General Life, Amusement 's ) etc. 17 



coming from Home now at such cheap rates, a few 

 really artistic, first-class oleographs or chromolitho- 

 graphic landscapes, animals, and horses' and dogs' 

 heads, etc., after Landseer ; photographs of celebrated 

 pictures and people, or what not, may easily be got 

 for a moderate price for his rooms. Flowers may be 

 had in any quantity, as almost every factory has a 

 garden. Cage-birds in India are plentiful, and of many 

 beautiful varieties ; some can be taught to speak, 

 whistle, or sing to perfection. A good aquarium 

 is also a source of endless study and delight to those 

 scientifically inclined or those who have a taste for 

 natural history, as there are an immense variety of 

 extraordinary specimens of fish, aquatic animals, 

 insects and plants, etc., to be got from the Indian 

 rivers, streams, ponds, tanks, and ditches. Altoge- 

 ther there are very many worse countries than India 

 to live in, though certainly for some months in the 

 hot weather it is very trying. But let the Assistant 

 devise some means of indoor employment, improve- 

 ment, and amusement. He can study the reading 

 and writing of the language if inclined, and will find 

 such study invaluable to him as a planter in afterlife, 

 or he may sketch in water or oil colours and adorn his 

 domicile with the results. The Assistant may carpenter 

 a bit in the way of fretwork brackets, or turnery, all 

 of which will help to pass the dull times away and 



R., In. B 



