Palace,
a miniature Abbotsford, to leave cards, and just as were passing a
neighbouring compound, there appeared under the trees a glorious covey
of red chupprassies seated in a circle on the ground, their scarlet and
gold and white uniforms glaring in the sunbeams that shot through the
foliage--such purple shadows--such a suggestion of colour, and gossip,
or tales of the East! We pulled up a hundred and fifty yards off, I am
sure, with a hedge between us, and only looked sideways at them to make
notes, but in two seconds they were all up and at attention, and two
came running forward for Sahib's orders and cards, so I drove away
lamenting. The Red Chupprassies, by the way, or "corrupt lictors," are
official messengers wearing red Imperial livery, who are attached to all
civil officers in India. _See_ Mr Aberich-Mackay on the subject in
"Twenty-one Days in India."

... Packing to go to Madras, and very sorry to leave Bangalore and its
wide compounds and parks and bazaars, and our very kind hosts. I have
not mentioned the military element in Bangalore, nor the Gymkhana, nor
the Club, for, to my sorrow, I've seen nothing of them! The museum I did
see--went to it twice; I believe few people stationed here have seen it
once! There is a collection of stuffed Indian birds which interested and
finally appalled me by its numbers; and models of Indian fish, also very
interesting.

My packing brought me more natural history interest--my packing and R.'s
unpacking. R., in his office on one side of the house, opened some
bundles of papers and so dispersed a colony of small black ants; they
apparently thought my dressing-room would be restful, and trekked
across the matting of three rooms and settled in my pile of
correspondence--thought they'd be undisturbed poor things,--they had had
to climb to the top of a desk to settle in these papers. When I moved
these one or two thousand ants, and white cocoons, were scattered on the
matting, where they quickly collected themselves again under some
sketches and a folio on the floor. Then I took up another paper, and in
vexation shook ants and cocoons into a bowl of painting water which was
on the floor, and the poor little devils who were able to swim, after
their first surprise, began pulling the cocoons together in the centre
of the bowl and piled one on the top of the other in a heap till the
lowest became submerged. So I said, "here is honest endeavour, and help
those who help themsel