472 WEAR AND TEAR. 



happiness with homes; and " smiling villages," is 

 I am snre, one of those beautiful expressions of 

 instinct we naturally make when the full heart 

 adds by reflection its OAvn gladness to the landscape. 

 On our return to the camp, I thought it neces- 

 sary to make such change in my garments as 

 should add a little more of a civilized character to 

 my own appearance, to harmonize somewhat w T ith 

 the state of society, for which I was going to 

 exchange my present gipsey life. I accordingly 

 got out, during the night, the only shirt I had left 

 of the number I had reserved for the journey 

 whilst in Tajourah; all of which, with this ex- 

 ception,- in the course of two or three weeks, had 

 been worn, taken off, and given to Zaido, in the 

 vain hope of getting them washed; but which, in 

 every case, were obliged to be divided amongst the 

 importunate beggars who happened to be near at 

 the moment. One would want one of the skirts 

 for his child, a second would want the other for his 

 wife, then the sleeves were found to be excellent 

 dusters, with which the Dankalli are perpetually 

 cleaning and brightening up their shields, so that 

 among them all, every succeeding shirt was soon 

 made old rags of, until I found it equally con- 

 venient to go without as with one, and for the 

 last month of my journey my clothing was almost 

 as scanty as my companions, and had I parted with 

 anything more, I should certainly have required 

 some of their clothes in return. 



