(Eleanor Macdonell's Memories).

           My last visit to the hills was in 1861, and again to Simla, where I shared a house with Captain and Mrs. Dumbleton for a few months.   But when Ranald got his leave, we went up to Mahasoo, ten miles further up amongst the hills, where we rented a house from Lord William Hay, (afterwards Marquis of Tweedale,) and there spent a very happy time.  (This house is now called  "The Retreat", and residence of the Viceroy and his family. - JHC 1907)   Our old friend Mrs. Perkins and her children visited us at Mahasoo, and we made many excursions to places we had seen when last at Simla.   Then we went down to Benares.

          This was our last station in India, and one of those we liked the best.   There was much of interest to be seen there, brass-work, kincob weaving, etc. and there were splendid driving roads, and pleasant riding.   The house we had at Benares, which we rented from the Coorg Rajah, was an extremely nice one in every way.

          When the amalgamation of the Indian and English armies was decided on, Ranald retired from the service as Colonel, having served for thirty-five years.  (31st December 1861)

          We travelled down-country by dak-garry from Benares to Ranigange, which was then the railway terminus.   From there we went by train to Calcutta, where we stopped in rooms in Chowringee for some weeks until Ranald got certain vouchers from his troop officers that they had settled all money matters connected with the regiment.

          I was sorry to part with my Indian servants, particularly my ayah who had been with me for eight years.   She and two other servants, as we drove away to the S.S. "Indus", in which we were to leave India, ran after our carriage weeping and wailing.   We had hired an English nurse for the voyage, but she was very unsatisfactory, and I often wished I could have had my ayah or Ranald's bearer back again.

          Our first stopping place was Madras, where we spent a day with my brother Alex.   The next was Galle, and after that, Suez, where we left the steamer and travelled to Cairo by caravan;  and from Cairo to Alexandria by rail through the desert.   We had to wait at Alexandria in a most expensive hotel until the steamer S.S. "Bengal", arrived from England.   We then continued our journey, stopping for a short time at Malta, where the gardens were gay with flowers, - geraniums and others, - then at Gibralter, and so home, arriving at Southampton on the 2nd of March 1862 in blinding showers of snow and sleet, - a chilly welcome home!"