The Life and Letters of Sir John Hall – S.M. Mitra (1911)

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104 DR FORREST Thunderbolt steamer for him to Waterloo Bay. The report is that he will not leave this until the middle of February; but perhaps the arrival of his successor may hurry his movements. Lady Sarah has fretted herself at his recall, and yesterday I heard from Dr. Forrest, her medical attendant, that she had got fever. I hope, however, that her indisposition will prove of little moment and of short duration, for should anything happen to her, it would be a great blow to the old gentleman, and add to his affliction. Dr. Forrest, who belongs to the Medical Staff here, and has made a good deal of money, I hear, by private practice, is indignant at being passed over by Atkinson, who is junior to him in the Service, and is going to make an application to return home on account of his health, to which I suppose I shall be compelled to give my assent. The other day he sent a regular reprimand to Sir James McGrigor for overlooking his individual merits, and promoting a junior Officer over his head, which he sent to me for transmission home. I, of course, returned it to him with a message that, however much he fancied Sir James deserved censure for the promotion he had made, I was not the channel through which such a communication should pass, but that if I could forward his views in getting an exchange, or even promotion, it would afford me much pleasure. It was rather a knowing dodge of the canny Scot, as all Sir James's anger would have fallen on me, and very properly, for transmitting such a document; but I have been severely bitten once by one of his countrymen for my goodnature, and I will forgive the next who persuades me to commit myself again for his advantage. The weather has become quite cool within the last few days, and, if this be the hottest month of the year, it must be a pleasant climate. I went the other day to Wynberg, a small village about eight miles from Cape Town. It is pleasantly situated on the south-east side of the mountains that close in Cape Town, and is several degrees cooler than this place. About half-way to Wynberg there is a pretty