192 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



I was glad then that the aged bawarchi (cook) had 

 thought it necessary (contrary to my ideas) to bring 

 dried tongue and a large tin of marmalade, also some 

 brown flour wherewith to make bread. I was quite 

 ready for my dinner when I reached the tents, the long 

 walk and the fact of but two scanty meals of tea taken 

 during the day having given an edge to my appetite, and 

 the appearance of my cook with both of his arms tied up 

 in coloured comforters did not exhilarate me. " How 

 could he be expected to cook a dinner for the Presence," 

 he asked, " when there was no food, the waters were in 

 his cooking tent, when it was impossible to balance 

 kettle or cooking pot on the stones (his range was com- 

 posed of three small boulders and a bar), and both his 

 arms were useless from rheumatism, and his head con- 

 fused with fever ? " When quite devoid of ideas it is 

 well to make no suggestions, so with finely veiled irony 

 I remarked that I would prepare for dinner, and per- 

 chance a coolie could be found to arrange for the food. 

 I also noticed slightingly the position chosen for the 

 cooking pal well down on the slope of the hill and 

 passed to my little tent in serious doubts as to whether 

 I should not have to turn in to bed as the only method 

 of forgetting my hunger. 



Twenty minutes later a discreet cough told me the 

 bearer was outside. " The dinner was on the table/' 

 and under the dark trees stood a table as well covered 

 and daintily set out as if there had been no difficulties 

 in the preparation of my meal, no complainings, no 

 rheumatic arms to hinder progress. Having entered their 

 protest the " naukar log " had considered it would be 

 a covering of themselves with shame if I lacked for any- 

 thing I was accustomed to. A large bunch of iris faced 



