July 10/16.

Dear Mother:-

I have not got any ink as yet so will have to write another line in pencil. We have been very busy lately and I have had no chance to write but as we are on a repair job today I am taking the time to write these few lines. I have had no mail for a month now but I believe there is some at 648 Co headquarters for me. I met some of the boys lately and they got mail about two weeks ago but I have not been in touch with the base since that time.

Please excuse the dirty finger marks on the paper because on this job dirt is plentiful and water is scarce. However we manage to get a wash about once a day and that helps some. I dont hardly know what to put in this letter its so hard to find anything you can write about. I suppose the most interesting part is in regards to health and I may say I have been feeling fine every since I left hospital near the first of June. As for food we get plenty to eat and as we do our own cooking we suit ourselves as to taste etc. but a good square meal at home would help quite a bit no doubt. The place I am writing this makes a poor writing table, as I am sitting on a pile of kit bags in the shade of a tree with the pad on one knee. The pencil I have is nearly an inch and a half long one I have had since I left home so it is not very handy to write with. The weather here is fairly cool yet as the sun is north of the equator but in Dec, when its cold at home we will have our summer time and a hot one so they say.

Well mother I dont know of anything I can put in to fill up this sheet so I will have to close for this time. By the way tell Mary if she studies Botany with bugs, birds animals etc she can find a lot of things in this country a person never heard of before. If she wants a lion or tiger elephant leopard rhinoceros or any of these little things I might bring one home in my coat pocket for her. I see lots of them strolling around loose. If I can get a skin I will bring that home you bet. Well I think I will have to close for this time with love to all the children yourself and dad and the rest of my numerous friends and relatives Tell them I’ll write to them all when I get back to civilization again.

Your loving son
Harold.