108 
LETTERS FROM 
clean, and after our many changes we are 
glad to have an abode we can call our 
own. 
Our friend, Mr. R-, the owner of the 
house, has also spared us one of his own 
servants, and a more respectable, honest, 
and obliging fellow than Michele, I believe 
does not exist. To persons so little accus¬ 
tomed to housekeeping as ourselves, he is 
quite invaluable, as he purchases all our 
provisions, and, of course, has it in his 
power to impose on us to a great extent; but 
we have had several proofs of his integrity. 
His knowledge of our language is not so 
perfect as we could wish, and sometimes 
considerable difficulty occurs in making him 
understand our meaning. One day, after in 
vain endeavouring to explain to him the 
nature of an article I wished him to pur¬ 
chase, it was pipe-clay for lizard-shooting, I 
