325 



CHAPTER XXII. 



Carpentering. — Fit up a study. — Worshippers of demons. — Saroitsh. 

 — English superstition. — Priestly benediction.- — Tabeeb monas- 

 teries. — Of their character and discipline. — Turning lathe.' — 

 Drinking hours. — Female ornaments. — Sumptuary edict. 



August \Zth. — Walderheros was occupied all day 

 splitting and reducing to proper dimensions the 

 ted tree that was brought yesterday, and of which 

 I had determined to manufacture an English chair. 

 Goodaloo was also busy, as he had undertaken to 

 make me a table, and which he managed to do 

 very well, after a long day's labour. It consisted 

 merely of a round basket open at both extremities, 

 made by turning thin stripes of bamboo alternately, 

 before and behind strong upright pieces of the 

 same plant. This was completed by a top being 

 constructed of the like material, dexterously inter- 

 woven upon a ray-like skeleton, which was after- 

 wards lashed tight down upon the basket pedestal 

 with thongs of raw hide, and in this manner an 

 excellent round table was made, three feet and 

 a-half in circumference, and more than a yard high. 

 I managed to put up a parchment window 

 during the day in the mud and stick wall, over 



