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And I think this kind of hot weather is easier to bear, not so debilitating. Just to think though of People complaining of heat (as you write about) at Bangor: how ridiculous! But this Country is greivously affected now. The heaves are brass, the Earth Iron, and the rain of the land powder & dust. There has hardly been any rain at all since I got here. This flat country you know suffers from Drouth much more than a broken country. The Corn is all drying up, leaves all rolled together and withered away. The barley planted is ruined entirely, and nothing but rain within a few days can save any part of the Crop. As for the dust in the roads you can have no idea of it hardly. It is rivers of it in the roads, Clouds & Walls of it in the Air, and heavy coats of it upon every thing. Water too is getting very scarce throughout the country. If it does not rain very soon there must be very much suffering, of beasts if not of men. The country is dependent upon Wells entirely, and they are failing every where. We appear to have got large supplies of water here at this station, & people come far to get it and haul away. You enquire how I do for Shirts, very well I presume. I soil some ? occasionally this warm weather, but by sending out to a washerwoman occasionally I have as yet found no lack & presume I will not. I think the supply is quite good. By the way, I have seen what I think must be a very good thing for this hot weather; That is a Shirt and vest all together, all one peice. The linen bosom of the shirt is open & buttons up just like a vest, and shows simply as a white linen vest buttoning up to the chin. It must be good, honorably dispensing with the vest, which in such weather is a very uncomfortable thing but required by custom.