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[Page 30]
even cheaper than that.
Stan Davis, the Serg Dispenser, Frank (his assistant) & I went for a rickshaw ride as far as Victoria Gardens. It was a very interesting trip. As we turned a corner the wheel on Stan's rickshaw collapsed & he just jumped out in time to prevent hitting the ground. The chap who was hauling him looked at him as much as to say "Aren't you going to pay for the damage"
but Stan wasn't having any. The smash occurred just outside the entrance to the Gardens, so Frank & I dismounted also (but in a more graceful manner than friend Stan) & went into the Gardens. There is a fine statue of Queen Victoria, with ponds full of fish & some very pretty trees & flowers. In the centre of the Garden is an enormous block of stone with an inscription carved on it. It was removed from the [indecipherable] shore some yeas ago, & the carving on it is supposed to be the work of some Portugese navigator who landed many years ago. We returned to the Barracks & had Dinner. Fried Fish, Salad, Bread & Butter & good Tea for 9d or 50 cents. After a bit of a spell we wet round the native shops & bought some curios. They were very reasonable to my mind. I go a carved ink stand, 2 elephants, a porcupine quill box for 16fr. The native wanted 18/- at first, but he came down to 15/- so after a deal of arguing I tossed him to see whether I'd give him 14/- or 16/-, & he won. Leaving our parcels in charge of the Y.M. we took a trip out to the Cinnamon Gardens in a [indecipherable]