Lewarne, Cornwall. June 28/[18]89.
My dear Little Lion I thank you for your letter which arrived this morning. Mamma and I went first to Torquay where we left Grace on Tuesday whilst we came here to visit my old friend General Sir Henry Lefroy. I first knew Sir H. Lefroy in 1839 when he went out in the Erebus with me to St Helena where he took charge of the Observatory for magnetic observations. Amongst my book of drawings of the Erebus voyage is one by Mr Lefroy of some rocks in St Jago, Cape de Verd Islands. This is a large house situated on the side of a hill, but not amongst heather. There is a steep drive up from a brawling brook, and the house is surrounded by trees. When at Torquay we went to see Compton Castle, of which I have got a photograph for you. It is as much an old house as a castle, for it has no moat or other protection than its walls against an enemy, but there are loop-holes to shoot from and places down which boiling tar and melted lead were poured upon the enemy when they got too near the gates. Also there was an old garden with plenty of Hautbois strawberries, a very old kind much smaller than ours at the Camp. We shall come home on Saturday, stopping at Exeter to show Grace the cathedral. We shall not be home till after you have gone to bed. Give my love to Grandmamma and to Marion and Hugh and Archy and a kiss to Dick. Mamma sends her love. Your ever affectionate father and LION.