Thismorning，duringbreakfast，theusualassemblageofsqualidhumanitysatpatientlywithoutthecharmedcircleofthecampandwaitedforsuchcrumbsaspitymightbestowupontheirmisery。Therewereoldandyoung，brown—skinnedandyellow。Someofthemenweretallandstalwart，（foronehardlyseesanywheresuchsplendid—lookingmenashereintheEast，）
butallthewomenandchildrenlookedwornandsad，anddistressedwithhunger。TheyremindedmemuchofIndians，didthesepeople。Theyhadbutlittleclothing，butsuchastheyhadwasfancifulincharacterandfantasticinitsarrangement。Anylittleabsurdgewgaworgimcracktheyhadtheydisposedinsuchawayastomakeitattractattentionmostreadily。Theysatinsilence，andwithtirelesspatiencewatchedoureverymotionwiththatvile，uncomplainingimpolitenesswhichissotrulyIndian，andwhichmakesawhitemansonervousanduncomfortableandsavagethathewantstoexterminatethewholetribe。
Thesepeopleaboutushadotherpeculiarities，whichIhavenoticedinthenobleredman，too:theywereinfestedwithvermin，andthedirthadcakedonthemtillitamountedtobark。
Thelittlechildrenwereinapitiablecondition——theyallhadsoreeyes，andwereotherwiseafflictedinvariousways。TheysaythathardlyanativechildinalltheEastisfreefromsoreeyes，andthatthousandsofthemgoblindofoneeyeorbotheveryyear。Ithinkthismustbeso，forIseeplentyofblindpeopleeveryday，andIdonotrememberseeinganychildrenthathadn\'tsoreeyes。And，wouldyousupposethatanAmericanmothercouldsitforanhour，withherchildinherarms，andletahundredfliesroostuponitseyesallthattimeundisturbed？Iseethateveryday。
Itmakesmyfleshcreep。Yesterdaywemetawomanridingonalittlejackass，andshehadalittlechildinherarms——honestly，Ithoughtthechildhadgogglesonasweapproached，andIwonderedhowitsmothercouldaffordsomuchstyle。Butwhenwedrewnear，wesawthatthegoggleswerenothingbutacampmeetingoffliesassembledaroundeachofthechild\'seyes，andatthesametimetherewasadetachmentprospectingitsnose。Theflieswerehappy，thechildwascontented，andsothemotherdidnotinterfere。