[Transcriber's Note: Descriptions of illustrations which have nocaptions and of page references are found in {curly brackets}. ]

[Illustration: That's where Daddy is!

(From the painting by J. Snowman. )]

THE ROYAL SCHOOL SERIES

Highroads of Geography

_Illustrated by Masterpieces of the following artists:--J. M. W. Turner, F. Goodall, E. A. Hornel, Talbot Kelly, W. Simpson, Edgar H. Fisher, J. F. Lewis, T. H. Liddell, Cyrus Cuneo, &c. _

Introductory Book--Round the World with Father

1916

CONTENTS. 

1. Good-bye to Father, 2. A Letter from France, 3. In Paris, 4. On the Way to Egypt, 5. A Letter from Egypt, 6. Children of Egypt, 7. Through the Canal, 8. Amongst the Arabs. --I. , 9. Amongst the Arabs. --II. , 10. A Letter from India, 11. In the Streets, 12. Our Indian Cousin, 13. In the Garden, 14. Indian Boys and Girls, 15. Elephants and Tigers, 16. A Letter from Burma. --I. , 17. A Letter from Burma. --II. , 18. A Letter from Ceylon, 19. A Letter from China, 20. Chinese Boys and Girls, 21. Hair, Fingers, and Toes, 22. A Letter from Japan, 23. Jap Children, 24. A Letter from Canada, 25. Children of Canada, 26. The Red Men, 27. The Eskimos. 

28. Father's Last Letter, 29. Home Again, EXERCISES, INTRODUCTORY BOOK. 

I. GOOD-BYE TO FATHER. 

1. Father kissed us and said, "Good-bye, dears. Be good children, andhelp mother as much as you can. The year will soon pass away. What amerry time we will have when I come back again!"

2. Father kissed mother, and then stepped into the train. The guard blewhis whistle, and the train began to move. We waved good-bye until it wasout of sight. 

[Illustration: {Children waving good-bye to their father as the trainpulls away}]

3. Then we all began to cry--even Tom, who thinks himself such a man. Itwas _so_ lonely without father. 

4. Tom was the first to dry his eyes. He turned to me and said, "Stopthat crying. You are the eldest, and you ought to know better. "

5. He made mother take his arm, just as father used to do. Then he beganto whistle, to show that he did not care a bit. All the way home hetried to make jokes. 

6. As soon as we had taken off our coats and hats, Tom called us intothe sitting-room. "Look here, " he said: "we're going to have no glumfaces in this house. We must be bright and cheerful, or mother willfret. You know father wouldn't like that. "

[Illustration: {Children in the sitting-room}]

7. We said that we would do our best. So off we went to help mother tomake the beds and to dust the rooms. While we were doing this we quiteforgot to be sad. 

8. After tea we went into father's room and looked at the globe. "I'mgoing to follow father right round the world, " said Tom. "Please show mewhich way he is going. " Mother did so. 

9. "By this time next week, " she said, "we shall have the first of manylong letters from father. I am sure we shall enjoy reading them. He willtell us about the far-off lands which he is going to see. "

10. "That will be grand, " I said. "I hope he will tell us _lots_about the children. I want to know what they look like, what they wear, and what games they play. "

11. Tom said he would rather not hear about children. He wanted to hearabout savages and tigers and shipwrecks, and things like that. 

[Illustration: {Postman delivering a letter}]

12. A week later the postman brought us father's first letter. How eagerwe were to hear it! Mother had to read it for us two or three times. 

13. Every week for many weeks the postman brought us letters fromfather. When he handed us a letter he used to say, "I'm glad to see thatyour daddy is all right so far. "

14. This book is made up of father's letters from abroad. I hope youwill enjoy them as much as we did. 

 * * * * *

2. A LETTER FROM FRANCE. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --I am writing this letter in a large seaport of thesouth of France. To-morrow I shall go on board the big ship which is totake me to Egypt. 

2. Let me tell you about my travels so far. The train in which I leftour town took me to London. Next day another train took me to a smalltown on the seashore. 

3. About twenty miles of sea lie between this town and France. At once Iwent on board the small steamer which was to take me across. The sea wassmooth and the sun was shining. 

[Illustration: The White Cliffs of Dover. 

(From the picture by J. M. W. Turner, R. A. )]

4. I stood on the deck looking at the white cliffs of dear old England. When I could see them no longer I found that we were not far fromFrance. 

5. In about an hour we reached a French town which in olden daysbelonged to us. The steamer sailed right up to the railway station. 

6. I had something to eat, and then took my place in the train. Soon wewere speeding towards Paris, the chief town of France. 

7. I looked out of the window most of the time. We ran through manymeadows and cornfields. Here and there I saw rows of poplar treesbetween the fields. 

8. Now and then we crossed rivers with barges on them. On and on wewent, past farmhouses and little villages, each with its church. TheFrench villages look brighter than ours. I think this is because thehouses are painted in gay colours. 

9. I saw many men, women, and children working in the fields. All ofthem wore wooden shoes. Most of the men and boys were dressed in blueblouses. 

[Illustration: {People working in a field}]

10. There was a little French boy in my carriage. He wore a black blousewith a belt. His stockings were short, and did not come up to hisknickerbockers. He was rather pale, and his legs were very thin. 

11. The boy was about Tom's age. He sat still, and held his father'shand all the way. I don't think Tom would have done this; he thinkshimself too much of a man. 

12. After a time we crossed a broad river, and came to the dull, darkstation of a large city. As we left it, I saw the tall spire of one ofthe grandest churches in all the world. 

13. On we went, past farms and villages and small towns, until at lastwe reached Paris. 

 * * * * *

3. IN PARIS. 

[Illustration: In the Gardens. 

(From the picture by Cyrus Cuneo, R. I. )]

1. Paris is a very grand and beautiful city. The French people say thatFrance is a great garden. They also say that the finest flowers in thisgarden make up the nosegay which we call Paris. 

2. A great river runs through Paris. All day long you can see littlesteamboats darting to and fro on the river, like swallows. Near to theriver are some beautiful gardens. 

[Illustration: {View of Paris}]

3. I sat in these gardens, at a little table under the trees. As I satthere a man walked up the path. At once I heard a great chirping and aflutter of wings. 

[Illustration: {A man with birds}]

4. All the birds in the garden flocked to him. They seemed to know himas an old friend. Some perched on his shoulders and some on his hat. Onebold little fellow tried to get into his pocket. It was a pretty sightto see him feeding the birds. 

5. In the gardens there were many nurses carrying babies. These nurseswere very gay indeed. They wore gray cloaks and white caps, with broadsilk ribbons hanging down their backs. 

6. Some of the older children were playing ball, but they did not playvery well. Until a few years ago French boys had few outdoor games. Nowthey are learning to play tennis and football. 

7. French boys are always clean and neatly dressed, however poor theymay be. They think more about lessons than our boys do. Their schoolhours are much longer than ours. 

8. French girls have not so much freedom as our girls. A grown-up persontakes them to school and brings them home again. Their mothers do notallow them to go for walks by themselves. I wonder how Kate and Maywould like this. 

9. Some day I must take you to see Paris. You would love to ramblethrough its streets. Many of them are planted with trees. Under thesetrees you may see men and women sitting at little tables. They eat anddrink while a band plays merry tunes. 

[Illustration: {People at a table, being waited on}]

10. You would be sure to notice that the French people have very goodmanners. When a Frenchman enters or leaves a shop he raises his hat andbows. A Frenchman is always polite, and he always tries to please you. 

11. I cannot now write anything more about Paris. I should like to tellyou about its beautiful buildings and its fine shops, but I have no moretime to spare. 

12. I hope you are all doing your best to make mother happy. I am verywell; I hope you are well too. --Your loving FATHER. 

 * * * * *

4. ON THE WAY TO EGYPT. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --I am writing this letter on board the big shipwhich is taking me to Egypt. Let me tell you what I have seen and donesince I left Paris. 

2. It is a long day's ride from Paris to the seaport from which my shipset sail. Let me tell you about the journey. A few hours after leavingParis the train began to run through vineyards. 

3. At this time of the year a vineyard is a pretty sight. The broadleaves of the vine are tinted with crimson and gold. Beneath them arethe purple or golden grapes. 

4. As I passed through France the grapes were ripe, and were beinggathered. I could see women and children going up and down between therows of vines. They plucked the ripe fruit and put it into baskets. Whenthe baskets were filled they were emptied into a big tub. 

[Illustration: THE GRAPE HARVEST. 

(From the picture by P. M. Dupuy in the Salon of 1909. Bought by theState. )]

5. When the tub was filled it was taken to a building near at hand. Inthis building there is a press which squeezes the juice out of thegrapes. The grape juice is then made into wine. 

6. As evening drew on we came to a large town where two big rivers meet. It is a busy town, and has many smoky chimneys. Much silk and velvet aremade in this town. 

7. I think you know that silk is made by the silkworm. This worm feedson the leaves of the mulberry tree. In the south of France there arethousands of mulberry trees. There are also many orange and olive trees. 

8. The weather is much warmer in the south of France than it is inEngland. In the early spring all sorts of pretty flowers are grown onthe hillsides. They are sent to England, and are sold in the shops whenour gardens are bare. 

9. Now I must hurry on. For some hours we ran by the side of a swiftriver; with mountains on both sides of us. Then we reached the bigseaport, and there I found my ship waiting for me. 

10. It is a huge ship, with hundreds of cabins, a large dining-room, drawing-room and smoking-room. It is really a floating hotel. 

11. Most of the people on board are going to India. All day long theysit in chairs on the deck reading. Some of us play games, and at nightwe have dances and concerts. 

[Illustration: GAMES ON BOARD FATHER'S SHIP. 

(From the picture by W. L. Wylie. By kind permission of the P. And O. Co. )]

12. We have now been four days at sea. To-morrow we shall reach a townby the side of a great canal. This town and canal are in Egypt. 

13. I hope you are still good and happy. --Best love to you all. FATHER. 

 * * * * *

5. A LETTER FROM EGYPT. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --With this letter I am sending you a beautifulpicture. Look at it carefully, and you will see what Egypt is like. 

2. The water which you see in the picture is part of the great riverNile. If there were no Nile to water the land, Egypt would be nothingbut a desert. 

