| Description | After note that his daughter is well with two more teeth, she reports the sad news of his wife's death; she lived to hear he had left and had wished for his success and safe return; her sufferings were very great until shortly before her death, but she did not have the struggles they had both witnessed; she had been eating well until evening of Monday 21st; the next day there was a visble change in appearance but no waning in her mental powers; Hannah read to her from St Matthew's Gospel, which Eleanor approved of her doing; description of her final hours; her end was calm, which occurred at a quarter before midnight on 22 February; the body was opened by Mr Guthrie to ascertain the cause of death, within adhesions on the left side of the lungs; her life could not have been saved, the complaint a long term one; Dr Thompson would provide a more detailed account; her funeral is not taking place before March 1st; news of death of their sister in India [Catherine Burnside, died 22 Sep 1824], leaving two orphaned infants. |
| Recipient Location | Messrs Carey and Co., New York |
| Transcript or Index | 55, Devonshire Street
Feb 25th 1825
My dear brother
(Your little darling calls for you after she is [?……] and well, 2 more teeth)
Assured that one subject must have occupied your heart and mind since last we met, I shall enter into detail of events, which however painful for you to read, as me to write I feel a necessary duty to discharge. I am sensible that your mind was prepared to receive the melancholy tidings which this paper is destined to carry, although God in his great mercy has seen fit to take your dear and suffering wife to Himself yet the consolation you received in the hope that though divided in this world you may live in endless bliss in that which is to come will be your comfort.
Your last account you would receive from hence would give you little ground to rest ever a wish that she might be detained here – she lived to know you had quitted England and breathe her best wishes for your success, and safe return. Her sufferings were very great till within a short time of her decease the violent restlessness and shortness of breathing continued without intermission, but certainly she had not such horrifying feelings as when you saw her, nor had she ever so violent a struggle as that night we witnessed on the sofa, it was more a hurried feeling than what she had experienced, her appetite continued very good and her desire to take food remained till Monday 21st when in the evening of that day she thought we gave her too much (such was her feeling) but however we left her not apparently warm and went to bed – soon after a violent restlessness came on with coldness and nausea. When I went to her in the morning I found a visible change in her appearance and feelings, but still her mental powers remained. She told me she had passed a wretched night, she had been so cold, of course she had wine negus and a little brandy in gruel all of which she took and slept a little now and then during the day and I read to her out of St Matthew’s Gospel. I began it the day before intending to go on with the New Testament, and I am sure it will afford you unspeakable pleasure to know that she approved of my doing it, begged I would read every chapter as it came, I had proceeded as far as the 25th chapter the 14th verse when she was so uneasy that she wished to be moved from the sofa about half after ten o’clock. Of course we got her folded in a blanket and the nurse took her and laid her there till the bed was prepared which was accomplished by eleven o’clock and she then wished to go back to it, though she said she had never found the sofa more comfortable, when she was laid on the bed she seemed quite drowsy and said she wished to be quiet and sleep and though some veal broth was just ready to give her, she could not wait for it she said and went to sleep, her sister and I finding her so composed went to bed. I had just got into it when we were all summoned to the bed not to catch the last breath but to see the eye close upon this world forever after the painful struggles she had witnessed we were thankful our feelings were spared from seeing a violent effort at last. Her end was calm and composed the mouth and eyes closed in peace just as we got to her side, the nurse was by the bedside and held her up about a minute before we got into the room, you may judge how rapidly the scene closed when I tell you that some time after eleven o’clock she was in a composed sleep and ? at half past eleven, and at a quarter before twelve her spirit had quitted its mortal tenement for the unknown country from whence no traveller returns on the 22nd February ¼ before midnight, her desire to hear us read continued, she told me once in the last day that it soothed her and I must go on – as late as ten o’clock that morning she asked me what I said when I read in the 42nd verse of the 22nd chapter what the Pharisees answer was to Christ’s question respecting whose Son He was when they said he was the Son of David, she immediately asked quickly “whose son”, when I told her she said “son” and told me to read on which I did till the time she got out of bed – I know you will rejoice to hear that the last words she heard read were those of our Blessed Redeemer, and most thankful do I feel that my voice was the last which passed his cheering words upon her ear and gave consolation to her expiring frame – That God who has been and ever will be our support if we seek Him through our Mediator will I trust succour and comfort you under this your early trial, for though in mercy I have been hitherto blessed in my dear husband I am not insensible to the […] such a separation must occasion, but to us […] dear Brother, death has come in so many and […] […ful] shapes that in this instance we I hope shall be able in time to look upon it as a signal deliverance from bodily suffering and hail it as a great blessing to the soul of our departed sister which from the nature of her affliction must in the kingdom of the flesh have known nothing but sorrow, and misery. We have all thought it satisfactory to ascertain for you as well as ourselves the seat of the disorder and therefore have had the body opened which was done yesterday by Mr Guthrie in the presence of the two Drs Thompsons and it was ascertained that an adhesion of the lungs to the left side was the cause of our dear departed Eleanor’s sufferings one part had become distanced and an effusion of nature had taken place, there, as well as in the abdomen, but the heart was sound and the liver appeared a little enlarged, every other part appeared in a healthy state, you of course will hear from your kind and invaluable friend Dr Thompson upon this therefore I merely give you the heads he will give you a more detailed and [?] her life could not have been saved by human means and therefore we have to be thankful that her sufferings were not protracted. Had not this complaint attacked her early in life she was formed by her muscular [?]frame for long life her strength really did not give way so much as you would have expected even at the last. As my letter shall be despatched by the first opportunity I write in the hope of this reaching you at New York and therefore cannot give you the full account of the funeral as it will not take place before Thursday the 1st of March. Several friends have wished to attend the mournful procession and therefore it is thought right to send invitations to select friends of both […] you will have a list sent out by the 10th I find so that we shall be able to collect our scattered senses by that time. And how my dear Brother if we look for consolation under such visitations we shall always remember there are blessings in this over many others, only one darling child well provided for, and the hope of your safe return to her crowned with success, but different indeed is the picture of our dear Babes in India for alas!! After all our hopes of our dear sister’s return to her native shores to find this can never be realized by the melancholy news which reached us the few days after we had parted from you of her soul have been summoned to join our dear Brother’s in that better sphere whither we are fast hastening, she did well four or five days after her confinement. She thought she was not going on well, sent for Wm Peacock and Mrs Farage arranged for her affairs and in a few hours her sufferings terminated, leaving her two infants parentless in a foreign land, they were to sail in January. Such have been our trials that I neglected to say I keep [?] Mrs Kay Mr Kay and children are here and pretty well. May God bless you and bring you safe. Mary sends her l[ove as ]well as your [?] and […] [Mi]ss Kay.
Overland Arctic Expedition
Capt Franklin Esq.
At Messrs N Carey and Co
New York
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