OUR STAFF. 45 



garden spread with carpets and curtains which a local mer- 

 chant had brought for our inspection. The rest of the day 

 was fully occupied in getting our camp together. Rahman, 

 our head shikari, has taken us in hand, and arranges every- 

 thing. He seems an excellent man. with plenty of savoir 

 vivre and tact in managing those under him. 



Colonel Chamberlain told us we should hud him quite a 

 " man of the world," and this so perfectly describes him, 

 that between ourselves he always goes by that designation. 

 Nothing comes amiss to him, and he seems able to turn his 

 hand to anything. Indeed, he assisted me yesterday to try 

 on a dress, and convinced the tailor that it did not fit. 



Besides the " man of the world," our staff consists of a 

 second shikari, and a tiffin coolie, named respectively 

 "Khadra"and " Khaira." The latter carries our luncheon 

 basket, and is my especial attendant when marching. We 

 have also a cook, a bheestie (water-carrier), a dhobhie 

 (washerwoman, or rather man), and six permanent coolies 

 who go to and fro with letters, &c, and make themselves 

 generally useful. Our tents and baggage are carried by 

 about thirty other coolies, who are the rank and file, ami 

 recruited from the villages on the way. 



The Maharaja also sent us a most imposing-looking 

 individual called a " chuprassie." He is a cross between a 

 policeman and an orderly, and wears a scarlet belt with a 

 large engraved brass badge, as his insignia of authority. So 