3. Once a year, as a rule, the Nile rises and overflows its banks. Thewaters spread out over the country and cover it with rich mud. In thismud much cotton, sugar, grain, and rice are grown. 

[Illustration: The Nile in Flood. 

(From the picture by F. Goodall, R. A. , in the Guildhall Gallery. Bypermission of the Corporation of London. )]

4. Egypt now belongs to the British. They have turned part of the Nileinto a huge lake, in which the water is stored. 

5. The water is let out of the lake when it is needed. It runs intocanals, and then into drains, which cross the fields and water them. 

6. A sail along the Nile is very pleasant. There are lovely tints ofgreen on the water. As the boat glides on, many villages are passed. Each of these has its snow-white temple. 

7. All along the river bank there are palm trees. They wave their crownsof green leaves high in the air. The fields are gay with colour. Aboveall is the bright blue sky. 

8. Look at the picture again. At a short distance from the water you seea village. It has a wall round it, and outside the wall is a ditch. InOctober the ditch is full of water; in spring it is dry. 

9. In and near this ditch the children and the dogs of the villages playtogether. You can see two boys in the picture. One of them is standingby his mother. The other boy is riding on a buffalo. 

10. In the middle of the village there is an open space. Sometimes thisspace is covered with bright green grass. Round it are rows of palmtrees. The house of the chief stands on one side of this green. 

11. Every village has its well, and every well has its water-wheel fordrawing up the water. By the side of the well the old men of the villagesit smoking and chatting. The women come to the well to fill theirpitchers with water. 

12. All the houses are built of Nile mud. This mud is dug out of thebanks of the river. It is mixed with a little chopped straw to hold ittogether. Then it is put into moulds. After a time it is turned out ofthe moulds, and is left to dry in the sun. 

[Illustration: The Chief City of Egypt. 

(From the picture by Talbot Kelly, R. I. )]

 * * * * *

6. CHILDREN OF EGYPT. 

[Illustration: {An Egyptian woman}]

1. In the picture you see two of the women of Egypt. One of them isstanding at the edge of the river. She is filling her pitcher withwater. The other woman is carrying a lamb in her arms. 

2. The people of Egypt have changed but little since the days of Moses. The men have brown faces, white teeth, and bright black eyes. Most ofthem wear beards and shave their heads. 

3. The women wear long dark cloaks. If they are well-to-do they covertheir faces with a veil. They think it wrong to let their faces be seenby any men except their husbands. 

4. I think Kate would like to hear something about the children. Thosewho have rich fathers wear beautiful clothes, and have a very happytime. Poor children wear few clothes, and are nearly always covered withdust. 

5. Many of the boys go to school, and are taught just as you are. Theyread the same kind of books that you read. 

6. The children of Egypt always obey their parents, and are never rudeto them. I think they have very good manners. 

7. All the people of Egypt love singing. Their voices are soft andsweet. The boatmen on the Nile sing as they row. The fruit-sellers singas they cry their wares in the streets. 

8. Many of the boys in the chief city of Egypt are donkey drivers. InEgypt donkeys are far more used for riding than horses. The donkeys arebeautiful little animals, and they trot along very quickly. 

[Illustration: {A boy with two donkeys}]

9. Each donkey has a boy to run after it with a stick, and to shout atit to make it go. The donkey boys are very jolly little fellows. Theyalways smile, however far they have to run. 

10. Most donkey boys wear a white or blue gown, and have a red cap, orfez, on the head. If a donkey boy sees an Englishman coming, he runs tohim and says, "My donkey is called John Bull. " If he sees an Americancoming, he says that his donkey's name is Yankee Doodle. 

11. Sometimes the donkey boy will ask the rider, --

"Very good donkey?"

If the rider says "Yes, " he will then ask, --

"Very good donkey boy?"

"Yes. "

12. "Very good saddle too?"

"Yes. "

"_Then me have very good present!_"

13. Now let me tell you something that will surprise you. The people ofEgypt in the old, old days thought that their cats were gods. 

14. They prayed to them and built temples to them. When the family catdied, all the people in the house shaved their eyebrows to show howsorry they were. --Best love to you all. FATHER. 

 * * * * *

7. THROUGH THE CANAL. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --I have just sailed through a very wonderful canal. It joins two great seas together, and is now part of the way to India. 

2. By means of this canal we can sail from England to India in threeweeks. Before it was made the voyage took three months or more. 

3. The canal was made more than forty years ago by a Frenchman. He dug agreat ditch, and joined together a number of lakes. By doing so he madea waterway from sea to sea. This waterway is about a hundred miles long. 

4. I joined my ship at the town which stands at the north end of thecanal. There is nothing to see in the town except the lighthouse and theshops. On the sea wall there is a statue of the Frenchman who made thecanal. 

5. As we lay off the town we could see many little boats darting to andfro. The boatmen were dressed in all the colours of the rainbow--red, blue, green, and orange. In one boat there were men and women playingand singing songs. 

6. By the side of our ship men were swimming in the water. I threw apiece of silver into the water. One of the men dived, and caught itbefore it reached the bottom. 

[Illustration: {Side of a ship, with men swimming below}]

7. On the other side of the ship there were great barges full of coal. Hundreds of men and women carried this coal to the ship in littlebaskets upon their heads. They walked up and down a plank, and all thetime they made an awful noise which they called singing. 

8. When all the coal was on board, the ship began to steam slowly alongthe narrow canal. No ship is allowed to sail more than four miles anhour, lest the "wash" should break down the banks. 

9. Soon we passed out of the narrow canal into one of the lakes. Ourroad was marked by buoys. Away to right and to left of us stretched thesandy desert. 

10. In the afternoon we passed a station, where I saw a number of camelsladen with boxes of goods. They were going to travel across the sandsfor many days. 

11. The sun went down in a sky of purple and gold. Then a large electriclight shone forth from our bows. It threw a broad band of white light onthe water and on the banks of the canal. Where the light touched thesands it seemed to turn them into silver. 

12. In less than twenty-four hours we reached the town at the south endof the canal. A boat came out from the shore, and this letter is goingback with it. --Love to you all. FATHER. 

 * * * * *

8. AMONGST THE ARABS. --I. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --I am now sailing along the Red Sea. The weather isvery hot. All over the ship electric fans are hard at work. In spite ofthem I cannot keep cool. 

2. Away on the left, or port, side of the ship I see high hills. Theyare red in colour, and seem to be baked by the hot sun. Even through myspy-glass I cannot see a speck of green on them. All is red and bare. 

3. Beyond the hills lies the land of Arabia. It is a hot, dry land, inwhich years sometimes pass without a shower of rain. There is hardlyever a cloud in the sky, and there is no dew at night. 

4. Much of the land is covered with sand. Little or nothing will grow. You know that we call a sandy waste of this kind a _desert_. 

[Illustration: {Desert oasis}]

5. Here and there in the desert a few springs are found. The water ofthese springs causes grass and trees to grow well. Around each spring iswhat looks like an island of green in the midst of a red sea of sand. Agreen spot in a desert is called an _oasis_. 

6. The Arabs live upon these green spots. Some of them dwell invillages, and some wander from oasis to oasis. Those who live invillages build their houses of sun-dried bricks; those who wander fromplace to place live in tents. 

[Illustration: Arabs of the Desert. ]

7. The Arabs are fine, fierce-looking men. They own flocks of sheep, herds of goats, camels and horses. 

8. An Arab's tent is woven out of camel's hair. So are the ropes of thetent. The poles are made of palm wood. 

9. Inside the tent there are leather buckets for drawing water. Thereare also skin bags for carrying it across the desert. There are nochairs or tables or beds in the tents. The Arabs squat upon the groundand sleep on rugs. 

[Illustration: {Arab tent}]

10. In front of an Arab tent you are almost sure to see a woman grindingcorn between two large stones. There is a hole in the top stone, andinto this she pours the grain. 

11. She turns the top stone round and round, and the grain is groundinto flour, which oozes out at the edges. With this flour she makescakes. 

 * * * * *

9. AMONGST THE ARABS. --II. 

1. Date palms grow on every oasis. The date palm is a beautiful tree. Itis very tall, and has a crown of leaves at the top. 

2. The fruit grows in great golden clusters. Sometimes a cluster ofdates weighs twenty-five pounds. 

3. The date palm is beloved by the Arabs, because it is so useful tothem. They eat or sell the dates, and they use the wood for their tentsor houses. From the sap they make wine. Out of the leaf-stalks theyweave baskets. 

4. Some of the Arabs are traders. They carry their goods from oasis tooasis on the backs of camels. A large number of laden camels form acaravan. 

[Illustration: {Caravan of camels}]

5. A camel is not pretty to look at, but the Arab could not do withoutit. I think you can easily understand why the camel is called the "shipof the desert. " It carries its master or its load across the sea of sandfrom one green island to another. 

[Illustration: The Halt in the Desert. 

(From the picture by J. F. Lewis, R. A. , in the South KensingtonMuseum. )]

6. The hoofs of the camel are broad, and this prevents them from sinkinginto the sand. The camel can go for a long time without food or water. 

7. The camel is very useful to the Arab, both when it is alive and whenit is dead. It gives him milk to drink, and its hair is useful formaking clothes, tents, and ropes. 

8. I think I told you that when I was sailing along the canal I saw acaravan. It was then beginning to cross the desert. Very likely, weeksor months will pass away before its journey comes to an end. 

9. There are no roads across the desert, so it is very easy for acaravan to lose its way. Then the men and camels wander on until alltheir food and water are finished. At last they fall to the ground, anddie of hunger and thirst. 

10. Dreadful sand-storms often arise. The storm beats down upon thecaravan, and sometimes chokes both men and camels. A journey across thedesert is full of dangers. 

11. Before I close this letter, let me tell you a little story. One dayan Arab belonging to a caravan overslept himself at an oasis. When heawoke, the caravan had started on its journey again, and was many milesaway. 

12. The Arab followed the caravan, in the hope of catching it up. On andon he walked, but nothing could he see of it. Then darkness came on, andhe lay on the sand and slept until morning. 

13. When the sun rose he began his journey again. Hours passed, butstill there was no sign of the caravan. At last he was quite overcome byhunger and thirst. He fell to the ground, and was too weak to riseagain. 

