on
mine, for I've never found men's shopping and ladies' go well together,
though for two ladies together shopping seems to be pure joy. We went to
the bank to change a cheque into something suitable for travel. You have
choice in India of silver rupees, value 1s. 4d., a few of which weigh
about a ton, or notes. The notes are like those we get in Scotland, if
you can believe me! I held out for gold, so there was a call for the
Bank Manager, and a procession to the safe; of self, Manager and keys, a
clerk, and three or four "velvet-footed" white-robed natives. I wish
some home bankers I know could have seen the classic bungalow Bank, with
its Pompeian pillars, and the waiting customers seated in the verandah,
and trailing, flowery, heavy-leaved creepers with blooms of orange and
white dangling from the capitals of the pillars. One of the customers
waiting in the verandah was a bearded priest, with black bombazine frock
and white topee; a Celt for certain by his hand and eye; and by his
polite manners and intelligent expression a Jesuit, I would guess; and
there were two ladies--spinsters and country bred I'd say, and poor, to
judge by pale, lined faces and the look of wear about their pith hats
and sun-faded dresses. Inside were white-robed figures just
distinguishable at desks, their faces invisible in the deep shadow. And
there was heat! and a continual "chink, chink" of counted rupees, and
outside in the sun, two impatient ladies waiting in a victoria. At last
we got the coin, and were faint with heat and hunger by the time we got
home to lunch,--this to show the climate of Bangalore; but perhaps my
readings of the temperature make it out to be hotter than it is.

... I do not write much about cooking, and the table, in these notes, do
I? so just one word here, allow me.... Do not waste pity on dear friends
and relatives out here on the score of food. Truly the climatic
conditions are not such as so give great appetite but the food itself is
excellent, beef, _par example_; I'd never seen better beef than the hump
you get here, and the fish would be considered quite good in London, and
there are various vegetables and fruits; even strawberries you can get
occasionally from the hills, and then the curries are just as good as
they are said to be. The best way to make them is--but space forbids!...
I think the reason they are cracked up so much is because they are
almost half vegetable so they suit the climate; being suit