LIVU FLOWER-BEDS. 261 



That is tio into moiiriiini:f. But no one seemed inclined 

 to tie their heads across that day. The Coolies seemed 

 as merry as the Negros ; even about the face of the Chinese 

 there flickered, at times, a feeble ray of interest. 



The coloured women wandered about, in showy prints, great 

 crinolines, and gorgeous turbans. The Coolie women sat in 

 groups on the grass ah Isle of the Blest, where people can 

 sit on the grass in January like live flower-beds of the 

 most splendid and yet harmonious hues. As for jewels, of 

 gold as well as silver, there were many there, on arms, ankles, 

 necks and noses, which made white ladies fresh from England 

 break the tenth commandment. 



I wandered about, looking at the live flower-beds, and 

 giving passing glances into booths, which I longed to enter, 

 and hear what sort of human speech might be going on 

 therein: but I was deterred, first by the thought that much of 

 the speech might not be over-edifying, and next by the smells, 

 especially by that most hideous of all smells new rum! 



At last I came to a crowd ; and in the midst of it, one of 

 tliose great French merry-go-rounds, turned by machinery, 

 with pictures of languishing ladies round the central column. 

 All the way from the Champs Elysees the huge piece of fools' 

 tackle had lumbered and creaked hither across the sea to 

 ?^rartini(pie, and w^as now making the round of the islands ; 

 and a very profitable, round, to judge from the number of its 