14. Looking around, he saw something black lying on the sand, not faraway. He crawled to it, and found that it was a small bag which hadfallen from the back of a camel. 

15. The poor Arab was filled with joy. He hoped that the bag wouldcontain food of some sort. With trembling fingers he tore it open. Alas!it was full of gold and jewels. 

16. "Woe is me!" cried the poor fellow; "had it been dates my life wouldhave been saved. "

[Illustration: {An Arab dying of thirst in the desert}]

17. This little story shows you that on the desert dates may sometimesbe worth much more than gold and jewels. I hope you are well andhappy. --Your loving FATHER. 

 * * * * *

10. A LETTER FROM INDIA. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --Hurrah! I am on shore again, after nine long daysat sea. Yesterday I reached Bombay, the chief seaport of India. 

2. Soon after I landed a friend came to see me at my hotel. He drove meround Bombay, and showed me all the sights. I wish you had been with meto see them. 

3. Here in Bombay I seem to be in a new world altogether. It is a worldof wonderful light and colour. The bright hot sun floods the streets anddazzles my eyes. Everywhere I see bright colour--in the sky, the trees, the flowers, and the dresses of the people. 

4. The streets are always full of people. They are dark brown in colour;their hair is black, their eyes are bright, and their teeth are as whiteas pearls. Most of the people are bare-legged and bare-footed. 

[Illustration: {Busy Bombay street scene}]

5. The men wear white clothes, with turbans and sashes of yellow, green, or blue. Yesterday was a feast-day. In the morning I saw thousands ofthe people bathing in the sea. Afterwards they roamed about the streetsin their best clothes. One crowd that I saw looked like a great tulipgarden in full bloom. 

6. The women wear a garment of red, blue, or some other bright colour. This garment covers them from the neck to the knee. Almost every womanwears rings of silver on her arms and ankles. Some of them have greatrings in their noses, as well as rings in their ears and on their toes. 

7. You would be amused to see the people carrying their burdens on theirheads. Yesterday I saw a dozen men carrying a grand piano on theirheads. 

8. From childhood the women carry jars of water or baskets of earth inthis way. They hold themselves very upright and walk like queens. 

[Illustration: {Woman carrying a basket on her head}]

9. Bombay is a very busy city. The streets are thronged with carriages, motor cars, bullock carts, and electric trams. As the people walk in themiddle of the road, it is not easy for a carriage to make its waythrough the streets. 

10. The drivers ring bells, or shout to warn the people: "Hi, you womanwith the baby on your hip, get out of the way!--Hi, you man with the boxon your head, get out of the way!"

11. I think you would like to see the bullock carts. They are verysmall, and are drawn by two bullocks with humps on their shoulders. Thedriver sits on the shaft and steers them with a stick. These carts carrycotton to the mills or to the docks. 

[Illustration: {A bullock cart}]

12. In some of the carriages and motor cars you may see rich men wearingfine silk robes. Many of these rich men now dress as we do, except thatthey wear turbans instead of hats. 

 * * * * *

11. IN THE STREETS. 

1. I should like you to see the shops of Bombay. Most of them are quiteunlike our British shops. They have no doors and no windows, but areopen to the street. 

2. Our shopkeepers try to make a fine show of their goods. The Indianshopkeeper does nothing of the sort. He simply piles his goods round hisshop and squats in the midst of them. There he sits waiting for peopleto come and buy. 

[Illustration: {An Indian shopkeeper}]

3. In our shops there is a fixed price for the goods. In India nothinghas a fixed price. You must bargain with the shopkeeper if you wish tobuy anything. Very likely he will ask you three times the price which hehopes to get. 

4. Our penny is divided into four parts; each of these parts is called afarthing. The Indian penny is divided into twelve parts; each of theseparts is called a "pie. " An Indian boy or girl can buy rice or sweetswith one pie. 

5. There are thousands of beggars in India. They go to and fro in frontof the shops begging. The shopkeepers are very kind to them, and neversend them away without a present. 

6. Very good order is kept in the streets. At every street corner standsa native policeman, dressed in blue, with a flat yellow cap on his headand a club by his side. Some of the policemen ride horses, and carryguns and lances. 

[Illustration: {An Indian policeman}]

7. The parks of Bombay are large open spaces covered with grass. Roundthem are rows of palm trees. In these parks you may see men and boysplaying all sorts of games. 

8. Indians are very fond of cricket, which they play very well. Not manyyears ago an Indian prince was one of the best players in England. 

9. Polo is also played in the parks of Bombay. It is an Indian game, butBritons now play it too. Polo is just hockey on horseback. 

10. The players ride ponies which are very quick and nimble. Each playercarries a mallet with a very long handle. With this mallet he strikes awooden ball and tries to drive it between the goal posts. 

11. Last night I stopped to watch some Indian boys playing marbles. WhenTom plays the game, he places the marble between his thumb andforefinger and shoots it out with his thumb. 

12. The Indian boy does not shoot the marble in this way at all. Hepresses back the second finger of one hand with the forefinger of theother. Then he lets go and strikes the marble with the finger that wasbent back. Some of the boys are very clever at this game. 

13. Bombay has some very fine buildings. On the top of most of them yousee the Union Jack, the flag of Britain. Not only Bombay but all Indiabelongs to Britain. I hope you are all well. --Best love. FATHER. 

 * * * * *

12. OUR INDIAN COUSIN. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --I am now in the north of India, not far from thegreat river Ganges. It is a long railway journey from Bombay to thisplace. I have been in the train two days and two nights. 

2. I am now beginning to understand what a vast land India is. Do youknow that it would make sixteen lands as large as our own? One in everyfive of all the people on earth lives in India. 

3. Perhaps you can guess why I have made this long journey from Bombay. My brother, your uncle, is the chief man in this part of the country. Heand I have been parted for many years. I am now living in his house. 

4. Let me tell you about little Hugh, your cousin. He was born in Indiaseven years ago, and he has never been to England. He hopes to come"home" to see you all in a few months' time. 

5. Hugh's home is a big house, all on the ground floor. It has noupstairs. The rooms are very large and lofty. This is because theweather is very hot for the greater part of the year. If the rooms werenot large and high, they would be too hot to live in. 

[Illustration: {Hugh's house}]

6. In every room there is a beam of wood with a short curtain hangingfrom it. This is the punkah. The beam is hung from the roof by ropes. Inthe hot weather a boy sits outside and pulls the punkah to and fro witha rope. In this way he makes a little breeze, which keeps the room cool. 

7. The roof of the house juts out all round and is held up by pillars. We sit outside, under the roof, whenever we can. During the heat of theday we must stay indoors. 

8. The garden round the house is very large. There are many tall palmtrees in it. Some of the other trees bear most beautiful blossoms ofcrimson, yellow, and blue. All along the front of the house are manyflowerpots, in which roses and other English flowers are growing. 

9. A few days ago little Hugh came to me and asked if he might show mewhat he called "the compound. " I said "Yes. " So he took my hand and ledme away. 

10. First he showed me the gardener. He is a short, dark man, and hesquats down to do his work. He is a very good gardener, and he is proudof his flowers. Every morning he comes to the house with a flower forHugh's father and mother and uncle. 

[Illustration: {Gardener at work}]

11. Next, Hugh took me to see the well. It is behind the house. Themouth of the well is on the top of a mound. To reach it you must walk upa sloping road. Above the mouth of the well there is a wheel. 

12. A rope runs over this wheel. At one end of the rope there is a largeleather bag. The other end of the rope is fastened to the necks of apair of bullocks. 

[Illustration: The Village Well. 

(From the picture by W. Simpson, R. I. )]

 * * * * *

13. IN THE GARDEN. 

1. The bullocks walk backwards up the sloping road. This lowers theleather bag into the well, where it is filled with water. Then thebullocks walk down the sloping road. This pulls the bag up to the mouthof the well. 

2. A man empties the water out of the bag into a tank by the side of thewell. The water runs out of this tank into the garden, where it spreadsout into many little streams. It is this water which makes the trees, the plants, and the grass grow so well in the garden. 

[Illustration: {Oxen drawing water from a well}]

3. If the garden were not watered in this way, it would soon be brownand bare. For many months at a time no rain falls in India. Then dust afoot deep lies on the roads, and the ground cracks with the heat. 

4. When the dry season is over the rain begins to fall. It comes down intorrents for days together. In some places more rain falls in a singleday than we have in a whole year. 

5. During the "rains" the rivers become full to the brim, and the wholeland is fresh and green. Sometimes the "rains" do not come at all. Thenthe crops wither away, and the people starve. 

6. In our country we are never sure of the weather. It changes so oftenthat we talk about it a great deal. In India nobody talks about theweather. During seven months of the year every day is fine. 

7. In our country we almost always have plenty of water for our crops, and for drinking and washing. Plenty of fresh water is a great blessingto a land. In many parts of India water is very scarce. 

8. I told you that the great river Ganges is not far away from littleHugh's home. This grand river begins in the mountains of North India. Iwish you could see these mountains. They are the highest on earth. Theyrise up from the plains like a huge wall, and their tops are alwayscovered with fields of ice and snow. 

9. These ice-fields slowly move down the mountain sides. Then they melt, and this gives rise to the Ganges and to the other great rivers of NorthIndia. 

10. Millions of the Indian people love the Ganges, and they have goodreason to do so. It gives water and food to more than twice as manypeople as dwell in the British Islands. 

11. Many Indians think that every drop of water in the river is holy. They believe that if they bathe in its waters their souls will be washedclean from sin. 

[Illustration: {Town on the Ganges}]

12. There is a town by the side of the Ganges which the Indians say isthe holiest place on earth. It is full of temples. Millions of Indiansvisit these temples every year. 

13. All along the river bank there are stone steps leading down to thewater. Standing in the stream are men and women and children who havecome from all parts of India. They wash themselves in the stream, andpour the holy water over their heads as they pray. 

14. People who are very ill are carried to this place, that they may dieby the side of "Mother Ganges. " They die happy if they can see her orhear the sound of her waters during their last moments. 

15. When they die their bodies are taken to the steps. There they arewashed in the river water, and are placed on piles of wood. Friends setfire to the wood, and soon the bodies are burnt to ashes. These ashesare thrown into the stream, which bears them to the distant ocean. 

