CHAP. XII. BREAKFAST WITH A HOVA FAMILY. 325 



quently given medicine to the bearers during the journey with 

 good effect, and their report of this had perhaps caused the 

 present application. On entering the house, I found a young 

 man about seventeen years of age, the son of the host, suffering 

 from fever. I told them I had no medicine with me, but if 

 they would send to the place where I should halt, I would 

 give them some. The brother of the sick man instantly of- 

 fered to go with us, but before we departed, they said their 

 morning meal was ready, and invited us to partake with them. 

 Not wishing to decline the hospitality of this the first home of 

 friends I had come to visit, I was directed to a clean mat 

 spread out on one side of the floor, the friends with whom I had 

 passed the previous evening, and the members of the family 

 sitting round. The covers were then taken off the large earthen 

 pots, standing on the fire near the centre of the house, and 

 the hosts helped their guests. A plate of nicely boiled rice 

 and milk proved very acceptable to me, as I was still far from 

 well. The rice for the others was served in a brightly glazed 

 earthen vessel, like a bowl fixed on a stand. On the top of 

 the rice the meat was placed, one or two horn spoons were 

 stuck in the rice, which was then placed before the guests. 

 The house was different in structure and arrangement from 

 those in the provinces through which I had passed. It was 

 smaller, and more compactly built. The cracks in the walls 

 were filled up with clay. The sleeping places were better 

 arranged. The water was not brought in from the river, and 

 kept in bamboo canes six or seven feet long ; but was kept in 

 large circular earthen jars, holding two or three pailfuls 

 each. From these the water was obtained by dipping a ladle 

 formed of the broad end of a horn attached to a long wooden 

 handle. I could not but notice the superior neatness and 

 comfort of the house, and the cheerfulness of the family. 



On resuming our journey we travelled over a broad flat 

 valley, where the extensive embankments for rice fields spread 



Y 3 



