eep up with the ambling
nag, and are closely followed by some of his wives bearing heavy loads
on their heads, but stepping out bravely with beautiful erect carriage,
shapely bare arms and legs; and some sort of coarse drapery worn across
their bodies, covering them from shoulder to knee in folds which would
delight an artist's eye and be the despair of a sculptor's chisel. They
don't look either oppressed or discontented. Happy, healthy and jolly
are the words by which they would be most truthfully described. Still,
they are lazy, and slow to appreciate any benefit from civilization
except the money, but then savages always seem to me as keen and sordid
about money as the most civilized mercantile community anywhere.

FEBRUARY 14.

I am often asked by people who are thinking of coming here, or who want
to send presents to friends here, what to bring or send. Of course it is
difficult to say, because my experience is limited and confined to one
spot at present: therefore I give my opinion very guardedly, and
acknowledge it is derived in great part from the experience of others
who have been here a long time. Amongst other wraps, I brought a
sealskin jacket and muff which I happened to have. These, I am assured,
will be absolutely useless, and already they are a great anxiety to me
on account of the swarms of fish-tail moths which I see scuttling about
in every direction if I move a box or look behind a picture. In fact,
there are destructive moths everywhere, and every drawer is redolent of
camphor. The only things I can venture to recommend as necessaries are
things which no one advised me to bring, and which were only random
shots. One was a light waterproof ulster, and the other was a lot of
those outside blinds for windows which come, I believe, from Japan, and
are made of grass--green, painted with gay figures. I picked up these
latter by the merest accident at the Baker-street bazaar for a few
shillings: they are the comfort of my life, keeping out glare and dust
in the day and moths and insects of all kinds at night. As for the
waterproof, I do not know what I should have done without it; and little
G----'s has also been most useful. It is the necessary of necessaries
here--a _real_, good substantial waterproof. A man cannot do better than
get a regular military waterproof which will cover him from chin to heel
on horseback; and even waterproof hats and caps are a comfort in this
treacherous summer season, whe