 * * * * *

14. INDIAN BOYS AND GIRLS. 

1. I am very fond of going about the streets with your uncle. The Indianchildren always amuse me. 

2. When Indians grow up they are rather grave and sad. The children, however, are always bright and merry. Indian fathers and mothers arevery fond of their boys. They care very little for their girls. 

3. Boys soon become men in India. They begin work at an early age, andthey are married when they are about sixteen. Girls are married a fewyears younger. 

4. Almost every boy follows the trade of his father. A farmer's sonbecomes a farmer, a weaver's son becomes a weaver, and so on. 

5. Many of the boys go to school, but not many of the girls. They, poorthings, begin to work in the house or in the field almost as soon asthey can walk. Much of the hard rough work in India is done by poorwomen and girls. 

6. A rich father keeps his girls shut up in the back part of his house. Their faces are never seen by any man except those of their own family. If they go out of the house, they cover themselves from head to footwith a thick veil. Sometimes they are carried from place to place in aclosely shut box on poles. 

7. Are you not sorry for these poor rich girls? I am. They can neverplay merry games with boy friends, or go for long walks in the country. 

8. They know nothing of the beautiful world in which they live. Theirrooms are fine, their dresses are grand, and their jewels are lovely;but they are only poor prisoners after all. 

9. Yesterday I went with your uncle to see a village school. There wereonly twenty boys in it. The roof was off the schoolhouse, so the classeswere held in the open air. 

[Illustration: {A village schoolhouse}]

10. The boys sat on forms, just as you do. The teacher wrote on ablackboard, and taught the children to do sums with a ball frame. Eachboy had a reading-book. It was not printed in English, but in the tonguespoken in that part of the country. 

11. Some of the boys wrote in copy-books, but most of them wrote on thinboards, which they used instead of slates. Instead of a pencil they useda pen made of a reed. 

12. Chalk was ground up and wetted in a little cup. The boys dippedtheir reed pens into the cup, just as you dip your steel pen into theink. The letters and figures which they wrote were very different fromours. 

13. Some of the boys read their books very well, and worked hard sums. They sang "God save the King" for me in their own tongue. 

14. In the towns there are large and good schools. Some of the scholarsare very clever indeed. I think Indian boys are much fonder of theirlessons than our boys. 

 * * * * *

15. ELEPHANTS AND TIGERS. 

1. In his last letter Tom asked me to tell him something about elephantsand tigers. I will try to do so. 

2. Yesterday your uncle and I went out to shoot pigeons. An Indianchief, or rajah, lent us an elephant to carry us to the shooting ground. 

[Illustration: AN INDIAN RAJAH. ]

3. A driver sat on the neck of the huge animal. Instead of a whip he hada goad of sharp steel. I did not see him prick the elephant with thisgoad. He guided the animal with voice and hand. 

4. On the elephant's back there was a large pad upon which we were tosit. I could see no ladder, so I wondered how I was to climb up. Justthen the elephant knelt down on his hind legs. 

5. Your uncle showed me how to get up. "Here, " he said, "is a ladder oftwo steps. The first step is the elephant's foot, the second is the loopof his tail. "

6. He held the end of the elephant's tail in his hand and bent it tomake a loop. When I put my foot on it he lifted the tail, and in thisway helped me on to the elephant's back. 

7. When your uncle had climbed up, the elephant jogged off at a goodpace. He went along rough, narrow paths, over ditches and the beds ofstreams. Never once did he make a false step. 

8. An elephant costs a great deal of money. Only princes and rich mencan afford to keep them. Sometimes a great prince has as many as ahundred elephants in his stables. 

9. When a prince rides through a city in state his elephants wear richcloths, which are studded with gems. Sometimes the elephants' heads arepainted and their tusks are covered with gold. 

10. In the drawing-room of your uncle's house there is a beautiful tigerskin. The tiger that used to wear this skin was shot by your uncle aboutthree years ago. 

[Illustration: {Tiger skin rug}]

11. It was a man-eating tiger--that is, an old tiger that could nolonger run fast enough to catch deer. This man-eater used to hide near avillage. He would creep up silently behind men and women, and stun themwith a blow of his paw. Then he would drag them away and eat them. 

12. The people of the village came to your uncle and begged him to killthe man-eater. He agreed to do so. Near to the tiger's drinking-place alittle hut was built in a tree. One night your uncle sat in this hutwith his gun on his knee, waiting for the tiger to come. 

13. Slowly the hours went by, and your uncle felt sure that the tigerhad gone to another place to drink. Just as he was thinking of goinghome to bed the huge animal crept into the moonlight. 

14. Nearer and nearer he came. Then your uncle lifted his gun, took asteady aim, and shot the tiger through the heart. 

[Illustration: {Tiger being shot}]

15. In the morning there was great joy among the people of the villagebecause their fierce foe was dead. They hung garlands of flowers roundyour uncle's neck, and sang his praises in many songs. 

[Illustration: A Tiger Shoot. 

(From the picture by Edgar H. Fisher, in the Royal Academy, 1911. )]

16. Now I must close this very long letter. --Best love to you all. FATHER. 

 * * * * *

16. A LETTER FROM BURMA. --I. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --Since I last wrote to you I have visited severalof the large cities of India. A week ago I was in the largest city ofall. 

2. On Christmas morning I sailed down the mouth of the Ganges into theopen sea, on my way to the country of Burma. 

3. Now I am in the chief town of Burma, and you will expect me to tellyou something about the land and its people. From what I have seen, Ithink Burma is a prettier country than India. 

4. In the chief town there seem to be people from many lands. I sawChinamen, with their pigtails hanging down their backs. I also sawIndians from across the sea, and white men from our own country. Ofcourse, there were also many Burmese, as the people of Burma are called. 

5. Kate and May will like to hear something about the Burmese girls andwomen. They are not at all sad like the Indians, but are very bright andgay. As I write these lines I see a party of Burmese girls passing mywindow, I can hear them laughing. 

6. They are very dainty in their dress. One girl wears a skirt of pinksilk and a blouse of light green. She has bracelets on her arms, ear-rings in her ears, a string of coral round her neck, and flowers inher hair. 

[Illustration: {Burmese woman carrying an umbrella}]

7. In one hand she carries a bamboo sunshade; in the other she holds abig paper cigar! She is very fond of smoking, and you never see herwithout a cigar. On her feet she wears sandals. 

8. The men are gentle and rather lazy. The women have far more "go" inthem than the men. Many of them keep shops, and are very good traders. The wife is the chief person in every home. 

9. The men also wear skirts, and sometimes their jackets are very gay. They wrap a handkerchief of pink, or of some other bright colour, roundtheir head. 

[Illustration: {A Burmese man}]

10. The Burmese worship Buddha, a prince who lived more than twothousand years ago. He was a very noble man, and he gave up all thepleasant things of life that nothing might turn his thoughts fromgoodness. 

11. Amongst other things he taught men to be kind to animals. Allanimals are well treated in Burma. 

12. All over the land you see temples to Buddha. These temples grownarrower and narrower the higher they rise. They all end in a spireabove which there is a kind of umbrella. It is made of metal, and allround its edge are silver or golden bells, which make pretty music asthey are blown to and fro by the wind. 

13. By the side of many of these temples you may see a great image ofBuddha. Most of the images are made of brass. The Burmese pray beforethese images, and offer flowers and candles and rice to them. 

[Illustration: {Statue of Buddha}]

 * * * * *

17. A LETTER FROM BURMA. --II. 

1. Wherever you go in Burma you see monks. They have shaven heads, andthey wear yellow robes. Every morning they go out to beg. Boys in yellowrobes go with them, and carry large bowls in their hands. 

2. The people come out of their houses and put food into the bowls. Themonks do not thank them. They say that he who gives is more blessed thanhe who takes. 

3. The monks live in houses built of teak wood. In every village you cansee a monk's house standing in a grove of palm trees. In these housesthe monks keep school. 

4. Every Burmese boy lives for some time in one of the monks' houses. Here he learns to read and write, and is taught to be a good man. 

5. I went to see the most beautiful of all the monks' houses. It is in acity far up in the country. The building is of dark-brown teak wood, andhas many roofs, one above the other. It is covered with carving, andhere and there it is gilded. 

6. Many boys in yellow robes were playing beneath the trees. They werethe scholars of the school. One of the boys told me that he was nevergoing to leave the place. When he was old enough he meant to be a monk. 

[Illustration: {Burmese boy in robes}]

7. In the city I saw the palace of the king from whom we took Burma. Itstands inside a large space, with high walls all round it. Outside thewall is a broad ditch full of water. When I saw the ditch it wasovergrown with water-plants covered with pink blossoms. 

8. Many buildings, something like the monks' houses, form the king'spalace. Some of the buildings are very richly carved, and are coveredwith gold leaf. Inside one of them I saw great teak pillars, alsocovered with gold. 

9. The chief building ends in a very lofty spire, with a beautiful metalumbrella above it. The Burmese used to believe that this spire was inthe very middle of the earth. 

10. Another fine building is a high lookout tower. From the top of itthere is a grand view. On one side I saw a hill covered with temples. Atthe foot of the hill there were four hundred and fifty of these temples. There must be thousands of them in and near the city. 

11. As I drove to my hotel last night I saw a number of boys playingBurmese football. They do not take sides, nor do they try to kick goals. The football is made of basket-work. 

12. The boys stand round in a ring, and the game is to keep the ballfrom touching the ground. The boys pass the ball from one to the otherby knocking it up with their heads, arms, hands, legs, or toes. Some ofthe boys are very clever at this game. 

[Illustration: {Boys playing Burmese football}]

13. Burma has many beautiful rivers and some fine mountains. By the sideof the rivers much rice is grown. Away in the north there are grandforests filled with wild animals. Tigers are often shot within twentymiles of the old king's palace. 

14. Now I have filled my paper, and I must bring this letter to an end. I hope you are all well and happy. I am leaving Burma tomorrow. --Bestlove to you all. FATHER. 

 * * * * *

18. A LETTER FROM CEYLON. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --A week ago I landed in the beautiful island ofCeylon. It lies to the south of India. Get mother to show it to you onthe globe. 

2. I am still under the British flag, the Union Jack. I can see itwaving from the top of a big building. The people of Ceylon are proud tocall themselves British. 

