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Transcribed by Gary Carroll, [email protected]

Letter from Robert Harris 1849-1919 to his brother Tom Harris 1847-1904

Notes: Richard Huddy died 17 Dec., 1889 aged 61 Rev. John Geddie 1815-1872. George & Ellen Gordon martyred on Erromanga 20 May, 1861

Charlottetown 28th Augt. [1865]

My dear Tom
I hope this will find you safe and sound, and that you have had a pleasant passage. I went up to Murray harbour shortly after you left here. My greatest fun there was shooting pigs. I made a bow and arrows. I put nails in the tips of the arrows, and you would have laughed to see the pigs running squealing about with the arrows in them for hours after. While the steamer P of W was there we fired a salute out of Davey Hughes venerable swivel gun. Dick Huddy was the gunner. She made a great explosion and in doing so burst to bits flying in all directions and hurting some two or three. The reason why she burst was I think because Dick rammed in a large piece of fat pork as he said to make the load slip out. Jackson and Dick and lots more were dead drunk after. Dickey Jordan accused Jacksons boys of stealing a knife out of his boat, and when Jackson went home his wife got him into a great rage about it (he was drunk at the time) so he cleared right of to Dickeys and caught him in his house. he gave him a clout on the side of his head that knocked him down Dickey then made a jump for the window and Jackson just caught him behind with the

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toe of his boot too so he ran for the woods at a great rate. While Dickey lay down to hide in the oats Jackson hunted everywhere for him but could not find him. Jim Penny has got married to a widow named Mrs. Lumberton [Lambert?] Mr Geddie the missionary from the Island of Aneiteum in the South Sea Islands lectured here a few nights ago he shewed the axes with which Mr. and Mrs. Gordon was killed. He also shewed us spears, bows and arrows, war clubs and stones made to throw in battle, and their musical instruments and native bark cloth. He gave a very interesting lecture indeed. Four days ago Mr. Dan Davies sent to ask me to go to Murray harbour with his horse and wagon with a letter to Papa about a vessel that is loading there the Nassau Captn Smith. I staid up there one day and shot a pig with a very good arrow which I did not want to lose. I chased the pig at last into the water. I went and hid in some bushes and two other pigs took it out with their teeth and bit the arrow all up.

With love from all I remain, your affectionate brother,

Robert Harris

P.S. Remember that book Mrs. Jamesons History of the Italian Painters and see if I would have a chance to get it.