THE SAJiONO AND KAMA. 
9 
first seeing it, now inclined to say it is pretty. 
“Describe it, then,” you say. Yes; but how? 
Imagine a piece of calico, two yards long, cut 
from a w T eb. Sew together the two raw edges, 
and you have a petticoat, without band or hem. 
Imagine it covered with floral patterns, or curious 
levices of crawling creatures, or having a village 
with houses and scenes from daily life depicted 
on it, and you see a sarong or skirt. Put this 
over your head, draw all the fulness in front, 
.nd form of this a large plait ; put round your 
waist, to hold it firm and confine it, a cord with 
a rich tassel depending, or a gay silk sash. Then 
put on a peignoir, or dressing-jacket, of fine lawn 
trimmed with lace ; loosen your hair and let it 
'all down your back ; slip your stockingless feet 
mto Indian-looking pantoffles, with gilt or silver 
embroidery, and with no upper heels, but very 
high wooden ones. Take now a fan in your hand, 
and promenade before your mirror, and you have 
some idea of the figures which my surprised eyes 
saw moving about the quadrangle of the Hotel 
der Nederlanden on the first morning after my 
arrival. After all, is it so extraordinary ? The 
European fashion at present is to have the dress 
drawn towards the back until it is really difficult 
to walk : all fulness of the skirt is disposed be- 
