The
Dutchmen danced badly, and said not a word, but plodded on so as to
get all the dancing they could for their money.
I went to bed at
half-past eleven, but the ball went on till four.
Next night there was genteeler company, and I did not go in, but
lay in bed listening to the Malay's playing. He had quite a fresh
set of tunes, of which several were from the 'Traviata'!
Yesterday was a real African summer's day. The D-s had a tent and
an awning, one for food and the other for drink, on the ground
where the shooting took place. At twelve o'clock Mrs. D- went down
to sell cold chickens, &c., and I went with her, and sat under a
tree in the bed of the little stream, now nearly dry. The sun was
such as in any other climate would strike you down, but here coup
de soleil is unknown. It broils you till your shoulders ache and
your lips crack, but it does not make you feel the least languid,
and you perspire very little; nor does it tan the skin as you would
expect. The light of the sun is by no means 'golden' - it is pure
white - and the slightest shade of a tree or bush affords a
delicious temperature, so light and fresh is the air. They said
the thermometer was at about 130 degrees where I was walking
yesterday, but (barring the scorch) I could not have believed it.
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