covering. The silk, besides being a pleasant wear, is also a non-conductor of electricity, and I have heard of persons being by its use saved from the shock when all around them was struck by lightning. Mattrasses are rare things in India, and feather beds unknown, the general substitute being a lace-work of stout tape stretched on the bed frame, with a quilt over it. Every bed has its mosquito curtains,composed of thin gauze, which is useful in keeping off insects, in moderating the current of wind when sleeping with open doors, affording protection against damp,and even against miasma, when that exists, and no one should pass through a feverish belt of jungle without being encaged in mosquito gauze.
In violent fevers great relief is got by lying in bed corpore nudo.
At formal parties one is expected to appear in cloth,but that is generally made of so light material as not to be oppressive, unless on very great occasions. Full dress uniform is now rarely worn, indeed, uniform of all sorts is seldom seen off duty, a great improvement upon the old pipeclay and martinet system. Alpacca has been found an admirable article of clothing in the hot weather, and ought to be universal.
On ordinary occasions mufti, in all its varieties, is indulged in, various as the tastes of the owners, and not a bad idea may be formed of the
