On my
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rental, on a yearly lease from April to April, one of the terms of my lease I have to give 3 months' notice. These are minor points. What is more important is the determination thereof. Thus, if I wish to be quit of that, although I am not obliged to do so till April, I must give notice not later than January 31st next. Therefore, unless I receive an intimation by the end of this year, at latest, of my liabilities, I live with the greatest care, and I shall be placed in a very awkward predicament – not only of keeping myself fit for work, but in spite of this, I shall then have to choose between running the risk of finding myself more and more unfit for work. The having to pay rent for a year in default of giving notice in time is a burden during the hot days, owing to the determination of lease, and the possible inconvenience of being without a house and having no place to put my furniture.
Very early morning work is tolerable, but after 8 or 9 my hand becomes useless and during office hours I manage to get through my routine business only slowly and with great difficulty.
For the average afternoon, I should say on the whole I am fairly well.
Yours Truly,
I am in a more or less precarious state.
P.S. The climate of Hongkong in my position is trying to me at all times, but more so by reason of its excessive dampness which is not to be measured by the rainfall, but by the saturation and condition of the atmosphere during the greater part of the year. I am exhausted by the damp that prevails in the Diggers' days fever. These symptoms of disability increase the congestion that has to be kept constantly going on "drying one's bedding, clothes, etc." The effect on the Constitutions of some people in Hongkong – they are much more marked this season than last – and I feel that if I remained here, some people in my position should soon become altogether unable to discharge their duties at all. As a rule, those whom it tries at first do not become "acclimatised" to it. Its effect on me is to cause me pains, difficulty in breathing, free colds, and occasional feverish attacks at night. I am growing decidedly deafer, and my eyesight has sensibly weakened, but I have been confined to my bed three times this year by such attacks.
14.
Bud
not only