74 



RIFLE AXD SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



hens, &c, as I have an idea she means to put one in to 

 "keep my things from shaking about." 



We were not long descending, and pitched our camp 

 above the little village of Singpur. It is warmer clown here, 

 and the avah thaws to the extent of striking work, and 

 refusing to make the beds. So Sautan and I set to work 



and do it. She has not 





AT SINGPVE. 



the least regard for 

 what I say, and Alan 

 is the only person of 

 whom she is rather 

 frightened. He, as 

 usual, does not return 

 until long after dark, 

 very tired and hungry. After dinner he interviews the 

 ayah, but she has three excellent reasons to offer for her 

 strike : first, her shoes are too tight ; secondly, she is so 

 far from home, and thirdly, she never refused to work 

 at all. 



Alan's account of the day is as follows : — 

 " It was a bright clear night, the ground white and 

 crisp with frost when we left tin- tents at about 3 a.m., 

 there was no wind, so when walking briskly it was not 

 unpleasantly cold. By daybreak we had reached the main 

 range of mountains, with the Chingam Pass on our right, 

 and the Marbul Pass forming a huge bleak amphitheatre on 



