UNABLE TO SLEEP. 139 



longing for decorations ; nor do I now crave to dance 

 with the belle of the ball, or take the intimate friend of 

 the hostess an heiress, possessed of the wealth of the 

 Indies down to dinner. No ; in the language of the 

 poet, beautiful and expressive, " I am simmering down," 

 therefore I wished to go to bed, and so did my friend. 



There was no reason why we should not do so that I 

 am aware of ; in truth, we had both got into our pan- 

 jamas, and I was having the last few "draws" of my 

 pipe before turning on my left side, when William raised 

 the curtain of the wagon and begged to know if we were 

 not going to attend the convivialities. Being most em- 

 phatically answered in the negative, we were informed 

 that he was going. Very nearly was I saying, " Gro, and 

 be hanged," but politeness, an intuitive feeling by 

 which we never lose anything, and strongly inculcated 

 into me in my youth, caused me to pause ; therefore I 

 only said, "By all means, William; but pray see that 

 the cattle are tied up." William retired, assuring me 

 that that would be his first duty. 



I had finished my pipe, and was composing myself 

 to sleep on the left side ; thoughts of the disappoint- 

 ment the English Beauty would suffer by the two 

 knight-errant s of her own race not waiting on her being 

 uppermost in my mind. Still, I did not sleep. I there- 

 fore tried the right side, but two or three reports of guns 

 took place immediately afterwards, so still I did not 

 sleep. I again reverted to the original position it was 

 unquestionably the right way to rest and lay still, 

 how long I don't know, but an age it appeared. Yet 

 I did not sleep, so I tried my back, and endeavoured 

 to count the hoops that supported the roof of the 

 wagon. 



