84 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



There is a report that cholera has broken out at Budri- 

 war, the next town on our way, and we hear that a mission- 

 ary sahib has just arrived from that place ; so we start off 

 to interview him. We find him, a desolate figure, seated 

 in the middle of a small ploughed field, surrounded by his 

 luggage. A few coolies are feebly trying to level a place 

 for his tent, and he tells us that all his tent pegs were left 

 behind and he has to wait till others are cut. He seems 

 father surprised to see me, for this is a road few ladies come. 

 As he confirms the outbreak of cholera at Budriwar, we 

 think it prudent to change our route, and take a road which 

 makes a detour to the left. 



At nightfall the Kishtiwar watchman re-appears, 

 gorgeously attired in the brigade colours, and bearing a 

 spear with a red and blue pennon. He brings two of his 



children with him, funny 

 little figures about five 

 years old. One a boy, 

 dressed in bright pink, 

 the other a girl, in emer- 

 ald green-coloured clothes 

 with peg-top trousers, and 

 wearing huge ear and nose 



KISHTIWAR CHILDREN. rillO'S 



Saturday, 12th. — We start about 10 A.M. All the 

 Kishtiwar officials and chuprassies come to see us off, 



