Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/386

 368 India. I have literally only one pair of boots and one of shoes; and there are none to be got now. The ships seem to bring nothing now. The Governor is to give a parting ball at Government House on Thursday night, when I trust it will be cooler weather than it is just now.

I must mention two or three incidents—domestic, viatory, and otherwise. Going into my store-room at Perth the other day, a mouse jumped out of the sugar bag, and I gave chase, hunting it from post to pillar. At length it ran across me, when I made a kick at it sufficient to annihilate a million of mice. The blow took effect upon a tin canister, and sent it flying among some bottles of claret, demolishing four of them at one blow, and making the "claret flow" with a vengeance; but the mouse escaped. Coming up from Perth that day I saw some emus near the road. Stooping on the horse, and keeping some bushes between me and them, I rode up within twenty yards before they took the alarm. It was a mother and two young ones. The poor mother became anxious and troubled, and fussed about like a hen with chicks, running and turning and leading them off. My horse seemed to enjoy the sport, and volunteered to follow in their wake, but, in a short time, we had to stop at the edge of a soft swamp which they passed with impunity. Sitting the other night at an evening party in Perth, a little kitten came playing in the room. I felt something thrown against my leg several times, but did not pay much attention; at last, on a repetition, I looked more closely, and found it a large scorpion which the kitten was tossing about so unconcernedly. I put an end to the play by setting my foot on it.—Calamity! Paid a tailor for making a pair of trousers, which fit so badly that I cannot wear them. N.B.—Rode to Perth in the same trousers, and found that money was not all I lost by them.

On the 20th the Governor and Lady Stirling gave a farewell ball to almost everybody. Dancing was kept up literally till breakfast time next day. I bathed and breakfasted and