They have very black complexions, and long woolly hair,
setting out like a mop all round, and generally dyed bright red, or
yellow by the application of lime. Mr. Cowajee had sent his own
private carriage to meet us. It was a comfortable open barouche, with
a pair of nice horses, and two servants in Eastern liveries, green
vests and full trousers, and red and orange turbans. We went first to
his store, which seemed to be an emporium for every conceivable
article. There was carved sandal-wood, and embroidered shawls from
China, Surat, and Gujerat, work from India, English medicines, French
lamps, Swiss clocks, German toys, Russian caviare, Greek lace,
Havannah cigars, American hides and canned fruits, besides many other
things. The feathers did not look very tempting; there was a great
deal of feather and very little stem about most of them, and only a
few were white, the majority being a pretty sort of brown and drab.
But this general store is only a very small part of their business,
for about 60,000 tons of coal pass through their hands every year.
We went on to the Hotel de l'Europe, which was by no means in
first-rate order, but allowances must be made for a new house. A
delightful breeze was blowing in through the open windows, and
although the thermometer registered 85 deg.
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