Page:McCosh, John - Advice to Officers in India (1856).djvu/177

 I have seen and worn the above silk under-garments, and found them very pleasant. They are light and elastic, and a valuable addition to the wardrobe in hot climates. A couple of silk hand-kerchiefs sewed together, leaving intervals for the head and arms to go through, forms a very convenient and most comfortable under dress.

Silk pyjamas, a sort of wide pantaloon, tied round the waist, is a common indoor dress, and is generally worn when in bed, and in the hot weather is the only covering.

In making up clothes for Indian wear,it is of the utmost importance that every raw edge of the cloth be hemmed and secured with extra sewing, for if sewed as if for home wear, the seams will be torn open in one or two washings. In India all washing is done by men, by beating the clothes against a stone or grooved plank, and the destruction caused by the dhoby is much greater than the ordinary tear and wear. So great is this that in families a tailor is constantly entertained to repair his damages, yet we submit to the mischievous practice. I have had the curiosity to weigh a complete suit of clothes worn by me in the hot season, and found that the jacket, vest, and pantaloons weighed only sixteen ounces. This is about the one-sixteenth part of the weight of a winter dress in England.

Cotton quilts, lined with silk, are the usual bed