April 21.
I am making my life wretched with two little striped squirrels. The squirrels here are nearly white, with four black stripes down their backs, and striped tails. I have got two young ones, meaning to tame them, but they are evidently deficient in intellect – perfect ninnies, so unlike my dear flying squirrel at Simla. They are quite tame one minute and then run half over the house with all the servants after them, and it is too hot for those tricks. I wish they were in their nest again.
Thursday, 30th.
There never was anything like this dear rain. I have had my window open all day, and the air blowing through and the thermometer at 79°. I suppose it would feel like a hothouse to you. but we are all in raptures and rather chilly.
I said those little squirrels would be the bane of my life, and so they are; they will run about the room at the wrong time, and want to be fed when I am busy, and nobody can catch them, and yet they will not run away, though I have had all the windows set open on purpose.
Calcutta, India
Source: The Hon. Emily Eden, Letters from India, Vol.2, Richard Bentley & Son, 1872
Further links:
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/eden/letters/letters.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/eden-emily-1797-1869
https://www.allaboutsikhs.com/british/eden-emily
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/25/books/taking-up-where-jane-austen-left-off.html