3. I have just been for a ride through the streets of the chief town. Irode in a rickshaw--that is, a kind of large baby-carriage drawn by aman. My rickshaw had rubber on its wheels, so we went along verysmoothly and quickly. 

[Illustration: {Rickshaw with passenger}]

4. Some of the carts are drawn by little bullocks that trot along asfast as a pony. I often meet carts with a high cover of thatch. Thesecarts carry the tea, which grows on the hills, down to the ships in theharbour. 

5. Some of the men of Ceylon wear tortoise-shell combs in their hair. They are very proud of these combs, and some of them are very handsome. 

[Illustration: {Ceylon family--a man, a woman, and two babies}]

6. The children of Ceylon seem very happy. They are pretty and clean, and always obey their parents. Many of them learn to speak and readEnglish. They love dancing and singing, and they never quarrel. 

[Illustration: Ceylon Girls Playing the Tom-Tom. 

(From the picture by E. A. Hornel. By permission of the Corporation ofManchester. )]

7. By the next ship home I am sending mother a chest of tea. The teagrew on the hills of Ceylon. I made a journey to these hills by train. On the way we passed through thick forests, and by the side of beautifulrivers. 

8. Ceylon is very rich in plants and trees. The cocoanut palm growsalmost everywhere. On one of the rivers I saw a raft of cocoanuts. A manswam behind it and pushed it along. 

[Illustration: {Cocoanut palm tree}]

9. With this letter I send you a picture of a tea-garden. Notice the menand women plucking the leaf. Many of them come from the south of India. Look at the white planter. He comes, as you know, from our own country. 

[Illustration: IN A CEYLON TEA PLANTATION. ]

10. In the middle of Ceylon there are many high mountains. The highestis called Adam's Peak. It stands like a great wedge high above the otherhills. 

11. The people of Ceylon believe that it is a holy mountain. They saythat once upon a time Buddha climbed to the top of this mountain. Toprove that he did so they show you his footprint. It is more than fivefeet long!

12. A little temple has been built over the footprint. Men, women, andchildren climb the mountain, to lay little gifts before the footprint, and to strew sweet flowers about it. When this is done, the childrenkneel down and ask their parents to bless them. 

13. To-morrow I leave Ceylon on a long voyage to China. You will nothear from me for several weeks. I hope you are all well, and that youare still good children. --I remain, your loving Father. 

 * * * * *

19. A LETTER FROM CHINA. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --Three weeks have gone by since I last wrote toyou. I have made my voyage safely, and I am now in a great city of Chinacalled Canton. 

2. Ask mother to show you China on the globe. You see at once that it isa vast country. It is larger than the whole of Europe. One-fourth of allthe people in the world live in China. 

3. All round this city of Canton there is a high wall. From the wall thecity seems to be a beautiful place. When, however, you enter it, yousoon find that it is dirty and full of foul smells. 

[Illustration: A Chinese Street. 

(From the picture by T. Hodgson Liddell, R. B. A. )]

4. The streets are very narrow, and are always crowded with people. Manyof them are roofed in to keep them cool. Most of them are so narrow thatno carriage can pass along them. People who wish to ride must be carriedin a kind of box on the shoulders of two or more men. 

[Illustration: {Person riding in a box}]

5. I am sure you would like to see the signboards that hang down infront of the shops. The strange letters on them are painted in gold andin bright colours. They look very gay indeed. 

6. The shops sell all sorts of things--silk, books, drugs, flowers, china, and birds. Some of the shops only sell gold and silver paper. TheChinese burn this paper at the graves of their friends. When they dothis they think that they are sending money for their dead friends tospend in the other world. 

7. Many things are also sold in the streets. The street traders carry abamboo pole across the shoulder. From the ends of this pole they slingthe baskets in which they carry their wares. Many workmen ply theirtrades in the open street, and you are sure to see quack doctors, letter-writers, and money-changers. 

8. The Chinese do in the open street many things which we do inside ourhouses. A Chinaman likes to eat his meals where every one can see him. 

9. Sometimes he will sit in front of his house and wash his feet. Yesterday I saw a man having his tooth drawn out of doors. A crowd stoodround him, watching to see how it was done. 

10. How should you like to go for a ride in a wheelbarrow? In China thewheelbarrow is often used for carrying people or goods from place toplace. It has a large wheel in the middle. Round the wheel there is aplatform for people or goods. 

[Illustration: {People riding in a wheelbarrow}]

11. A broad river runs through the city. It is crowded with boats, inwhich live many thousands of people. Many of these people never goashore at all. 

12. Over the sterns of the boats there are long baskets. These are thebackyards of the floating city. Hens, ducks, geese, and sometimes pigs, are kept in these baskets. 

[Illustration: {A boy on a boat}]

13. The little boys who live on the boats have a log of wood fastened totheir waists. This keeps them afloat if they fall overboard. The littlegirls have no such lifebelts. In China nobody troubles about the girls. 

14. Nearly all the boats have an eye painted on their bows. Perhaps thisseems strange to you. The Chinese, however, say, --

 "S'pose no got eye, no can see; S'pose no can see, no can walkee. "

 * * * * *

20. CHINESE BOYS AND GIRLS. 

1. Chinese fathers and mothers are very glad when their children areboys. In China the boys are much petted. Their mothers give way to them, and let them do as they please. 

2. Girls, however, are not welcome. Sometimes they are called"Not-wanted" or "Ought-to-have-been-a-boy. "

3. A Chinese boy has always two names, sometimes four. He has one namewhen he is a child, and another when he goes to school. He has a thirdname when he begins to earn money. When he dies he has a fourth name. 

4. Chinese boys are very fond of flying kites, which are shaped likefish or butterflies or dragons. Old gentlemen are just as fond ofkite-flying as boys. 

5. In China you will often see boys playing hopscotch or spinningpeg-tops. They also play shuttlecock, but they have no battledore. Theykick the shuttlecock with the sides of their feet. 

6. Chinese boys love to set off fireworks, such as crackers, wheels, androckets. If the fireworks make a loud noise, so much the better. 

7. Chinese children are taught to show very great respect to theirparents. They all bow and kneel to their fathers and mothers. A boy whois not kind and good to his parents is thought to be a wicked wretch. 

8. A few days ago I went to see a Chinese school. The boys sit on stoolsat tiny tables. In front of them they have a stone slab, a stick ofChinese ink, and some brushes with which they write. 

[Illustration: {A boy at a table at school}]

9. There is always a great din in a Chinese schoolroom. The boys shoutat the top of their voices. If they do not make a noise, the teacherthinks that they are not learning. 

10. When a boy knows his lesson he goes up to his master to say it. Heturns his back to his master, and does not face him as you do. 

11. A Chinese boy becomes a man at sixteen years of age. He chooses hiswork in life when he is quite a baby. Let me tell you how he does it. 

12. When he is one year old he is seated in the middle of such things asmoney, books, and pens. Then the parents watch him to see what he willplay with. 

13. If he takes up the money, they say that he must be a trader or abanker. If he takes up a book or a pen, they say that he must be awriter or a teacher or a scholar. 

 * * * * *

21. HAIR, FINGERS, AND TOES. 

1. Chinese men shave their heads, all but a small patch of hair. This isallowed to grow very long, and is plaited into a pigtail. I have seenChinamen with coloured ribbons woven into their pigtails. 

[Illustration: {Two Chinamen}]

2. When men are at work they twine their pigtails round their heads. When they wish to show respect to any person they let down theirpigtails. A man who has a long, thick pigtail is very proud of it. 

3. Sometimes men who are sent to prison have their pigtails cut off. This is thought to be a great disgrace. When they leave prison they buyfalse pigtails to wear. 

4. When Chinamen fight they pull each other about by the pigtail. Sometimes a schoolmaster punishes bad boys with his pigtail. 

5. Rich women are very proud of their tiny feet. Chinese ladies can wearshoes about four inches long. Fancy mother wearing a doll's shoes!

[Illustration: {Chinese women holding fans}]

6. Girls have their feet bound up tightly when they are five years ofage. The bandages are made tighter every week, until the foot stopsgrowing. Of course, the poor girls suffer very much. The Chinese have asaying: "Every pair of bound feet costs a bath of tears. "

7. When the girls grow up they cannot walk. They can only totter along, and they have to lean on the arm of a maid to keep themselves fromfalling. 

[Illustration: {Woman walking with the support of her maid}]

8. I am glad to say that many parents do not now bind the feet of theirgirls. They have learnt that it is both wicked and foolish to do so. Atone school in China all the girls have their feet unbound. They skip andplay about almost as well as Kate and May. 

9. You and I think that only dirty, untidy people let their nails growlong. Rich people in China never cut their nails. They let them grow solong that they have to wear shields to keep them from being broken. 

10. The dress of a Chinaman is very simple. He wears trousers andseveral cotton or silk tunics. The outside tunic has very long, widesleeves; these are used as pockets. 

11. The trousers are loose, and are covered up to the knee by whitestockings. When a Chinaman is in full dress he wears a long gown. TheChinese boy wears the same kind of clothes as his father. Every man, woman, and child carries a fan. 

12. Chinese boots are made of cloth or satin, never of leather. Thesoles are made of rags or paper. We blacken the uppers of our boots. Chinamen whiten the soles of theirs. 

[Illustration: {Chinese boots}]

13. Now I must end this letter. When I come home you must ask me to tellyou about the rice fields and the silk farms and the Great Wall. I havea hundred more things to tell you about this wonderful land. --Yourloving FATHER. 

[Illustration: A Rich Chinaman's House. 

(From the photograph by J. Thomson, F. R. G. S. )]

 * * * * *

22. A LETTER FROM JAPAN. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --Once more I have made a long sea voyage, and oncemore I am safely on shore. I am now in Japan. 

2. The Japs live on islands, just as we do. They are brave and cleverand busy, and they have many fine warships. Because of all these thingsthey are sometimes called the Britons of the Far East. 

3. Most of the people in the East are very backward. They have stoodstill while the people of the West have gone forward. Not so the Japs. They have learnt everything that the West can teach them. You will seein Japan all the things on which we pride ourselves. 

4. The Japs are first-rate sailors. Some of their captains learnt to besailors on board our warships. They are also fine soldiers. You knowthat not many years ago they beat the Russians both by land and by sea. 

