Wollongong, NS Wales, Australia, 15th August 1888

15th August

We had a most stupid lunch party yesterday. The host, Mrs McCole, is a pleasant clever woman, but her two daughters are stupid. They have nothing to say except, I believe, to young men - to them they can chatter without ceasing.

We had a very good lunch but a stupid time afterwards. When we left there we went for a nice drive. Bye the bye, the McCole's house is very prettily situated at the foot of the hills.

I have caught a bad cold somehow or other, yesterday it was all in my head and I had a sore throat, but today it has turned to a cough. It is the first bad cold I have had since I cam to the colonies and it is so tiresome that it now just when I want to be particularly well.

Now I must turn to your letter. It will be very nice for you if you are settled in Devon for this year. It will save you so much expenses. Do you think you would take a small house in that case?

I hope your brother Robert is quite well after his trip to the Cape. It will be pleasant for you to see him again. I wish we were on our way home. I do not know what to do about it. I think I told you in my last letter that the Christians say they won't be able to leave Australia till quite the end of the year, if then, so that they won't be able to go with us to Naples and Anna says she would much rather go home.

I do not think it would be good for her to go home with the cold weather, but I am afraid this place will be too hot for her and for me too for that matter in the summer.

I wonder if Hattie wrote to you and how she gets on. She wrote me a very confusing letter by last mail - she does not seem to like being with the ... I must write to her this mail.

Yes, it is very good of Elliot to write by this mail. I only wish he was writing for a better paper and was making more by it. I am glad your sister Jennie is quite well again. Are the rest of the family all right?

They have such lovely prints in a shop in Sydney. I longed to have one, but I am not sure if I can afford it. If we go home in October or November I should scarcely want one.

I must now say goodbye, dear, as I feel too stupid for writing and I musttry to get through one or two letters.

With much love to you both in which Anna joins, love dear Mamie,

Your very affectionate Mother

Eliza C Cairns

I enclose Anna's letter to Fred which you might read and send on.