138 THE POST-OFFICE. 



required little alteration, as the lady's figure 

 was slight ; and as there were no critical eyes 

 to detect a misfit, Mrs Gholaum's skill, both as 

 modiste and femme de cliambre, remained un- 

 questioned, and the Meer, I was told, expressed 

 his approbation of her handivv^ork in flattering 

 terms, though unaccompanied by what she ex- 

 pected, and was, poor woman, at the time, 

 very much in need of — namely, a few rupees ; 

 but rupees at Khyrpoor have ever been a 

 scarce commodity. 



On first going to Sindh it was mentioned to 

 me by Mr Hewett, then inspecting postmaster 

 in the province, a very active and energetic 

 officer, that it would be desirable to introduce 

 reform in the Khyrpoor post-office, and on 

 stating this to Meer Ali Moorad, he appeared 

 to acquiesce; nevertheless my attempts to do 

 so proved abortive, although my suggestions 

 might have been carried out without any ad- 

 ditional expense to His Highness, as all I 

 wanted was to introduce official regularity. 

 The practice was, and I dare say still is, for 

 one of the Moonshees at the Kotwallee to per- 

 form the duties of the post-office, receiving and 

 despatching all letters for or from Khyrpoor. 



