home is very acceptable. Should it be convenient I would be glad you would send me a Belfast paper as there is more information in one of them. Perhaps you could get one from Willy. Please remember me to him and all the family and also to Benjamin Thompson, tell them I would be very glad to hear from them altho I will not promise to answer their letters as it is a job to write here. I feel the truth of that saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder as I often be thinking of how you are all getting on at home. And should I be spared to see you all in health again twill make me very happy. Please write me a long letter and let me know how everything goes as a letter from England creates quite a sensation here. Give my love to all my friends. Dada I suppose is kept pretty busy now. I hope the exertion may agree as well with him as well with as myself. You would hardly know your bleached and Sunburnt Boy. My arms are all tanned as well as my feet as we hardly ever wear stockings except going on shore or in cold weather. Give my most affect love to Dada, Grandma Aunt Sisters and Brothers not forgetting little Georgy, remember me to Ben Thompson, Mr and Mrs Lindsay, Mrs and Joe Surch, Mr West and not forgetting my old friend John Hanna. Tell him I do not think anything of stowing the Royals and have often helped to stow the flying gibb in a squall, and will take the command of his boat when I come home if he pays me well. Remember me to Mr Love. I hope your singing goes on well, now if you would hear us sometimes when heaving on the capstain or hoisting a topsail you would wonder how sailors could be so melodious. Remember me to Jane, Sarah and Mary. I wonder how they would fancy the Black fellows here. I would be the better of a little cash and I suppose we will be the better part of 2 years here from what I can gather that is if you can spare it and I will be very careful of it, should you write on the receipt of this the letter will find me here still I expect, but will be safe if you direct the same as formerly. Farewell at present and believe me ever yours affect son

James C Parkinson

Write a long long letter