Page:Letters from India Vol 1.djvu/179

 and work all day. Their work is more beautiful than is desirable for a gown; but they cannot be persuaded to work coarser silks.

We have put off our party this evening, as we have the king’s ball next Monday; and though these balls and parties are all quite delightful (and, for my own part, I can only regret that they do not occur every evening) yet you know that other people might have too much of even such very good society.

Wednesday, June 23. Miss Fane came when Sir Henry came to Council, and brought one of their jemidars, whose picture she wanted for her album. He is a Hindoo, and not a Mussulman, which most of our servants are, and of high caste, which is marked by quantities of gold leaf on his forehead; and he wears a dagger in his belt, and stands in a grand, swaggering position, and altogether he made rather a good drawing. We dined at Mrs. Shakespear's, and met the Fanes and a few others.

The Calcutta houses seem so small after Government House, and it was a dreadfully hot night.