s" did not appear. They have but few timbers, but these are heavy,
and they have only three planks on either side and two on the bottom,
heavy teak planks sewn together! This coarse sewing with cocoa-nut fibre
cord laces a straw rope against the inside of the seam, and this
apparently swells when wet and gives elasticity and play, and keeps out
a considerable amount of water. But I see there's a good deal of baling
done, and the baggage, with the water in bilge and spray over all, must
get wet outside at least--Fixed up about cabins for Rangoon, lunched at
our hotel, the Connemara, then hired a gharry or victoria--I'm not sure
which the conveyance we hired by the week should be called--and drove
to the racecourse, an A.1. course, and met several friends there. I was
particularly impressed by the general appearance of beauty and
refinement of our country-women in Madras, and by the fashionableness of
their attire. I thought there was a sensation--I will only whisper
this--of a slightly rarified official atmosphere at this meeting, I saw
no one caper. But it must be borne in mind that most of the people there
were officials and wives of officials, serving a great empire, so
perhaps it might be unbecoming for such to laugh and play; and I take it
there is even a limit to the degree of a smile when you are on the
official ladder, that it is then seemly, even expedient, to walk with a
certain dignity of pace--so you show the sweep of the modern skirt to
great advantage. As a foil were one or two blooming girls, "just out,"
and bound to have a "good time." Their exuberant buoyancy will be toned
down, I am told, after two seasons here (I'd have thought one would have
been enough), and up north people are more gay, the atmosphere here is
considerd to be very damping.

The native life spread round three sides of the course, six deep. The
horses were mostly small, uncommonly nice-looking beasts, with a good
deal of Arab blood. Of course G. and I selected winners and had nothing
on; but I have known of others who have met with similar misfortune at
meetings nearer home.

Back to the Connemara, through a moving population of native men
returning from the races. They mostly wore Delhi caps (like "smoking
caps"), long hair in a knot and long light tweed coats, round their thin
bare legs, floppy linen shaded from white to rose-red, at the lower edge
a bad red and a dirty white; there was red dust in the air, and a hot
sunset in front