in the evening and told me that when they got there the house
was inhabited, and not a single article removed. However, on hearing
they had come to clean and take possession, the occupants made a move,
but with a good deal of grumbling, which made me feel rather uneasy as
to how the people generally might take my intrusion into their village.
The next morning we took our baggage on three packhorses, and, after a
few break-downs, arrived about noon at our destination.

After getting all my things set straight, and having made a hasty meal,
I determined if possible to make friends with the people. I therefore
sent for the owner of the house and as many of his acquaintances as
liked to come, to have a "bitchara," or talk. When they were all seated,
I gave them a little tobacco all around, and having my boy Baderoon for
interpreter, tried to explain to them why I came there; that I was very
sorry to turn them out of the house, but that the Rajah had ordered it
rather than build a new one, which was what I had asked for, and then
placed five silver rupees in the owner's hand as one month's rent. I
then assured them that my being there would be a benefit to them, as I
should buy their eggs and fowls and fruit; and if their children would
bring me shells and insects, of which I showed them specimens, they also
might earn a good many coppers. After all this had been fully explained
to them, with a long talk and discussion between every sentence, I could
see that I had made a favourable impression; and that very afternoon, as
if to test my promise to buy even miserable little snail-shells, a dozen
children came one after another, bringing me a few specimens each of
a small Helix, for which they duly received "coppers," and went away
amazed but rejoicing.

A few days' exploration made me well acquainted with the surrounding
country. I was a long way from the road in the forest which I had first
visited, and for some distance around my house were old clearings and
cottages. I found a few good butterflies, but beetles were very scarce,
and even rotten timber and newly-felled trees (generally so productive)
here produced scarcely anything. This convinced me that there was not a
sufficient extent of forest in the neighbourhood to make the place worth
staying at long, but it was too late now to think of going further, as
in about a month the wet season would begin; so I resolved to stay here
and get what was to be had. Unfortunately,