in a given period. When not in uniform, or expecting a visit from a superior officer, they each mounted a large Arab fur cap, something in shape like a sugarloaf, adorned by a red cotton top, that drooped down on the side and served as a tobacco-pouch. A white jacket, and what are used in India as sleeping trousers. or defences against mosquitoes, completed their attire ; and there they sat opposite the fly of their tent for hours together, cracking jokes on every native that passed by, and collecting Bohrah men around them, under the ill-founded idea, that they were going to become large purchasers of their commodities. But in these sharp merchants they occasionally met their match, and once or twice the but-end of a large chittree reminded them that the Hindoo was not to be trifled with every day, however sweet his temper might be. The Bohrahs are the pedlars of the East, and gain a living by hawking about from house to house the different articles they pick up from the public sales, which articles are transmitted from place to place in large baskets, on the heads of Coolies. These itinerant hucksters spread out a mat by your tent-door, and display thereon an infinite variety of native and foreign merchandise. It would be impossible to enumerate a title of the strange things which they offer for sale. The five continents, one might suppose, had each contributed their produce to help in filling the Bohrahs' baskets. London goods, however, are honoured with much space here. Shirts are shown you at so much the dozen (often considerably

cheaper than you can buy them at home;) socks, collars, swords, epaulettes, plated dish-covers, hotwater plates-much used in India, for the punkah starves your dinner-saddles and bridles, native toys, musical boxes, guitars, and even down to the penny yellow whistle, that delights the country child at an English fair; these, and almost all other things, are to be found in the Bohrahs' baskets. The owners of these baskets are often wealthy men. They abound in news; and as they speak English well, can give you all the current chit-chat of the island. They know every European resident; and perhaps more about private character, than to the individual concerned would be agreeable. If ever, therefore, you are at a loss for social information, the Bohrahs are the persons to whom to apply.

These Borahs are of Arab origin, and dress in the costume of their country. They call themselves Ismaeliah, from one of the many followers of Mohammed, who dwelt in the age immediately succeeding that of the prophet; and as they are amusing in their conversation, and have acquired the art of flattery, they are great favourites with some English ladies, and often succeed in running away with the greater part of their pin-money in gewgaws and native ornaments. They never will believe that you are poor, or unable to purchase their goods; and generally end their persuasions by saying, that "English saib very rich; always have little money to buy something of poor Borah." The Borah shows

much anxiety to learn all he can respecting the manners and customs of the English at home. I remember one of them boring me for about three hours by asking me the most extraordinary questions relating to England; whether it were really true, that Englishmen travel in their own land without horses, bullocks, or hummals, (palanquin bearers,) as some saib had told him they did, and that the carriages they used were like the Company's steampackets, and ran upon iron rails from one town to another at the rate of sixty miles an hour. I told him that it was even so; illustrating my description of a railway by a diagram; and after showing him that the motive power was the same in both cases, he, with the assistance of the drawing, at last thoroughly comprehended this, to him, hitherto inexplicable wonder. He never forgot to call and enquire about my health when he passed, and seemed to feel much the trouble which I had taken in revealing to him the mysteries of a locomotive engine. In fact, the Borahs all appear to thirst after knowledge, and are easily instructed.

The tent on my left was occupied by a captain in the army and his family. It was a very handsome double-poled one, and covered a large portion of the compound. Beautifully picturesque was it to look upon, but miserable and wretched were its occupants. The captain was a man of the most dissipated habits, and his poor wife and innocent children were treated like brute beasts by this monster in human form.

How he ever retained his commission, leading the dissipated life which he appeared to lead, was to me a miracle, for like all drunkards he was perfectly careless of public opinion. I think it was only my second evening on the esplanade, when I was disturbed by the most pitiful cries of a female in distress calling loudly for assistance; I ran out, and found that the voice proceeded from the captain's tent; and was about to enter it, when to my amazement, the whole of one side was forced out, and the poor lady followed by her children who were leaping off the tops of drawers and tables to escape from their father's fury, made towards my tent; the children, many of them half naked, taking shelter with the cadets above me. This tragedy was often enacted, and more than once I felt inclined to report him at head quarters as a nuisance to the neighbourhood, but I thought the poor family would in this case be the greatest sufferers. I have recalled it to memory simply as affording an instance of the results which often follow those unhappy marriages, which in India too commonly take place between English officers and half-caste women; and may here observe, that when such unfortunate unions occur in the army, both husband and wife are generally cut by the officers of the regiment to which they are attached.

With some trouble, and but little expense, for furniture is reasonably cheap in Bombay, I contrived to get my little tent snugly fitted up; Pedro, my Portuguese boy, appearing to take a great interest in

arranging these matters to my satisfaction. He was a thin, slim lad of about eighteen years of age, with a winning expression of countenance, and short, curly, jet-black hair. His favourite dress was of Orleans cloth, and on Sundays and high days, he exhibited a very showy lace front to his shirt, which piece of finery, he said, had been the work of some of the old nuns in his native town of Goa. I often envied him two good gifts which he possessed in perfection. A splendid set of pearly white teeth, and the sweetest temper that boy was ever blessed with. He was conscientious, and truly honest; and, unless on occasion of a wedding, or a funeral of some relation— for he certainly appeared to have a good number of stray cousins-he seldom wished to go from home, except it were to mass, or the church service held in the neighbouring town.

Altogether, I was very well contented with this new way of living. The evenings were certainly long, and often tedious; but my health improved, and I contrived to pass them happily, by writing, and in company with those friends that never reproach one— instructive books; and during the day I was fully occupied. I had perhaps too much time for reflection; and the bitter idea of being separated from all that was near and dear to me, cast occasionally its dark shadow across my path, and made me feel as if I were alone in the world. One night, as I was poring (by the aid of a cocoa-nut-oil lamp, that was flickering in the air, in consequence of the number of