s very
provoking all the same, for it used to be so nice to take the baby out
very early, and pick up the fallen apricots for breakfast. The
peaches are nearly all pale and rather tasteless, but the apricots are
excellent in flavor, of a large size and in extraordinary abundance.
There was also a large and promising crop of apples, but they have
all been taken in their unripe state. As a rule, the Kafirs are
scrupulously honest, and we left plate and jewelry in the house under
Charlie's care whilst we were away, without the least risk, for such
things they would never touch; but fruit or mealies they cannot be
brought to regard as personal property, and they gather the former
and waste the latter without scruple. It is a great objection to the
imported coolies, who make very clean and capital servants, that they
have inveterate habits of pilfering and are hopelessly dishonest about
trifles. For this reason they are sure to get on badly with Kafir
fellow-servants, who are generally quite above any temptation of that
kind.

JANUARY 14.

A few days ago we took G---- to see the annual swimming sports in the
small river which runs through the park. It was a beautiful afternoon,
for a wonder, with no lowering thunder-clouds over the hills, so
the banks of the river were thronged for half a mile and more with
spectators. It made a very pretty picture, the large willow trees
drooping into the water on either shore, the gay concourse of people,
the bright patch of color made by the red coats of the band of the
regiment stationed across the stream, the tents for the competitors to
change in, the dark wondering faces of Kafirs and coolies, who cannot
comprehend _why_ white people should take so much trouble and run so
much risk to amuse themselves. We certainly must appear to them to
be possessed by a restless demon of energy, both in our work and our
play, and never more so than on this hot afternoon, when, amid
much shouting and laughing, the various water-races came off. The
steeplechase amused us a great deal, where the competitors had to swim
over and under various barriers across the river; and so did the race
for very little boys, which was a full and excellent one. The monkeys
took to the water as naturally as fishes, and evidently enjoyed the
fun more than any one. Indeed, the difficulty was to get them out of
the water and into the tents to change their swimming costume after
the race was over. But the most interest