LET, Xi] RESIDENTS. 45
LETTER THE ELEVENTH.
Rajahmundry, August 14th.
Our goods arrived last week. They had all been wetted through: in the journey, and very much spoiled, but, by dint of keeping the sun aud the palanquin-boys at work upon them, they are coming round again.
Captain Price, the commanding officer here, has just called. He seems very civil, nothing else particularly. He has a wife, whom I have not seen yet, as they were away till yesterday. The commanding officers are generally changed every three months. There is a Seoteh Dr. Stewart, and a Mr, Macdonald, the sub-collector, but he is not here now. There will also be in time a Registrar, or, as they spel] it here, “ Register,” but none is appointed yet. These ancl ourselves are al] the residents; but there are continually travellers passing through, as this place is on the high read from the north to the south of Madras. [ fancy the civilians all expect to come to us on thcir journey; and the militaries go to Captain Price: and whichever of us re- eeives the visitor must make a dinner-party.
Last night I was awakened by a great uproar: I found it was on account of a snake who had crept Into the house and hidden himself under a box. The maty had found him out, and the servants were all hunting and fighting him with sticks. He was caught and killed. A thought he was not of a venomous kind, but they are not pleasant visitors. I often hear the hyz- nas at night howling about the country. They are horrid spite- ful-looking creatures, but so cowardly that they never attack any but weak animals. ‘Uhey do mischief in the poultry-yard, and sometimes carry off a small dog, und, if very hungry, now and then a young donkey; but one isno more atraid of thent than of foxes in England,
Did you ever hear of the Thugs? They are a tribe of Hin-
