A tweed costume for what is called the “ Homi-cide,” and
two dark nuns-veiling or cambric dresses for the “ Suez-cide,”
should, with two demi-toilettes for dinner, be sufficient In-
deed, one skirt with a few coloured bodices looks as well as
anything, while for dinner nothing looks better than pongee
silk. Two tea-gowns, one warm and one cool, ai'e abso-
lutely necessary to those who rightly object to play hide-
and-seek for an hour every morning before breakfast in the
effort to get a bath. Robed in these, the wearer can sit and
read, or work, in the saloon, watching her opportunity, in-
stead of stewing in the anteroom, or diving backwards and
forwards from her cabin with indecent haste. There is, per-
haps, nothing more mysterious in Nature than the harsh line
of decency and indecency which most ladies draw between a
221
Housekeeper and Cook
tea-gown and a dressing-gown. Attired in one they will face
a crowd with complacency ; in the other^ they will fly from a
steward. Yet we suspect that^ to the ordinary male compre-
hensioiij there is no tangible difference between the two.
It is a great art to keep your cabin tidy, and to arrange
times and seasons with your fellow-sufferers. At best, life in a
space 6 by 6 is confined, but some amelioration may be effected
by method. A chintz bag for soiled linen, a holdall for hanging
on the wall with more pockets than fittings, are useful. The
best holdalls have a hem top and bottom, into which two
flat sticks are run, and into which you can screw little hooks
for hanging up trifles. If you can get old under-linen, it is
advisable to use it on board, throwing it away when soiled.
Books are a necessity of life, and so are work and a plentiful
supply of writing mateiaals. Deck shoes with indiarubber
soles are advisable, and a cloud or muffler for windy days. In
the Red Sea the wind is generally strong, fore or aft. At
such times a white gauze veil, long enough to tie round the
hat and under the chin, helps tidiness. A light, shady straw
hat and a travelling cap are indispensable, and so is a wrap
for wearing on deck after dinner.
The deck chair is best of wicker, and if a pretty one is
chosen, it comes in usefully for the drawing-room afterwards.
A pound or two of tea should be taken, and those who
dislike sugar in their tea should provide themselves with some
of the new brands of unsweetened, desiccated, or reduced
milk.
Those who have to travel up-country should bring a feather
chintz-covei-ed pillow and an Austrian blanket or two Avith
them. They will then be able to sleeji comfortably in the
train. If possible, it is wise to arrange in Bombay or Karachi
for a supply of food which will render them independent of
refreshment i-ooms. It is not well to have one’s first im-
pressions of India marred by starvation or indigestion. This
is especially needful on the Karachi line, where on one occa-
sion the writer was twenty-four hours Avithout the possibility
of procuring anything but Avhisky and soda and a biscuit.
A basket containing a spirit lamp and kettle, a bottle of
essence of coffee, tea, preserved milk, bread, potted meat,
Boviil, biscuits, &c., is invaluable, The best tinned meat is
a Paysandu ox tongue. A fcAV limes for making lemon squash
222
The Indian Housekeeper and Cook
Page 154
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A tweed costume for what is called the “ Homi-cide,” and two dark nuns-veiling or cambric dresses for the “ Suez-cide,” should, with two demi-toilettes for dinner, be sufficient Indeed, one skirt with a few coloured bodices looks as well as anything, while for dinner nothing looks better than pongee silk. Two tea-gowns, one warm and one cool, ai'e absolutely necessary to those who rightly object to play hideand-seek for an hour every morning before breakfast in the effort to get a bath. Robed in these, the wearer can sit and read, or work, in the saloon, watching her opportunity, instead of stewing in the anteroom, or diving backwards and forwards from her cabin with indecent haste. There is, perhaps, nothing more mysterious in Nature than the harsh line of decency and indecency which most ladies draw between a
Housekeeper and Cook
tea-gown and a dressing-gown. Attired in one they will face a crowd with complacency ; in the other^ they will fly from a steward. Yet we suspect that^ to the ordinary male comprehensioiij there is no tangible difference between the two.
It is a great art to keep your cabin tidy, and to arrange times and seasons with your fellow-sufferers. At best, life in a space 6 by 6 is confined, but some amelioration may be effected by method. A chintz bag for soiled linen, a holdall for hanging on the wall with more pockets than fittings, are useful. The best holdalls have a hem top and bottom, into which two flat sticks are run, and into which you can screw little hooks for hanging up trifles. If you can get old under-linen, it is advisable to use it on board, throwing it away when soiled. Books are a necessity of life, and so are work and a plentiful supply of writing materials. Deck shoes with indiarubber soles are advisable, and a cloud or muffler for windy days. In the Red Sea the wind is generally strong, fore or aft. At such times a white gauze veil, long enough to tie round the hat and under the chin, helps tidiness. A light, shady straw hat and a travelling cap are indispensable, and so is a wrap for wearing on deck after dinner.
The deck chair is best of wicker, and if a pretty one is chosen, it comes in usefully for the drawing-room afterwards.
A pound or two of tea should be taken, and those who dislike sugar in their tea should provide themselves with some of the new brands of unsweetened, desiccated, or reduced milk.
Those who have to travel up-country should bring a feather chintz-covered pillow and an Austrian blanket or two with them. They will then be able to sleep comfortably in the train. If possible, it is wise to arrange in Bombay or Karachi for a supply of food which will render them independent of refreshment i-ooms. It is not well to have one’s first impressions of India marred by starvation or indigestion. This is especially needful on the Karachi line, where on one occasion the writer was twenty-four hours without the possibility of procuring anything but whisky and soda and a biscuit.
A basket containing a spirit lamp and kettle, a bottle of essence of coffee, tea, preserved milk, bread, potted meat, Boviil, biscuits, &c., is invaluable, The best tinned meat is a Paysandu ox tongue. A few limes for making lemon squash
The Indian Housekeeper and Cook