They
Were Already Busy At Work At The Bodies Of My Treasures, And
Another Half-Hour Would Have Seen My Whole Day's Collection
Destroyed.
As it was, I had to take every insect out, clean them
thoroughly as well as the box, and then seek a place of
safety for them.
As the only effectual one, I begged a plate and a
basin from my host, filled the former with water, and standing
the latter in it placed my box on the top, and then felt secure
for the night; a few inches of clean water or oil being the only
barrier these terrible pests are not able to pass.
On returning home to Mamajam (as my house was called) I had a
slight return of intermittent fever, which kept me some days
indoors. As soon as I was well, I again went to Goa, accompanied
by Mr. Mesman, to beg the Rajah's assistance in getting a small
house built for me near the forest. We found him at a cock-fight
in a shed near his palace, which however, he immediately left to
receive us, and walked with us up an inclined plane of boards
which serves for stairs to his house. This was large, well-built,
and lofty, with bamboo floor and glass windows. The greater part
of it seemed to be one large hall divided by the supporting
posts. Near a window sat the Queen, squatting on a rough wooden
arm-chair, chewing the everlasting sirih and betel-nut, while a
brass spittoon by her side and a sirih-box in front were ready to
administer to her wants.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 302 of 419
Words from 82260 to 82531
of 114260
