1 P41/23/13 The British Bank of South America
Caira —41
Bahia
Brazil 9th November 1923 My dear Susan At last — I have found a few
moments in which to scribble you a note to
let you have my new address. All our
letters are addressed to the Bank as it is
the safest mode of delivery — I have been
7 weeks here and I have been kept busy
since I arrived, although I must say I have
done nothing really worth while — Labour is
so cheap here with all the niggers that none
of the white people work — I love the place
already — the bay is very pretty — such
a lovely blue sea all studded with
little islands. We live quite near a
beautiful sandy beach. Our house is
situated just as Jim’s house in Valencia
and we can bathe all the year round,
the sea is quite warm sometimes. 2 2 Well Susan Jen will tell you all about our wedding &
remind her to give you a photo although they are
awful peaks . Such a glorious honey moon trip as I
have had — being with the few days we spent in the
peace and solitude of Glendalough! It was lovely
there — we had a full moon also — so it was a
real honey-moon— we motored through the Vale of Avoca
I saw the Meeting of the Waters. I admired the scenery
but it cannot be compared with the majestic-rugged
beauty of the Kingdom. Even Paddy admitted that although
we were in the Wicklow of the Byrne Clan — In London we couldn’t call our souls our own
between my being introduced to the Byrne family there
& mailing my brother & numerous relatives we were
tired of trotting about & glad to get on the “Andes” at Southampton on 31st August The is a lovely ship and the largest Royal Mail boat going from Europe to S. America. We had a lovely cabin on the side & in the dining salon we have a nice small table near the port—hole. We had a splendid land & dancing after dinner every evening. So we enjoyed ourselves to perfection. We called at Cherbourg — Conurra — Vigo — Lisbon —Maderia and Penamluco. Conurra & Vigo we reached on 2nd September — arriving at Conurra at day break & reaching Corunna Vigo at 5 o’clock the same evening. We went ashore at Lisbon & motored all round the city. We had lunch in a quaint old café where Paddy got the nigger band to play Brazilian for me. At Madeira we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly - I won’t attempt to describe Madeira —it is so beautiful — & it is one of the few places whose picturesqueness has not been exaggerated — we went up to the hotel in the Summit in a funny old mountain railway. The native kids threw bouquets of flowers at us on our way up 3 3 We came down in a toboggan drawn by two
natives — they simply went like the wind. We saw some exquisite lace embroidery
there — I sent a card to Tomas from Madeira.
Hope he got it — I should like to write
him a long letter about — my voyage but
I hope he will be released before this letter
reaches you — so he can read it. After we left Madeira we were on the
open sea for 7 days — we did not call
at any port and the only land we could
get a glimpse of was the Penal Settlement
of Fernando — Noninna —! how cheerful! - I was ever so sorry when the trip came
to an end. I could live all my life in a
ship especially as neither of us was sea sick.
Some friends came on board at Penamluco
& 24 hours later Nora Bean na as
landed in Bahia – all the natives were in the docks to greet us — & they salaamed & uttered what seemed to me unintelligible sounds but which was in really bad Portuguese. 4 4 They shouted O’Mayor & patted Paddy on
the back & salaamed once more to the
Senhora do Mayor” — (wife). I was amused.
We motored to this house & I was delighted
with it — & I must say Bahia is far beyond
my expectations — it is decidedly pretty
& I like the climate — the heat has not
been too oppressive — but still one cannot
wear even the flimsiest coat. It is lovely
to see the blue sky and the sunshine
always — people get up around 5-30am
(I am the exception to the rule naturally
but they go to bed early also — The British
& American colonies are getting larger every
day and there are quite a number in
the French & German colonies — T
he White ladies spend their time visiting
& going to tea & sights. I am the youngest lady married or single in the colony and I have great fun. Imagine me soberly sitting at a tea sight with a group of Stolid English matrons when my 5 5 Celtic blood wants me to get up & shake every one of them
to wake them up. They are the usual type of
English women one meets abroad trying to do the
great thing”. As you may well imagine — neither my
age or my nationality make me have anything in
common with the people who are old at 25
They get very grooved when they remain out here a
long time. The men are also at these tea but
I amuse Paddy immensely every evening by telling him
all about them — He is always afraid they might
have the misfortune to mention “Ireland” or “troubles” —
and that I shall be had up for “wilful wholesale
murder” of the ladies of the colony. I tell him they have
not intelligence enough to know where Ireland is
much less discuss the political question — I like
the Americans and the French ladies — the American Consul’s wife is a most intelligent woman. She has been all over the world — we are great friends as she has a claim on old Ireland also. We were at a lovely Ball at the French Club given in honour of the Officers of a French Battleship that called at the port — the decorations were lovely and we were all given moire silk with the name of the ship in gilt letters — I danced all the time and enjoyed myself thoroughly — we are to have a dance at our own club on the 10th. The nigger servants are great. “The Black Watch” I call them. They go about so silently — the police & soldiers here are a scream — Brazilians & niggers all mixed up — They seem to have ammunition galore because they are always firing about at nothing. What a pity some of our friends could not lay their hands on it! How are all the boys — give my love to them all especially . Do not forget to send me 6 5 Poor Charlie’s Mortuary Card. I often think
of him. (RIP) Have you got a school yet?
If you happen to see the Whelans
remember me to them. I hope you will write me a long letter
& tell me all about yourself & our friends
Give me love to your Mother & keep a big
share yourself. It seems such a short time ago since
you were sitting near my bed —when you
came to say goodbye—! That was the day
Paddy returned from London —he is the
same old Paddy I knew in Valencia
and we are as happy can be. God
has been very good to me in giving me
such a husband. Jen called us “The
Babes in the Wood” & the people hear say the same thing with love & good wishes from Nora 7 Miss. Susan Daly
Knockane
Firies
Co. Kerry
Ireland