ABSTRACT
On Charles Elliot’s return to Macao and his wife on 24 May 1839, he hurried to reassure his absent family. Two of his children were still on the high seas but he wrote to his sisters Emma and Harriet on the 29th – via the Ariel which left with his dispatches for London – as if he were also addressing Chachy, Hughie and Gibby:
I write to you both because I know you will be equally anxious about me. I am once more with my family after a pretty close imprisonment of nine weeks, somewhat shattered in health but strong in spirit. And I hope I shall live to see you all again and to embrace my darling children again – if not in wealth, at least without blame or shame. I hope Fred will get a sight of my dispatches. The attempt to explain what I have been doing, or why, would be hopeless indeed.
But let me turn from these desperately difficult and harassing affairs to my sweet children. God bless you dear little Harriet, and Hughie, and Gibby. Love one another, and be obedient to your uncles and aunts, and do not forget that the greatest kindness you can show your absent parents is to be good, and happy.
We think of you our dearest children, every hour of every day; and dearest Chachy, it was my great comfort when the nasty Chinese were troubling me at Canton that you were not here to be troubled. Do not forget to let them get an edition of Le Sage’s Atlas, for you and learn Geography according to his system. 1 It is ingenious indeed.
And now I will say farewell to you, my own children, and God of his mercy bless you, and protect you. My dearest Chachy’s note from Anger reached me at Canton, and was a comfort to me in my hours of distress. Write to me dear Emy, a little oftener, and make my darling Harriet write. I hope you will all love Hughie, and try to understand him. He is a good little fellow, and easily governed with firmness and gentleness. I love him from the bottom of my soul.
Excuse this wretched scrawl my dearest sisters, that I have written with a full heart and at snatches, in a whirl of business, and difficult and anxious business too. I am piloting this great and almost foundering trade through stormy weather and narrow straits; but appearances are mending.
Since I left Canton on the 24th I have received a very moderate and conciliatory note from the Governor. They are evidently desirous of accommodating matters it they can. The Chinese, dear Emy, have made me a cautious, suspicious man and I do not gabble so easily now as I was used to do 3 years since. To borrow a figure of their own, I ‘investigate and enquire three times three’ and then answer that it is difficult to say ‘no’ and harder still to say ‘yes’. When they want to settle, they always find a way easily enough. When they want to confuse us, we usually spare them the trouble by doing it ourselves.
