TAME FISH. 245 



across the plain, two black bucks came in sight, facing 

 each other, and evidently engaged in combat. Slipping 

 off his horse, Alan ran up behind some low bushes, and 

 knocked them both over, right and left. 



Mrs. Fraser drove the little Maharaja and me to an 

 old palace called " Siliseer," where we had arranged to 

 meet the shooters on their way back. The palace is built 

 on the edge of a large lake surrounded by hills, and we 

 passed the time whilst waiting, trying to catch fish. It 

 seemed hardly fair sport, for they are quite tame, and come 

 to the bank to be fed. A native sat on the brink and threw 

 in pieces of meat crying "Aao, aao" (come, come), and 

 they did come, in swarms of enormous fish. But although 

 they almost jumped out of the water after the pieces 

 of meat, they were too cunning to touch a baited hook. 

 At last we gave it up, and went into the palace, where 

 tea was ready for us on the terrace over the lake. Jey 

 Singh, as a Rajpoot, has his food apart. At home he does 

 not eat before the evening, but his attendants are anxious 

 he should do the same as we do, so have spread out a 

 cold repast on the table adjoining ours. It does not look 

 very appetizing; cold curry is not particularly nice, and 

 cold pancakes are decidedly nasty. But the boy was 

 more occupied by some paint-boxes he was playing with. 

 He said his mothers had given them to him : his mothers 

 being all the wives of the late Raja, He is such a bright, 



