A BABY MUTINY 105 



my " Sunderbunds infatuation," and is devoid of 

 that cast-iron uniformity which spoils so many 

 good men in India. He left us the same evening. 



The next arrival was a boy of the name of Lewis, 

 just arrived from England on appointment to the 

 Forest Service. A remarkably nice young man. 



On Tuesday and Wednesday I had some calves 

 tied up about the jungle at the spots I had selected, 

 in the hope that their smell and their lowing might 

 induce some strolling tiger to kill. It is curious 

 how many Englishmen pass half their lives in 

 India without ever getting " up to " the tricks 

 of our dusky fellow-subjects. 



When there has been no kill the cows are brought 

 in at dawn to be watered and tethered out to graze. 

 The day after my arrival one had " got lost." 

 As the ground was water-bound, I assumed the 

 cow would soon be found, and made no " row." 

 Next day a second cow had " got lost." I then 

 felt certain that the good old game of " cow- 

 pinching " was being tried on me. It is a favourite 

 one during shooting expeditions. Unless the ryots 

 are made to find the first " lost " animal, which 

 has generally been tucked away to be " found " 

 after the Sahib's departure, they will gradually 

 " lose " half a dozen. This is a very common 

 piece of rascality. I sent a chaprassie to tell the 

 coolies, thirty-two of them, to land at once and 

 search for the cows. He failed to induce them 

 to go. I was so furious at this baby mutiny that I 

 got into the dingy just as I stood. I had nothing 

 on but pyjamas and slippers. When I reached 

 the two big native house-boats I ordered the 

 coolies to land, but the headman declined to move, 



