80 JUNE 



Treacherous punkah-man takes the opportunity 

 of snatching a pull at his hubble-bubble in the 

 intervals of looking for his brother, and does not 

 come back at all ! Man gets deadly sleepy after 

 losing already half his night's repose. Lady (also 

 young), calls out " Pull ! " Man wakes up with a 

 jerk and pulls madly for a minute ; daren't let go, 

 or say a word ; then his head sinks again, and the 

 rope goes slack. Lady rushes out from behind 

 curtain and slippers the drooping back of supposed 

 punkah-man, who springs to his feet. Tableau ! 

 Shrieks and hurried exits, R. and L. ! But to 

 return : 



A third attempt at sleep is made, and now 

 begins the horrid native " tom-toming," in honour 

 of some wedding in the village. The tune consists 

 of one long note, and three or four quick ones ; all 

 of the same altitude, breadth, and thickness ; the 

 only variety is in the time ; one long, four short ; 

 one long, four short ; the thumb of one hand and 

 the fingers of the other, on the same identical spot 

 of the parchment ; and it goes on thus all night, 

 for a week. There was one dreadful fortnight, 

 when it continued all day, as well as all night, with 



