Page:Sir Thomas Munro and the British Settlement of the Madras Presidency.djvu/46

 38 SIR THOMAS MUNRO

of the way ; and if he were to die, I would give my kingdom for another, and find nobody to accept of my offer. Till I came here, I hardly knew what walking was. I have often walked from sunrise to sunset, without any other refreshment than a drink of water ; and I have traversed on foot, in different directions, almost every part of the country between Vizagapatam and Madura, a distance of eight hundred miles.

' My house at Vellore consists of a hall and a bed- room. The former contains but one piece of furniture — a table ; but on entering the latter, you would see me at my writing-table, seated on my only chair, with the old couch behind me, adorned with a carpet and pillow ; on my i^ight hand a chest of books, and on my left two trunks ; one for holding about a dozen changes of linen, and the other about half a dozen of plates, knives and forks, &c. This stock will be augmented on my return by a gi'eat acquisition, which I have made here — six tea-spoons and a pair of candlesticks, bought at the sale of the furniture of a family going to Europe. I generally dine at home about three times in a month, and then my house looks very superb ; every person on this occasion bringing his own chair and plate.

' As I have abeady told you that I am not Aladdin with the wonderful lamp, and that, therefore, I keep neither pages, nor musicians, nor elephants, you may perhaps, after having had so particular an account of my possessions, wish to know in what manner I pass