P & O Canton en route for Singapore, May 15th 1951

Dearest Claudia,

The last letter I wrote you was when there wasn't a hope of catching this ship. Actually, we left Shanghai before the letters were posted, as things began to move so fast. At 10:30am on May 2nd, Phil rang up to say the trains might start the following day, and we would get our original booking. (Why, we will never know. Two A.P.C. people booked to leave the day before we were didn't even arrive in Hong Kong until a day after our ship had left.) It meant a wild packing - as we had been assured the day before that we'd be at least ten days late - complete lists to be translated in Chinese - all luggage to be examined at the station, two trips to the police - all of which we got started on, though it was 3:30pm before we knew for certain that our train would go. (They were making trial runs all the morning over the washed-out tracks. We were told that many had declined to try the first trip over and that was why we got a birth.) We couldn't hand in our residence certificate until we knew we were to leave - and if we didn't know before five o'clock it would be too late to hand it in, and you can't leave without doing it, so it was all very hair-raising.

At five-thirty we were in the station waiting for customs exams, and it was two hours before an official approached! So we got home after eight - a Chinese man was waiting to give us a present - we simply had to see Nelson (who I think was somewhat annoyed at our abrupt departure) call a few friends to say goodbye and even so, hoped others with whom we had engagements would hear before we had left - pay off the servants, send this and that around to various people (my favorite plants, for instance) and dispose of the curtains the customs had taken off me but only returned that day (I took out three bed-spreads - part of the rejected stuff - in my hand luggage - using it to wrap the bundles like all Chinese carry) - organize our food for the train - up at 5am, and away. I always seem to have to leave in a most frantic rush.

I think I wrote you that Nelson had phoned Hong Kong to cancel our passages on the Canton. Dick Frost swears he said our exit visa was cancelled - and Dick even cabled London - and everyone we knew in Hong Kong was very alarmed for us. We were worried, after the requisitioning of the firm. Nelson wanted Phil to go with him to the Foreign Office that first morning when they asked to see Nelson. Phil wouldn't go, and some say if he had gone, he very likely wouldn't have got away. Phil pretends to think China all right, and not true Communist, but I know he had his fingers crossed until we crossed the Hong Kong border. We don't know just what this requisitioning will mean to individuals in the Company in Shanghai - numbering four foreign men. It includes "all assets and property" and by the time we got to Canton that office wasn't allowed to use its cars. Nelson thought our house would be the first to go - with the mysterious building going on next door.

Ever since the round-up on the Friday before we left, morale in Shanghai was very low, and I felt almost mean walking off and leaving them to what? fate. Two Americans were picked up that night - one a young man we often saw. Phil reported what little we know to the American Consul General in Hong Kong. I think I told you our driver was arrested that same night.

The train trip wasn't too bad - but Canton was awful. The train got in at 2:30 - and with customs and two police stations it was after six before we got to the hotel and a bath. Horribly hot, and poor children dead, and mums in woolen clothes and scratchy underwear. I myself was a wreck, and I just don't see how they stood it. We had dinner in Shameen but had to sleep in the hotel with mosquito net and narrow double bed, and the hottest I can remember being (sudden heat I suppose - Shanghai having been cool). Was delighted to be called at 4:00am - but it's all so absurd. We got a 7:00am train - reached the border after 12:00, through the border at 4:30 - to wait over an hour for a train to Hong Kong, where we arrived at 7:40pm. And not a bite to eat since the dinner at Shameen, and little to drink. It's waiting, waiting, waiting, and customs. Five examinations of luggage, three of the body. If it weren't so hot it wouldn't have been so bad, but it will be much worse still. We had two hard-boiled eggs left, but had to give them to two babies. Actually we did have an apple each during the two-and-a-half hour wait for customs on the border. We, as a group of thirty, had to wait until all Chinese on the train were examined first. In a way that was better, as we waited (sitting on luggage) under banyan trees - and the queue of Chinese were in the broiling sun. Rain, if it's raining. Previously the foreigners had to queue too. Now you are not allowed to, so there's no chance of catching the express to Hong Kong.

I didn't really enjoy Hong Kong. I was so tired and so much re-packing &, and so much money for nothing - and I was thankful to get on board where I hope to do less than nothing. Dick had a vile time getting us another booking on this ship, having cancelled ours.

Phil wrote Mary Sampson from Hong Kong. I thought all along that we went to Southampton, but find it's London, so Phil must stay a few days to see the office. Do hope we get our car in time to pick up Hugo and see Lee. I'm glad you aren't meeting us, as you would collapse at the luggage. We didn't bring on any of the nine packing cases packed in 1949, but took out all silver, and found any things in the Dairy Farm, and a trunk with the crates containing lots of things non-essential to this nomadic life, and we shall leave them in England. More packing and sorting! And no English house is ever big enough. Was scared to throw away anything, hearing such frantic reports of all prices. A man on board tells me blankets are £20 a pair.

I was thinking this might just about reach you when Lee is there, if he comes for Corpus Christi. I want to tell him to write us - S.S. Canton, Port Said. We get there June 2nd or 3rd. Give him my love. And love to you both. It will be grand to see you.

Marijane