After a very short stay we again mounted, and presently passed into the Whoshully estate, and finally arrived, after riding through that property, at about midday at Mr. Robinson’s bungalow, where we had breakfast.  Mr. Rose came over in the afternoon, and we rode home to Hill Grove through Messrs. Matheson’s estate which had been bought from Mr. Minchin, besides visiting the Hope estate.  I thus rode through coffee for nearly the entire day.  On the following day I went over another adjacent property, and on the day after, Monday, October 26th, started for Mercara, the capital of Coorg.  I drove by way of Siddapur, paid a short visit to Cannon Kadu estate, and arrived at Abiel, Mr. Martin’s estate, at about midday, rode round his estate in the afternoon, and then drove on to Mr. E. Meynell’s charming home—­the Retreat—­which is about a mile from the town of Mercara.

I was particularly struck with the arrangements of this house, as it was a thoroughly English-looking home in every respect, and I only wish I could give a plan of it as a model for a residence in the hill and planting districts of India.  The front veranda was inclosed with glass, and lined with flowers in pots, and from the centre of this projected a conservatory, at the end of which was the front door.  You thus, after driving up to the house, walked through a conservatory into the inclosed veranda, and this not only gave a very pretty effect, but was practically useful by keeping carriages, with their attendant dust and disagreeables, at a sufficient distance from the veranda.  My hostess very kindly permitted me to see the kitchen arrangements.  These, as well as the storerooms, were in a wing projecting from the back of the bungalow.  The kitchen, which consisted of a separate room, with a single door, was furnished with a Wilson range, and there was no door between the kitchen and the scullery.  The latter was at the outside edge of the wing, and was entered by its own door—­an arrangement, by the way, that might be practised with advantage in this country, as a connecting door is liable to admit smells from the scullery into the kitchen.  The reader will, I trust, excuse the mention of these apparently trivial matters, but as I strongly suspect that much of the ill-health in India is due to the dirt and horrors of the Indian cook-room, which is usually at a little distance from the bungalow, and turned into a general lounge for the servants, I think it well to show that, with a little contrivance and attention, as great a degree of order and cleanliness may exist in India as in any other portion of the globe.