5. I like the Japs better than any other people that I have met in theEast. Many of them still wear the dress of olden days, and keep to theirsimple and pretty ways. Their country is beautiful, and they lovebeautiful things. 

6. They are very fond indeed of flowers, which they grow very well. Their gardens are lovely. When the flowers are in bloom the Japs troopin thousands to see them. It is pretty to watch the delight of fathersand mothers and children at the form, colour, and scent of the flowers. 

7. The Japs are very clever workmen. I have often stood and watched themat work. They always try to beat their own best. Good work of any kindgives them joy; bad work gives them pain. 

8. I have bought Jap fans for Kate and May. On these fans there arepictures of a snow-clad mountain shaped like a sugar loaf. There is nomore beautiful mountain in all the world. 

[Illustration: {Snowy mountain}]

9. This mountain began as a hole in the ground. Melted rocks boiled upout of the hole and built up the mountain. In time the rocks grew cooland hard. Some Japs believe that it was formed in a single night!

10. Steam still comes out of a crack in the side of the mountain. Thisshows that any day melted rocks may boil forth again. About two hundredyears ago the mountain threw out so much ash that it covered a townsixty miles away. 

11. Sometimes the earth shakes and opens in great cracks. When the earth"quakes" houses tumble down, and the tops of tall trees snap off. Veryoften lives are lost. 

 * * * * *

23. JAP CHILDREN. 

1. When a Jap boy is born there is great joy in his home. His mother'sfriends all come to see him. They bring him presents, such as toys, dried fish, and eggs. 

2. Very early in his life the little Jap baby is strapped on to hissister's back. He goes with her wherever she goes. If the weather iscold, the little girl covers him with her coat. When the sun is hot sheshelters him with her sunshade. 

3. When she plays she jumps and skips and runs about, and all the timebaby's little head jerks to and fro. He does not mind; he is quitehappy. You never hear a Jap baby cry. 

4. When a boy is about three years of age he learns to walk. He soonfinds his feet, and runs about on high wooden clogs. 

5. Jap boys are fond of pets and games. Wherever a boy goes he carrieswith him a long pole. With this he makes flying leaps and does manyclever tricks. 

6. Every boy in Japan wishes to be either a soldier or a sailor when hegrows up. Even tiny little mites play with flags and drums and littleguns. When the boys are older they are taught to be brave, and to die ifneed be for their country. 

7. The great day of the year for Jap boys is the fifth day of the fifthmonth. On this day the Feast of Flags is held. Over each house wherethere is a boy you see big paper fish floating in the air. 

[Illustration: {Flags on poles outside houses}]

8. The shops are then full of toys. Most of the toys are soldiers, andsometimes they are like the soldiers of olden days. Some are on foot, and some are on horseback; some are generals, and some are drummers. 

[Illustration: The Toy Seller. 

(From the water-colour painting by H. E. Tidmarsh. )]

9. The boys love to play at war. You can always make Jap boys happy bygiving them a toy army to play with. 

10. The greatest day of the year for the girls is the Feast of Dolls. Onthis day the girls give doll parties to their little friends. All thedolls, however old, are brought out and dressed up in fine new clothes. The Feast of Dolls is a time of great fun and laughter. 

11. Jap children now play many of our games. They are very fond of"prisoner's base, " "fox and geese, " and "tag. " The boys lovekite-flying. 

[Illustration: {Children at play}]

12. Sometimes they put glass on the strings of their kites, and with ittry to cut the strings of other boys' kites. They are very clever atthis game, and there is great laughter when a string is cut. 

13. In the house, during the day, girls like to blow soap bubbles. Atdusk they are fond of hunting fire-flies, and driving them to and frowith fans. 

14. In the summer they catch grasshoppers, and keep them in small bamboocages. They say that the chirping of the grasshoppers brings them goodluck. 

15. All Japs are polite--even boys. When a boy goes to the house of afriend he squats on his heels. Then he places his hands on the floor, and bows until his forehead touches his toes. This he does again andagain, and all the time he speaks very politely. 

[Illustration: {Boys bowing}]

16. Jap children are taught to be very kind and helpful to their elders, and to the poor and the weak. Yesterday I saw a little girl run from hermother to take the hand of a blind man and lead him across the street. 

17. Now, my dears, I must end this letter. To-morrow I start on myhomeward way. I shall sail across the ocean to the great land ofAmerica. I hope you are all well, good, and happy. Your loving FATHER. 

 * * * * *

24. A LETTER FROM CANADA. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --Look at the globe in my room and find Japan. Thenfind America. You will see that a broad ocean lies between them. It iscalled the Pacific Ocean. I have crossed this ocean, and I am now in thegreat country of Canada. 

2. I am sure that you cannot guess where I am writing this letter. I amwriting it in the train. I have already been three days in the train, and I am only half-way across Canada. 

3. I am glad to say that I am once more under the Union Jack. The wholeland of Canada is British, from sea to sea. Our flag floats above everycity. 

4. The first part of my journey pleased me most. The train ran through abeautiful country, filled with splendid trees. Some of them are as highas a church tower, and have trunks many yards round. There are no finertrees in all the world. 

5. Later in the day our train ran by the side of a rushing river, whichwas deep down in a narrow valley between the mountains. 

6. In this river there are millions of salmon. I saw men catching them. You will see tins of salmon from this river in most of the grocers'shops at home. 

7. As the train ran on, the mountains rose higher and higher, untiltheir tops were covered with snow. We then began to cross the greatRocky Mountains. Up and up the train climbed, until the rails reachedtheir highest point. 

[Illustration: {The Rocky Mountains}]

8. Then we began to descend. We ran through dark clefts in the rocks, along the edges of steep cliffs, across rivers, and by the side oflakes. High above us were the snowy mountain tops. It was all very grandand very beautiful. 

9. At last we left the mountains behind us and reached the plains. Weare now speeding over these plains. The country is as flat as the palmof your hand. Here and there, far apart, I can see farm-houses. On theseplains the best wheat in the world is grown. 

10. In winter the whole land is covered deep with snow, and the riversare frozen over. In April winter gives place to spring. Then the snowmelts, and the ice on the rivers breaks up. 

11. No sooner has the snow gone than the wheat begins to spring up. Thewheat grows very fast and ripens very quickly. Much of it is sent toBritain. Very likely the loaf which you ate for breakfast this morningwas made of wheat which grew on the plains of Canada. 

[Illustration: Harvest-Time in Canada. 

(From the picture by Cyrus Cuneo, R. I. By kind permission of theC. P. R. Co. )]

12. In other parts of Canada there are forests which cover thousands ofmiles of country. The trees in these forests are cut down, and are madeinto planks which are sent to all parts of the world. 

13. The trees are felled during winter. Their trunks are piled up by theside of a river. When the thaw comes they are thrown into the water. Menfollow them and push them back into the water if they drift ashore. 

[Illustration: {Men rolling logs}]

14. The stream carries the logs down to the sawmills, where they are cutup into planks. Love to all. FATHER. 

 * * * * *

25. CHILDREN OF CANADA. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --I am staying for a few days with a friend who hasa farm on the plains. His house is five miles from the railway. 

2. My friend met me at the station with a motor car, and drove me overrough roads between huge fields. There are no hedges in this part of thecountry. The fields are divided from each other by fences. 

3. This farm is much larger than any farm which you have seen inEngland. The house is built of wood. All round it is a pretty garden. Not far away are the stables and the barns. 

[Illustration: {Large farmhouse}]

4. I am sure you would like to hear something about the farmer'schildren. There are three of them--a girl and two boys. The girl is theyoungest, and she is about eight years of age. 

5. All the children make themselves very useful in the house. Servantsare hard to get in Canada, so people must learn to help themselves. Theboys clean the boots and chop wood. The girls think nothing of helpingto scrub the floors. 

6. After breakfast the children trudge off to school, which is threemiles away. They take their lunch with them. When they return in theevening they have many odd jobs to do. 

7. In the playground of their school you will see many young treesgrowing. There are very few trees on the plains, and far more areneeded. 

[Illustration: {Canadian schoolhouse}]

8. On one day in each year the children make holiday, and plant trees inthe school grounds. The teacher tells them that when they grow up theymust plant trees on their farms. 

9. Harvest is the busiest time of the year. Then the children rise athalf-past four, and work all day long in the fields. Every one who canwork at all must do so at harvest time. 

10. There is also plenty of work to be done in the autumn. Everythingneeded in the house must be brought in before the snow begins to fall. 

11. Winter is the real holiday time. No work can then be done on theland. The rivers and lakes are frozen, and everywhere there is plenty ofskating. The wheels are taken off the carriages, and runners are put oninstead. Horses draw them very swiftly over the frozen snow. 

12. Look at the picture post-card which I send you with this letter. Itshows you how Canadian boys are dressed in winter. On the ground you seea pair of snow-shoes. The boys can travel very quickly on thesesnow-shoes without sinking into the snow. 

[Illustration: Boys of Canada in winter. ]

13. In the picture you also see a toboggan. It is a small sledge. Theboy drags his toboggan up to the top of a hill. He seats himself on itand pushes off. Away he goes over the frozen snow like an arrow from abow. It is splendid fun. 

14. Those boys and girls whose homes are in towns live very much as youdo. They go to school, and they play in the streets and parks. Whensummer comes many of them go to the seaside or to the lakeside for aholiday. 

15. Sometimes a whole family goes camping in the woods. They then livein tents or in little huts by the side of a river or a lake. What happytimes the children have! They go fishing, they bathe, and they dart toand fro in canoes. 

16. Most of the young folks of Canada are strong and healthy. They arehappy and bright, and they are not afraid of work. No children are moreuseful to their parents than the boys and girls of Canada. 

 * * * * *

26. THE RED MEN. 

1. Tom will not forgive me unless I tell you something about the Red menof America. He has often asked me about the picture of Red men which isin my room at home. [1]

[1] See page 102. {Page 102 contains the illustration below}

[Illustration: Red Men and White Men. 

(From the picture by Cyrus Cuneo, R. I. By kind permission of theC. P. R. Co. )]

2. In the old days, before white men settled in America, the Red menwere masters of the land. They were tall and strong, and their skin wasof a dark copper colour. Their eyes were jet black, and their hair waslong and straight. 

