IN THE EAST INDIES. _—_—_167 
refrained from getting it, as I have no place for such 
things. The heat and mosquitoes are simply beyond 
description. We sat about the deck as we were delayed 
leaving Saigon with the scantiest attire on, for the 
state rooms were wholly unbearable. About half past 
three in the afternoon I looked at the thermometer 
next to me on deck and it registered 108; there was no 
sun on it, nor had it been shining on it. We were 
on board in the river off the town three nights and 
two days. Tom had an electric fan put into the cabin, 
so that we were able at least to attempt to sleep. 
Mosquitoes were everywhere simply by the million. 
They stung my eyelids and lips so that I looked like 
a regular boozer. It is very cool now; in fact, we all 
feel chilly; thermometer, 75 to 80. We have passed 
many Chinese junks and they are certainly pic- 
turesque. 
There is a most interesting couple on board, a 
Mr. and Mrs. Russell, well along in years, from Ire- 
land. He is in the imperial customs in China; he 
speaks, writes and reads Chinese and has been made 
a mandarin. They lived in Pekin for twenty-two 
years and they were there at the time of the siege. 
They have given us a great many pointers as to what 
to do and where to go and we have practically de- 
cided to go to Pekin. 
The food on this boat is very good, but the meal 
hours are so queer. They have breakfast from seven 
to nine, lunch at eleven, afternoon tea at four and 
dinner at seven. Breakfast consists of bread, jam and 
ham. Red and white wine and cordials are thrown in 
free for every meal if you like. I drink two good- 
sized tumblers of red wine and sometimes three per 
