Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-05-25
ODD EXPERIENCES OF TRAVEL.

ODD EXPERIENCES OF TRAVEL.
A Lady Tells of Some Odd Adventures in
Oriental Lands.
Tips and gesticulations go a great way
in making foreign servants understand
those who do not speak their language,
but they do not always succeed, and
tiresome though amusing adventures
are often the result, says Mrs. Davis
Ker in the New York Epoch.
When we first travelled in India we
knew very little Hindoostanee, and on
arriving at palatial but very comfort
less hotel at Jubbulpore 1 wanted a
small pitcher of hot water to battle Il
hurt on my little finger. We knew that
chota was small" and garrum warm
but we could not think of the Hindus-
tani for waters At last I thought l
had made the bearer understand what
wanted. After waiting some time he
returned looking we'll pleased with him
self at so easily guessing my wishes,
and placing small cup of tea at my
side, bowed profoundly, and was about
to leave the room, when I called him
: back and tried again to explain.
This time we had to wait still longer,
but presently we heard humping on
the stairs and a deal of gasping and
groaning, and then three men appeared
carrying a most enormous caldron of
boiling water.
Our next journey was to Allahabad,
and on reaching the station at dawn we
hired carriage and told the coachman
in our best Hindoostanee to drive to the
nearest hotel. We soon stopped at the
entrance of n large house, and a we'll
dressed European opened the carriage
door for us and politely helped us out.
81 am glad you have conc so carly"
he said, ''for you will have plenty of
time to see everything, and assure you
l can show you some very handsome
pieces of furniture. What will you look
at first?'' F.
after travelling all night we are too
tired and dusty and hungry to look at
anything at present. answered sharp
ly, "but will you show us into the best
bedroom you've got and send us some
breakfast immcdiatcly?"
o. The man stared at me in utter as
| tonishncnt and turned to Mr.. ker for
an explanation. After time we found
! out our mistake. The house was not q
, hotel, but Il private residence, and the
, furniture was about to be sold at
! auction. The European, whom we had
! mistaken for the hotel manager, was
! the auctionccr. So our Hindoostanee had
been again at fault.
In west Africa twice quite uninten-
tionally offended the natives most griev-
! ously. Directly steamer arrived at
! port the negroes swarracd around her in
canoes, offering skins, grass mats, etc,
for sale, and always took this oppor-
tunity of sl1ctching them. Once one OF
the mon wore very extraordinary wig,
| and in my anxiety to have good look
at it must have let my drawing block
and pencil be seen, for he caught sight
! of what 1 was doing. and, tearing OF
his wig in terror, he called out wildly:
mo put me in book white mani! Me
good man! No put me in bool1!"
He evidently thought that was work.
ing some evil spell over him.
Another time an Ashantcc woman on
our steamer saw me sketching her, and
she complained most bitterly to the
captain that | mad MADE her very ill.
She said that had given her Il fright
full pain in her head and that she had to
lie down all the afternoon.
But think the funniest thing that
ever happened to INC was at Old Gala
bar. We had sent our clothes to be
washed there, and when the washer
woman brought them back she coolly
told me that she had kept one or two Of
my garments, for she liked them SO
much that she could not part with
them. She asked mo what she should
I give me for them. ] told her l could
not possibly sell my underclothing as
curiositics However, she got them for
nothing, for our steamer was just sail
ing for England SO 1 had no means of
insisting upon their return.