8 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



Hoare, and Mr. Rustoinjee's son, who very kindly asked us 

 to be his guests ; but we had already accepted an invitation 

 to stop with Mr* James, the Commissioner. 



The town of Kurrachee is six miles from the landing-place, 

 and is divided from the sea by long mud flats. Directly 

 Alan had passed his numerous guns through the Customs, 

 we drove straight to Government House, which is charmingly 

 situated in a large semi-tropical garden. What a comfort it 

 was to get into a cool house and a bath ! 



All around the country is dried up and brown. The 

 houses are scattered widely apart, and are dreary-looking, 

 and the ground parched and cracked by the baking sun. 

 We found a tennis-party in progress, but I was too tired and 

 dusty to face it, and went to my room at once and had real 

 tea, an unspeakable blessing after the mixture mi board 

 ship, which one might lie pardoned for picturing as made 

 in London arid carefully kept stewing during the voyage. 



After dinner we explored the garden, which has 

 a beautiful green lawn, the only one in the town. Two 

 bheesties (water-carriers), I am told, walk up and down all 

 day watering it. 



The flowers and foliage are wonderful, and the cocoa-nut 

 palms covered with fruit. The moon was nearly full, and 

 almost bright enough to read by. It was too nice after the 

 heat of the day. The house itself always keeps compara- 

 tively cool, the living rooms, being, indeed, onlv the kernel 