[Illustration: {Red men in wigwams}]

3. They wore very little clothing, even though the winters in NorthAmerica are very cold. From the time when they were babies they weretrained to bear heat and cold, hunger, thirst, and pain withoutgrumbling. 

4. When the white men landed in America, the villages of the Red menwere to be found all over the country. Each of these villages was thehome of a tribe. The houses were tents made of skin or huts made ofwood. 

5. The women or squaws did all the hard work. They planted and tilledthe fields, cooked the food, and made the clothes. The babies were putinto little bark cradles, which were sometimes hung from the branches oftrees, and were rocked to and fro by the wind. 

6. The Red men were nearly always at war, either amongst themselves oragainst the white men. In battle they were very crafty and skilful. Those who fell into their hands were sometimes treated very cruelly. 

7. Before the Red men went on the "warpath" they painted their faces, soas to frighten their foes. Then they took up their bows and hatchets, and, following their leader, strode silently away. 

8. The Red men did not care to fight in the open. They always tried tocatch their foes asleep or to take them by surprise. 

9. In those days the land was full of deer and other wild animals. Onthe great plains where the wheat now grows huge herds of bison used tofeed. 

10. The Red men hunted the bison on their swift little ponies. When theywere close to the animals they shot at them with arrows. If the arrowsmissed their mark, the Red men killed the bison with their knives. 

[Illustration: {Red men on horseback hunting bison}]

11. When the white men came they hunted the bison with guns, and soonkilled them off. Only a few bisons remain, and these are now kept inparks. 

12. There are not many Red men left in North America. Most of them havedied off. Many of those who now remain have given up their old way ofliving. 

 * * * * *

27. THE ESKIMOS. 

1. Here is another picture for you. Look at it carefully. It shows youthe people who live in the far north of Canada. They are called Eskimos. 

[Illustration: Amongst the Eskimos. ]

2. In the upper part of the picture you see a man on a sledge. He isdressed in furs, and has fur gloves on his hands. His head and ears arecovered with a hood. In the far north of Canada the cold is so bitter inwinter that men's hands and ears would be frost-bitten if they were notkept warm in this way. 

3. In winter the sea and the land are thickly frozen over. The wholecountry is covered with ice and snow. The Eskimo has to travel over theice to get from place to place. He uses a sledge drawn by dogs. There isa team of dogs in the upper part of the picture. 

4. Sometimes the sledge is overturned, and the men and dogs are throwninto deep, wide cracks in the ice. Sometimes fierce storms arise, andmen and dogs perish together. Sometimes food runs short, and they die ofhunger. 

5. In the middle part of the picture you see a tent. The Eskimos canonly live in tents during the short summers; during the long darkwinters they live in huts. The walls are made of stones and sods. Theroof is of wood which has drifted to their shores. You must rememberthat no trees will grow in these very cold lands. 

6. Some Eskimos make their winter houses of blocks of snow, with sheetsof ice for the windows. Perhaps you shiver at the thought of living in asnow house, but you need not do so. 

[Illustration: {Snow house}]

7. Really, a snow house is quite a snug home. The snow keeps in the heatof the house, just as a blanket keeps in the heat of your body. Perhapsyou know that it is the blanket of snow spread over the ground in winterwhich keeps the roots of the plants from being frozen. 

8. When summer comes, the snow and ice melt along the edge of the sea. Then the Eskimo leaves his winter quarters for the seashore. 

9. The sea-shores of these very cold lands abound in bears, seals, foxes, and other wild animals. The sea is full of fish, and millions ofgulls, geese, and other birds fly north for the summer. 

[Illustration: {Polar bear}]

10. When a boy is ten years of age his father gives him a bow and arrowsand a canoe. Then he thinks himself a man indeed. In the lower part ofthe picture you see a man in an Eskimo canoe. He is going to hunt sealsand small whales. 

11. Now I must bring this long letter to a close. I shall write you onemore before I start for home. I am eager to see you all again. --Yourloving FATHER. 

 * * * * *

28. FATHER'S LAST LETTER. 

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN, --This is the last letter which I shall write to youfrom abroad. I hope to sail for home in a week's time. I shall send youa telegram to tell you when I shall arrive. You must all come to thestation to meet me. 

2. Look at the globe and find North America. The northern half is calledCanada, and the southern half is called the United States. I am now inNew York, the largest city of the United States. 

3. The people of the United States speak English. The forefathers ofmany of them came from our islands. But the United States do not belongto Britain. Their flag is not the Union Jack, but the Stars and Stripes. 

4. This morning at breakfast a black man waited upon me. His skin wasvery dark, his lips were thick, and his hair was short and curly. 

5. Are you not surprised to hear that there are black men in America?There are thousands of them in New York. In the southern part of theUnited States there are more black men than white men. 

6. Most of the black men live in the hot part of the United States, where cotton and sugar are grown. White people cannot work in the cottonor sugar fields, because the sun is too hot for them. 

7. The black people who live in the United States were born in America. They have never known any other land. America, however, is not theirreal home. They really belong to Africa. 

8. How is it that we now find them in America? When the white men ofAmerica began to grow cotton and sugar, they needed black men to work inthe fields. Men called "slavers" went to Africa in ships. They landedand pushed inland. When they came to villages they seized the people anddrove them off to the ships. 

9. The poor blacks, who were thus dragged from their home and kindred, were thrust into the holds of ships and carried to America. Sometimesthey suffered much on the voyage. The weakest of them died, and werethrown overboard. 

10. When they reached America they were sold to the cotton-growers andsugar-growers, who carried them off to work in the fields. Sometimesthey were kindly treated; sometimes they were flogged to make them work. But whether kindly or cruelly treated, they were no longer men andwomen, but slaves. 

11. This went on for many years. At last some kind-hearted men in thenorthern states said, "It is wicked to own slaves. All the slaves inAmerica shall be set free. "

12. The farmers of the south were very angry when they heard this, andsaid that they would not free their slaves. Then a fierce war broke out. The North beat the South, and when the war came to an end all the slavesin America were set free. 

13. The blacks still work in the cotton and sugar and tobacco fields;but they now work for wages, just as I do. They are free to come and goas they please. 

[Illustration: {Five black children}]

14. The darkies are very merry and full of fun. When their work is overthey love to sing and dance to the music of the banjo. Some of theirsongs are very pretty. I will sing some of them to you when I come home. Good-bye, dears. I shall soon be with you now. --Your loving FATHER. 

 * * * * *

29. HOME AGAIN. 

1. The telegram came soon after breakfast. Father was coming home thatvery day. We were so delighted that we sang and danced and clapped ourhands, just like the darkies. 

2. Mother was very busy. "You must all come and help me, " she said. "Thehouse must be made beautiful for father's return. "

3. May and I worked with mother, but the day passed very slowly. Father's train was to arrive at six o'clock. By half-past five we wereall at the station waiting for him. 

4. At last the train steamed in, and out jumped father. Oh, how wehugged and kissed him! Father was well, and he looked very brown. 

5. I sat next to him in the cab. He told us that his ship had onlyreached Liverpool that morning. He had taken the first train for home, because he wished to see us so much. 

[Illustration: {Father in cab with one of his daughters}]

6. After tea he opened one of his boxes. "I have brought each of you apresent, " he said. "Sit down, and I will show you some pretty things. "

7. Mother's present was a dress from India. It had gold and beetles'wings on it. They were a lovely shiny green, just like jewels. 

8. My present was a necklace of beautiful blue stones. May's was adolly, dressed just like an Indian lady. Tom's was a kite from Japan. Itwas shaped just like a dragon. Of course, we were all delighted with ourgifts. 

9. Then father told us many things about his travels. "I have been rightround the world, " he said. "I sailed to the East, and I went on and onuntil I returned to the place from which I set out. "

[Illustration: {Father at home with his family}]

"I know, " cried Tom. "I have followed you all round the world on theglobe. "

10. May was sitting on father's knee. "Dad, " she said, "I suppose youare the very first man who has ever been right round the world. " "Ofcourse he is, " said Tom. 

11. Father laughed. "No, my dear, " he replied; "thousands of men hadbeen round the world before I was born. "

12. "I'm so sorry, " said May. "I did so want to tell the girls at schoolthat my father was the very first man who ever went round the world. "

EXERCISES. 

(_To be worked under the direction of the teacher_)

 * * * * *

Lesson 1. 

1. The father travelled by train. In what other ways might he havetravelled? Which is the fastest way? Which is the slowest?

2. What power drives the train? What other work does this power do?

3. Look carefully at the first picture in this book. Describe it. 

4. Learn: _A globe is a small model of the earth. _ Of what shape isthe earth? Of what shape are the sun, moon, and stars?

Lesson 2. 

1. The name of the town on the seashore (par. 2) is Dover. Turn to thepicture on page 11 {Illustration entitled "The White Cliffs of Dover"}and describe the cliffs of Dover as seen from the sea. 

2. The distance between Dover and Calais is only twenty-one miles. Learn: _A narrow passage of water joining two seas is called a strait. _The word _strait_ means "narrow. " This strait is called the Strait ofDover. 

3. Model the Strait of Dover in clay or plasticine. Suppose the waterbetween England and France were to dry up, what would the strait bethen? Write out and learn: _A valley is a hollow between hills ormountains. _

Lesson 3. 

1. The river which runs through Paris is called the Seine. The riverwhich runs through London is called the Thames. Learn: _A river is alarge stream of fresh water flowing across the land to join anotherriver, a lake, or the sea. _

2. Look carefully at the picture on page 14 {Illustration entitled "Inthe Gardens"} and describe it. 

3. Compare French boys with English boys. Compare French girls withEnglish girls. 

Lesson 4. 

1. Look carefully at the picture on page 18 {Illustration entitled "TheGrape Harvest"} and describe it. 

[Illustration: {Silkworm on mulberry leaf}]

2. Copy this little drawing of the silkworm and the mulberry leaf. 

3. Why do flowers bloom earlier in the south of France than in England?

4. Describe the picture on page 20 {Illustration entitled "Games onBoard Father's Ship"}. 

Lesson 5. 

1. The Nile carries much mud in its waters. If there is a stream nearyour school, go to it and get a bottleful of water. Let this water standfor a time and notice the mud which settles down. Where does this mudcome from?

