AN EXCELLENT AUDIENCE. 253 



no way inferior to the burnt cork gentlemen across 

 the Atlantic, but rather topped them, by adding 

 occasional variations of the ever graceful can-can 

 step, which step, by-the-bye, Paris doubtlessly im- 

 ported from Bechuana Land, as she has done numerous 

 other useful and ornamental things from foreign climes. 



The scarlet blanket, fastened gracefully around the 

 man's chest, with a couple of feet of it at the ' least 

 trailing behind, was a great improvement on the 

 accepted negro costume of a Very long swallow-tailed 

 coat and striped, close-fitting pants, for the reason 

 that such a toga was such as might be expected upon 

 a Booth or Forrest, instead of hanging from the 

 shoulders of a real, veritable, uncivilised representative 

 of the human family. There was one drawback, alas ! 

 to my amusement ; it was a selfish one, doubtless, still 

 it did exist, viz., that the pas de seul I was watching 

 was "rather rough" on my blanket. 



If I was entertained, there were others also who 

 were equally amused. These were a family party 

 of little gray monkeys on a heap of boulders to my 

 left, and several rock rabbits on the edge of a cliff 

 directly beneath my position. My presence in my 

 sanctuary was quite unknown to both, so I had a 



