[ Sir Charles Dundas and the British East Africa Protectorate. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Charles Dundas') to his sister Hilda [ Whitaker ], sending news regarding his posting.

Dundas and his sister Hilda Guilhermina Whitaker were children of the 6th Viscount Melville. See his entry in Who Was Who, and his obituary in The Times, 11 February 1956. The present item was written during his first posting, as Assistant District Commissioner in the British East Africa Protectorate, 1908-1914. He would go on to publish a book on the region, titled 'Kilimanjaro and its People' (1924). 7pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He has 'just returned from a trip to an uninhabitated [sic] place in search of people who do not exist. […] the discomforts were many, particularly the lack of water which made washing out of the question once or twice. I am now off again to climb hills & build beacons all over the place. […] It is very hot here now and unhealthy; great many natives down with fever & the DC every other day. Personally I feel quite fit though at times very warm & limp in the march.' He responds with (playful?) indignation to criticism by her: 'I want to know in what way I am getting as African as all the rest. Terrible discovery to find oneself a cold sort of pagan chief as a confirmed friend of everything black & savage after one has been trying to remain more or less civilised.' He 'saw a lion the other day but having only a shot gun I did not care to tackle it. With his rifle I shall hope to do some destruction, especially as I have got instructions to collect “ticks” off lions, leopards & other animals for medical researches & before I do so I intend killing Him because a lion might protest against such familiar handling.' He is enclosing a photograph of 'the D[istrict]. C[ommissioner]. & myself (on the mule) starting off on what we called our punitive expedition to a German missionary'. He is 'now going to ride over to another Missionary, also German, to lunch to day. A great advantage about this missionary is that he keeps beer; the other one only keeps water. I must say we are lucky to have Germans in the District, they are much more reasonable than any others & study the natives more in consequence of which they don't develope [sic] the black brother creed.' Other topics include: 'The Baby', her decision to take a house in London, the lack of communication from 'Dad' ('he might take more notice of his children – postage is only one penny to here'), the election, Pylewell; with references to Ingham, 'Dick', 'Harry', Finn. From the papers of the Harington baronets of Ridlington.