Introduction xxxi 



account of its close weave, and therefore it 

 keeps the wearer hot and perspiring. The 

 comfort is nil. The only dubious advantage 

 it did possess was that it imbued the wearer 

 with a kind of pseudo-authority in the eyes 

 of the natives, owing to its being also the 

 material used for the clothing of the King's 

 forces. Do not, therefore, wear khaki if you 

 can help it. The material is good enough for 

 a pair of breeches, because its strength makes 

 it almost impervious to thorns and untearable ; 

 also the "dhoby," or native washerman, cannot 

 readily destroy it as he does your other things, 

 by his favourite method of beating it upon 

 stones in his washing process. Khaki, in 

 contradistinction to other fabrics, does not 

 mind mauling, and will triumphantly outlast 

 even the dhoby and all his wiles. 



Too much care cannot be bestowed upon the 

 adequate protection of your head and the top 

 of the spine from the sun's rays, especially 

 in the middle of the day. Planters, of all 

 people, must be out in the middle of the 

 day on innumerable occasions. Most other 

 callings allow of the spending of the hottest 

 hours inside the house, or at least in the 

 shade ; a planter cannot count at any time on 

 such privileges. There are all sorts of things 

 to be attended to which require his presence 

 out in the glare. Now we all know that the 

 native is used to going about bareheaded at 

 all hours, but the European can by no means 



