16 &FOOT THROUGH THE 



too old and dour as she pounded away at the grain with 

 her pestle and mortar. In such a country life would 

 not have been possible without surroundings in keeping 



-bright, pretty, cheerful. Several other boats were 

 examined, an ever-increasing horde followed asking 

 questions, suggesting perpetually. Choice was 

 becoming more and more difficult, "I want," I 

 announced distinctly, "a good boat; one large enough 

 for myself and my box " -I indicated vaguely the pro- 

 portion of an Egyptian funeral ornament "clean; I 

 do not wish for other passengers, three or more legged ; 

 above all, I want a boat with a good appearance." I 

 really meant, but dared not say, "crew" instead of 

 " boat." Strange to say, my speech in laborious Hin- 

 dustani was seemingly understood, for from the mob 

 there emerged two pleasant-smiling youths, who 

 salaamed, and bent almost double in their efforts to 

 attract my notice. I went over the boat, tried the chair, 

 admired the purdah, noticed a very pretty woman in 

 charge of the steering paddle the woman's work in 

 Kashmir and a nice brown baby in shirt and scarlet 

 cap, glanced at some chits, as satisfactory as all the 

 others, and decided to employ " the brothers " (so the 

 two called themselves) Assiza and Sandhoo. Assiza 

 was a fixed quantity, but Sandhoo, I found later, had 

 a curiously shifting personality, for sometimes it was 

 the young boy I had originally been introduced to, 

 sometimes an older man, but however much my brothers 

 varied, they were one in suavity and smilingness, and 

 served me with excellent sense. Pleasant, human 

 creatures I found them, ready to rejoice in my moods 

 of rejoicing, and as ready to be vaguely obscure when 

 there was a cloud on my urbanity. 