[Illustration: {Palm tree}]

2. Copy this little drawing of a palm tree. The Arabs say that the palmtree loves to have its foot in the water and its head in the fire. Whatdo you think this saying means?

3. Look at the picture on page 23 {Illustration entitled "The Nile inFlood"}. What animals do you see in the picture? Tell me something abouteach of them. 

Lesson 6. 

[Illustration: {Two pyramids}]

1. Copy this little drawing of two of the oldest buildings in Egypt. Such buildings are called _pyramids_. Write out this word six times. Youwill see pyramids in the picture on page 23 {Illustration entitled "TheNile in Flood"}. Of what shape is the ground on which a pyramid stands?Make a _ground plan_ of a pyramid. 

2. How do we know what the men of Egypt were like in olden times?

3. The picture on page 25 {Illustration entitled "The Chief City ofEgypt"} shows you a street in Cairo, the chief town of Egypt. Describethe picture. 

Lesson 7. 

1. Write out and learn: _A long deep ditch filled with water is calleda canal. _ Model a canal in clay or plasticine. What is the differencebetween a canal and a strait?

[Illustration: {Lighthouse}]

2. Copy this little drawing of a lighthouse. Write out and learn: _Alighthouse is a tower near the sea. It shows a bright light at night towarn sailors of rocks or shallow places. _

3. Why does a big ship "go slow" through the Suez Canal?

Lesson 8. 

1. Write out and learn: _A desert is a rainless tract of country onwhich little or nothing will grow. _ How can a desert be turned into agarden?

[Illustration: {Arab tent}]

2. Copy this little drawing of an Arab tent. Why do the Arabs who wanderfrom place to place live in tents?

3. Write out and learn: _A green spot in a desert is called anoasis. _ Several of these green spots are called _oases_. 

Lesson 9. 

1. The palm is said to have as many uses as there are days in the year. Name some of these uses. 

2. Why is the camel called the "ship of the desert"?

3. Go to a sand heap. Stand on it; you sink in. Put a piece of board onthe sand and stand on it; the board does not sink in much. Now turn tothe picture on page 105 {Illustration entitled "Boys of Canada inWinter"}. You will see a pair of snow-shoes on the snow. A boy's footwill sink into the snow. When he stands on the snow-shoes he does notsink in. Find out why. Notice the camel's foot, and tell me why it doesnot sink into the sand. 

Lesson 10. 

1. In what ways do the people of Bombay differ from the people of yourtown or village?

2. Why are the people of hot lands dark in colour?

3. Look at the picture on page 47 {Illustration entitled "The VillageWell"}. Describe it. 

Lesson 11. 

1. What is the difference between our shops and the shops of Bombay?

2. How do Indian boys play at marbles?

[Illustration: {The Union Jack}]

3. Copy this drawing of the Union Jack. Colour it with chalks. 

Lesson 12. 

1. With a pair of scissors cut out a square of paper. Fold it into two;then into four; then into eight, and lastly into sixteen. Open out thepaper. If the whole square stands for the size of India, one of thesmall squares will stand for the size of our land. 

[Illustration: {Punkah}]

2. Copy this drawing of a punkah. What is the use of a punkah?

3. Suppose you forget to water your plants, what happens? Suppose youwater them too much, what happens?

Lesson 13. 

1. Write out and learn: _A mountain is land which rises high above thelevel of the country round about it. A row of mountains joined togetherby high ground is called a mountain range or chain. _

2. Write out the following:--"Some mountains may be called water savingsbanks. The rain freezes as it falls and becomes snow. On very highmountains this snow never melts. It gets deeper and deeper, and thelower part turns into ice. This ice creeps slowly down the mountain sideuntil it comes into air that is warm enough to melt it. The water whichflows away from the ice forms a river. Many large rivers begin inmelting ice-fields. "

3. Describe the picture on page 55 {Illustration of a town on the Ganges}. 

Lesson 14. 

[Illustration: {Palanquin}]

1. Make a copy of this little drawing. It shows you a palanquin--thatis, a box carried on poles. Rich ladies are carried from place to placein India in palanquins of this kind. 

2. Compare the life of a rich Indian girl with that of our girls. 

3. "They sang 'God Save the King' for me. " Who is their king? Have thepeople of India ever seen him?

Lesson 15. 

1. Describe the picture on page 61 {Illustration entitled "An IndianRajah"}. 

2. Describe an elephant. Of what use is he?

3. Tell me what you know of tigers. How are tigers hunted?

Lesson 16. 

1. In what way does a Burmese girl differ from an Indian girl?

2. Copy the drawing of a Burmese girl on page 66 {Illustration ofBurmese woman with an umbrella}. 

3. Write out the following: "The Burmese alphabet is very hard to learn. Dull boys often take a year to learn it. In the monks' schools the lazyboys are sometimes punished by being made to carry the hard-working boyson their backs up and down the schoolroom. "

Lesson 17. 

1. What is the difference between Burmese football and British football?

2. Describe the picture on page 68 {Illustration of boys playing Burmesefootball}. 

3. Write out the following: "Rice is a grass on which many seeds grow. These seeds are eaten. Rice will only grow in wet ground. The fields areflooded with water, and then the rice-shoots are planted. The fieldsmust be kept flooded until the rice is ripe. In India, men sometimesgather the rice in small boats. "

Lesson 18. 

[Illustration: {Rickshaw}]

1. Copy this little drawing of a rickshaw. 

2. Write out the following: "Tea is the name given to the dried leavesand young shoots of the tea-plant. This plant is a large evergreenshrub. It grows on the hillsides of Ceylon, and in many other places inthe East. When the leaves are picked, they are spread out in trays untilthey wither; then they are rolled. Wet cloths are next placed over theleaves, and they are put in a cool dark place, until they rot a little. The leaves are then dried over a fire, and after cooling are packed inair-tight chests. They are then sent to our country. "

3. Describe the picture on page 75 {Illustration entitled "Ceylon GirlsPlaying the Tom-Tom"}. 

Lesson 19. 

1. Old cities have walls round them. Why were these walls built? Why arethey of no use now?

[Illustration: {Chinese wheelbarrow}]

2. Copy this drawing of a Chinese wheelbarrow. 

3. Why do the Chinese paint an eye on the bows of their boats?

Lesson 20. 

1. Describe the picture on page 78 {Illustration entitled "A ChineseStreet"}. 

2. Say what you know about a Chinese school. 

3. How can you tell a Chinaman when you see him?

Lesson 21. 

1. Describe the picture on page 88 {Illustration entitled "A RichChinaman's House"}. 

2. In what ways do Chinese girls differ from British girls?

3. Write out the following: "The Great Wall of China is the longest wallin the world. It was built about two thousand years ago, and was meantto shut out the wild tribes which were then trying to conquer China. Thewall is more than twice as long as the island of Great Britain. It isbuilt of stone and earth, and is so broad that four horses can be drivenon it abreast. The wall is now in ruins. "

Lesson 22. 

1. Write out and learn: _An island is land with water all round it. People can only reach an island by sailing to it in a boat or bycrossing a bridge. _ A small island is called an _islet_. 

2. Model an island in clay or plasticine. Suppose the water round anisland were to dry up, what would the island be then?

[Illustration: {Snow-covered mountain}]

3. Copy this little drawing. It shows you the sacred mountain of Japan. 

4. Write out and learn: _A volcano is a hole in the ground out ofwhich steam, ashes, mud, and melted rock are thrown. An earthquake is ashaking or tearing apart of the ground. _

Lesson 23. 

1. Which should you prefer to be--a boy or a girl (1) in Japan, (2) inIndia?

2. Describe the picture on page 90 {Illustration entitled "The Toy Seller"}. 

3. Try to make a drawing of a kite just after its string has been cut bythe glass on the string of another kite. 

Lesson 24. 

1. Write out and learn: _A plain is a wide tract of low-lying andnearly level country. A high plain is called a plateau. _

[Illustration: {Salmon}]

2. Copy this drawing of a salmon. What do you know about salmon?

3. Which should you like to do best--till the fields, cut down trees, orcatch salmon? Say why. 

Lesson 25. 

1. Describe the picture on page 105 {Illustration entitled "Boys ofCanada in Winter"}. Why do the boys cover up their ears?

2. What sports do these boys enjoy in winter?

[Illustration: {Canoe}]

3. Copy this drawing of a canoe. 

Lesson 26. 

[Illustration: {Wigwam}]

1. Copy this little drawing of a wigwam--that is, a Red man's tent. 

2. Describe the picture on page 102 {Illustration entitled "Red Men andWhite Men"}. 

3. How did the Red men hunt the bison? What has become of the bison?

Lesson 27. 

1. Look carefully at the picture on page 111 {Illustration entitled"Amongst the Eskimos"}. Compare it with the picture on page 35{Illustration entitled "Arabs of the Desert"}. 

2. Why are the Eskimos fishermen and hunters, and not farmers?

3. How would you build a snow house? Would it be very cold to live in?If not, why not?

Lesson 28. 

1. Describe the picture on page 102 {Illustration entitled "Red Men andWhite Men"}. 

2. Write out the following: "The cotton plant loves sun and water, andwill only grow in the hot, moist parts of the world. It throws outflower stalks, at the end of which pods appear. Inside the pods is asoft, white down, which is called cotton. This is spun and woven intocloth. "

3. What is the difference between cotton and wool?

Lesson 29. 

1. Look at a globe. Find a line running round the globe at the thickestpart. This is called the _Equator_, because it divides the earthinto two _equal_ parts. The hottest parts of the earth lie roundabout the Equator. The distance round the earth at the Equator is 25, 000miles. A railway train, running 50 miles an hour, and never stopping, would require nearly three weeks for the journey. Find out whetherfather's voyage was longer or shorter than this. 

2. Measure with a band of paper the distance on the globe from theEquator on one side to the Equator on the other. Find half this distanceand mark it on the globe. Then mark the same distance on the other sideof the Equator. The points which you have marked are called the_Poles_. One is the _North Pole_; the other is the _SouthPole_. 

3. Learn: _We divide the land of the earth into five great parts;each of these parts is called a continent. There are fivecontinents_--_Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia. We dividethe water of the earth into five great parts. Each of these parts iscalled an ocean. There are five oceans_--_Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Antarctic. The Arctic Ocean is round the North Pole;the Antarctic Ocean is round the South Pole_.