“Ferndale”
Port Douglas
1 April 1897
Dear Mr Elmslie
I received your letter on Tuesday. How I puzzled over the handwriting and post-mark before opening it.
I am sorry I cannot tell you anything definite regarding our movements (as they are still very uncertain, except that we leave here for Rochford on Saturday fortnight 10 April and our stay there has not yet been decided on. Then I think we go to Gympie and from there to Melbourne. This will be towards the end of June. Our house will not be ready for us until the second or third week in July and until then we shall stay with some relatives I expect. So you see I know very little.
I am anxious for our stay here to be prolonged for (contrary to expectations) am enjoying immensely. My cousins are so good to me and take me riding almost every day, and as I simply love riding I am quite in it. Next week we are to ride to the Mossman. Mr Griffiths (to whom Mr Matthews introduced me on the boat) has asked us to go and look over the mill there. Then later in the week we are to ride to Mareba to see some friends there.
It has not been too hot here – just bearable and much better than I hoped or I mean expected. You know the Point Douglas bench I expect, well that’s where I enjoy a good gallop. It’s just delightful. All the folk here are musical so we keep the house very lively and generally have a good time.
Now I must stop and should we not meet again may I wish you a safe and pleasant return to old England.
With kind regards,
Believe me,
Yours sincerely
Gertie M Brown 1
Notes:
- Geoff: I have seen Gertie Brown mentioned in a couple of other places among CTE’s papers. I think she was just a chance acquaintance. ↩