Dear Mr Chesson,

Kindly excuse brevity, I had a telegram at 5! this morning. Topia … was escorted when he arrived at Plymouth to the hotel ‘Duke of Cornwall’ and wd be escorted to the Potosi and if the P did not arrive until late to say he wd be accompanied if we went for a drive to see the 3 towns so I hope his heart is gladdened this fine day by pleasant sights and fresh air. I telegraphed early today about Hosi Rapihana to the clergyman on board the Potosi as he is bound for Napier … his Rapihana’s pah so I asked the clergyman to show him special kindness and said how obliged I wd be if the clergyman wd write to me from Suez how the maori chiefs were behaving. Now I have written to Bishop (Stuart) Waiapu about Hosi Rapihana’s good conduct.

Excuse my stupidity in beginning on a half sheet. I decide today on staying here until next Thursday the landlady being willing to let me pay for only half a week as she evidently likes to have me here and says her servts will miss me whenever I go.

On Thursday I shd like to go into lodgings only for 2 weeks to Folkestone. If Mrs Grace will come on a visit to me I have just written to ask her and hope she will as I have said ‘pray bring yr daughter’. The said daughter is to go on to New Zealand in October and has much needlework to do but that she cd do at Folkestone as well as at Rickmansworth. I shall rely on Mrs Chesson kindly finding me a lodging. I will write to her so soon as I receive Mrs Grace’s reply and then state precisely the sorts of apartments wh wd suit me and my purse.

I am very thankful to be able to be still by the window today and not to have to stir about the room. I have seen nothing of Te Wheoro or Skidmore. If you like to come up tomorrow or Monday or Tuesday and speak to the two here you will be sure to find me in. If Te Wheoro decides to go to Folkestone with Skidmore for a week (wh perhaps when he finds he can go down for only a few shillings that journey) I think they had best go into a lodging by themselves. Of course they cd come and see me and Mrs Grace often but as he is a close fisted man and does just the other way, it wd … us to settle to those expenses and what with presents to my … to the maories who have gone, money has been flying away and tho I can afford a … at Folkestone quietly yet to perhaps have a heavy bill thro the maori and half caste I think it my present duty to avoid. I quite see why Te Wheoro objected to Hori Rapihana remaining tho he allowed he was a good Christian. Topia … is on the mother’s side distantly related to Hori’s father and therefore clings to Hori whilst absent from his tribe and agreed to pay all Hori’s expenses. He wd not subscribe to Hori remaining with Te Wheoro tho he approved of Te Wheoro remaining and said the king and his people would pay part of Te Wheoro’s expenses.

Te Wheoro was down east when he found that Mr Fuller thought it wd be next spring before the business got all settled and so did two friends of mine. He said I don’t know whether my money will last until ten. I said you cd telegraph for a remittance, but not supposing that Tawhiao wd be the one to act. I said non more but Mrs Grace … yesterday for Te Wheoro’s bright and Mr Spencer’s few words that the money is to be advanced on Tawhiao’s signature. I only hope Mr Spencer has made no mess of the transaction. I collect that Te Wheoro ran after Mr Spencer and that both went off in a cab and that aftwards he said he had been in the city abt money. I suppose to pay the passages of the king and Patara as I know Topia had gone to Andersons and paid for Hori Rapiha and himself.

Yesterday I was half disposed to go off to … tomorrow and therefore told Te Wheoro he wd not find me afternoon on Sat but anytime you fix with him to meet them here you and they will be welcome and if you write to him today will you kindly say that I stay here until 28th.

Very kind regards, very many thanks from yrs sincerely obliged,
C.J.D. Weale

I don’t apologise for such a scrawl as my powers are not great at holding steadily the pen just now. But I am very thankful to have been enabled to bear the pain and get thro the days cheerily and by middle of next week I may be further able to bear the journey to Folkestone.