JUNGLE TAILOES, SEEYANTS AND COURTS . 
a dirty handkerchief, tumbling out upon the table 
an immense number of very yellow foul looking 
documents, which he called characters. 
Upon perusing them, they all seemed fully to testify 
and declare, that the bearer, “ Marikar, ” had made 
coats, trousers, shirts, and every article of clothing, 
in a very satisfactory manner, that he was a good 
tailor, an honest man, perfectly to be trusted, and 
was in every respect quite beyond any suspicion. We 
say nothing, but return his characters, and ask what 
pay he requires. But instead of giving any direct 
reply to this very simple and easily answered ques- 
tion, he goes on to impress upon us the fact of his 
being a very superior workman, and, “ Master knows 
very well what the pay of a good tailor is. ’’ Yes, 
we are aware it is two shillings a day. When are 
you coming to commence work ? He coughed, and 
said. True, two shillings a day was the usual price for 
common workmen, but rhaster must pay him three 
shillings, which would be found to be much cheaper 
than paying any other man two, on account not only 
of the superior quality of the work, but the quantity 
he was able to do, as compared with any one else, 
We object taking his word for this without any ex- 
perience, and he requests payment by the piece, or 
for work performed, without reference to wages at 
all. This is also objected to, on the reasonable plea 
that the quality of the work done would be inferior, 
too hastily executed, with only a regard on his part 
to the quantity got through with, irrespective of the 
quality. At last the dispute was compromised ; the tailor 
was to make one suit on trial, and the rate of pay- 
ment was to be for making a pair of trousers two 
shillings, a vest one shilling and sixpence, and a 
coat four shillings, which was for the whole suit 
seven shillings and sixpence, and we were to provide 
thread, buttons and lining: of coursehe had his own nee- 
dles. All was settled, work was to be commenced next 
morning : next morning arrived, and so also did Mari- 
kar. He asked for some clean mats and a vacant 
space in the corner of the verandah ; after spreading 
out the mats, he wants to know what shape to cut 
the clothes^ and requires a ‘‘ muster suit,” which means 
any suit that fits you, so that the new ones may be 
made of the same cut and pattern as the old, 
or pattern. His wishes are met on this pointy he then 
takes the new cloth, lays it down, spread out on the 
mat, takes the old pair of trousers, given as a “ mus- 
ter, ” and lays them out flat on the top of the 
new cloth, and then, with a piece of white chalk, 
marks off the shape of the old trousers on the cloth ; 
after this he cuts out with his scissors all along the 
