PUMPKIN CURRY. 
Blaster, “only one paid, and only half received.” 
But the boy adjusts his turban, and looks very 
gravely sit the pumpkin, as if there was something 
very peculiar about that vegetable which was alto- 
gether incomprehensible. Now the boy was very prob- 
ably not such a fool as he pretended to be, indeed 
it was more than probable he had received, or would 
receive, in some small way, commission from the bazar- 
man, for making pui-chases at his shop, at his own 
prices, which commission would probably be a small 
reduction or discount on the price charged master, paid 
into the palm of the boy, in ready cash, perhaps only 
a few coppers, but still it was a perc|uisite, however 
small, and boys were, and we suppose still are, fond 
of perquisites, on tlie principle that “ many a little 
makes a mickle.” But the pumpkin was purchased, 
the cash paid, and what was the use of making any 
further disturbance about it? So, as to-morrow was 
Sunday, master thinks he will have a better dinner 
than usual, and perhaps ask a neighbour to step in. 
To-morrow duly turns up, and a conversation takes place 
in the verandah about what was to be for dinner. The 
boy as usual says, “ Salt-fish curry, and pumpkin cut 
into pieces, boiled, and served up like potatoes.” “ No 
salt-fish curry!” says master, “ make pumpkin,” so after a 
good deal of talking, and mutual arrangement, it was all 
agreed and settled, that the swell Sunday dinner was 
to consist of pumpkin curry, and a piece of roasted 
salt fish. None of our readers need laugh, for, if pro- 
perly cooked, a very fine dinner it is, and we used to 
eat it thus: a spoon in the right hand for the rice and 
curry, and in the left w^as held the roasted or toasted 
salt-fish ; a spoonful of curry, rice and curry, and a 
bite off the toasted salt-fish, alternately, was the 
Sunday’s dinner, and a very fine dinner too. It can’t 
be got in the old country. Very fine rice can be got, but 
they can’t make really good curry, for ihe very simple 
and easily understood reason, that they have not got 
the fresh and green materials to make it with, for 
your curry powder in bottles does not, and cannot,, 
make up for this want. It is the dry material, and 
has by no means the fresh flavour which the green, 
curry stuff ] 30 ssesses, and another want in the bottled 
curry powder is coconut- We all know how wanting 
in flavour a curry is, when we have no coconuts, and, in ^ 
our own opinion, no substitute yet tried has been 
in the least successful in taking the place of the coco- 
nut. 
W^e never approved of the mode some boys had of 
making pumpkin curry, which was the pumpkin cut 
into small square pieces, and served u^d in the curry 
water. Our orders always were, and taste was, and still 
