142 JULY 



with loud flaps of wings, they settle in the trees to 

 feed. Now is the time for taking pot shots at them, 

 as chummeries mostly do, and I must confess, Unda 

 and the C. S. used to. The servants eat them, and 

 when one falls, they drag it away for their dinner. 

 They say the taste is something like fowl. Nous 

 rushed at one, and got a tremendous nip on the 

 nose from the hooks on its wings, which I fancy he 

 will long remember. Their wings when extended 

 are something like 3 feet wide; their bodies are 

 covered with fine fur, like a rat, and they have sharp 

 fox-like heads. 



29th. This evening at dinner we were all 

 amazed at a statement made to us by the old Grey 

 Beard ; such a statement as one can hardly believe 

 could possibly be uttered by any native in these 

 days; especially by one who stands behind our 

 very enlightened chairs and serves us all day long. 

 He said that in every bazaar and all over the place, 

 a fear has come over the people, so that no man dare 

 go out into the streets after 9 o'clock at night alone ; 

 because it is said that after that hour he will very 

 likely have his head cut off ! 



Pressed for the reason for this monstrous saying, 



