36 THE KYBER, SIRMOOR, AND BENARES 



check. They are fairly in hand. No doubt they 

 are now more or less well armed, but it is quite 

 likely that they will, if carefully watched, but not 

 interfered with, settle down. Peshawar is won- 

 derfully well kept, and is clean, tidy, and pic- 

 turesque. Some of the people seem to pass their 

 time either cutting each other's throats or catching 

 each other's pigeons. The city is surrounded by 

 high walls and has sixteen gates. The Bala 

 Hissar Fort, built by General Avitabile, an Italian, 

 is fine, and from the top the view is superb. The 

 said General used to hang three citizens a day just 

 to encourage the rest. I am excessively glad I 

 came. The whole of this frontier is extremely 

 interesting, and the people are a fine, manly, cut- 

 throat-looking set. But it is hard work this life 

 I lead, and I feel a good bit " tucked up," as the 

 saying is. 



The great event of my visit was a reception of 

 all the native nobles. And all for " poor little 

 me " ! I have already had to go through a native 

 concert in my honour. Oh, misery ! The recep- 

 tion was the most picturesque sight I ever saw in 

 a civilised house. Every kind of man dressed in 

 every kind of garb. From the pleader (lawyer) 

 in English dress-clothes, to Pathan, Afridi, and 

 every other tribal nobility in their everyday 

 national clothes. Some huge men amongst them. 

 One was six feet seven. They are absolutely 

 natural and " care nothink for nobbody." They 

 began to arrive at 9 and stopped till n evening. 

 They filed past and chatted with me in strange 

 tongues, and were regaled on small plates filled 

 with sweets and cakes. The Hindoos (they are 



