DU MAURIER DAPHNE: (1907-1989) British Author. Incomplete A.L., unsigned, being the first four pages of a longer letter, 8vo, n.p. (at sea, en route to Egypt), n.d. (‘Monday 16’, 1936), to [Foy Quiller-Couch], on the printed stationery of S. S. Cameronia. Du Maurier states that she is reaching the end of her voyage, but has no complaints as the sea has been calm the whole time, informing her friend, ‘The first day out – at least the day after we sailed – I kept to my bunk as the ship appeared to have a rolling sort of motion that I wasn’t too happy about. Also we were in the Bay of Biscay, also the day was cold and grey, and bearing Miss. Robert’s maxim in mind I decided “There was nothing to get up for“’ and further referring to her young daughter and husband (‘a little pale about the gills’) and the rest of the trip, ‘Off Spain the weather grew lovely, and ever since we have had blue skies and brilliant sunshine. We passed Gibraltar, and wished we had been going there instead of Egypt. It was rather like St. Austell Bay.’, and providing an anecdote, ‘Only excitement so far was yesterday afternoon when the little ships’ doctor, a pink & white shy fellow, came up rather nervously and said “Mrs. Browning, can you sew baby clothes“? “No“, I answered, rather taken a back. “Oh dear“, he said, “I’m in rather a predicament. I have just delivered a child into the world, and the mother did not know she was expecting“!! All the ladies of the ship were immediately summoned, and we searched our trunks for old vests and odds & ends. I went down to see the unfortunate woman, who was lying in bed with an expression of bewilderment’. Some light creasing, otherwise about VG

Foy Quiller-Couch - daughter of British writer Arthur Quiller-Couch (1863-1944), and a life-long friend of Du Maurier. Indeed, Du Maurier was accompanied by Foy Quiller-Couch when she became inspired with the storyline for her novel Jamaica Inn. In 1930 the two ladies were staying at Jamaica Inn and went riding on Bodmin Moor. They became lost in bad weather conditions and apparently sheltered for some time in a derelict cottage on the moor but were eventually led back to Jamaica Inn by their horses.

Du Maurier accompanied her husband, Lieutenant General Frederick Browning (1896-1965), to Egypt when the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards, of which he was the Commanding Officer, were deployed to Egypt in 1936.