26 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



of pink silk, on which were strewed red, yellow 

 and green fruits, whilst a number of slender 

 vases, containing delicate tea roses were placed 

 at intervals down the edge of the silk. We 

 were capitally waited on by six native servants 

 all dressed in spotless white with white turbans. 

 The ladies' pretty ball dresses completed the 

 scene, and I could not help wishing that some 

 of my English friends, who thought I had gone 

 to "the wilds," could have been present. 



I will not describe the dance, for it was much 

 as other dances, excepting that there were no 

 "wallflowers," and that the waltzes were (as 

 one might perhaps expect in this hot climate) 

 danced a little more slowly than at home ; but 

 I noticed no deficiency of energy in the Wash- 

 ington post, Pas-de-quatre, or the Lancers. 

 Light refreshments, and unlimited claret cup, 

 as well as other drinkables were served all 

 the evening. 



The distances were too great for anyone to 

 go home that night, and by dint of great 

 ingenuity on the part of our hostess, we 

 were all housed. After a late breakfast next 

 morning, most of us went our various home- 

 ward ways, having much enjoyed the 

 unaccustomed gaiety ; but a flooded river 

 prevented the Kandy contingent from leaving. 

 So a large house party remained on, who on the 

 principle of "You can't have too much of a 



