148 FAUNA OF INDIA 



in India knows anything whatever about Scottish 

 stalking. 



The grandest dear in India is the Englishwoman 

 of the Mufassal. There is nothing in the wide 

 world to beat her. I allude especially to the wives 

 of the junior officers of the various Government 

 services. 



Having often to live in a fever-stricken district, 

 away from friends, tortured by heat, tormented 

 by flies et hoc genus omne, dependent on very 

 indifferent servants, for she can rarely afford to 

 pay for good ones, with pining children and an 

 overworked highly-strung husband, it would be 

 no reflection on her if she gave the whole thing 

 up as a bad job. 



But she never flinches. Her own health, her 

 ease and comfort, are her last consideration 

 her husband's health, comfort, and good repute 

 her first. 



And she never loses sight of her duty to maintain 

 the tenue of an English lady. 



I have often been intensely touched by the 

 determination of the wife of some official with a 

 very modest salary (and living is now very ex- 

 pensive in India) to make her somewhat dilapi- 

 dated bungalow look like an English lady's home. 

 The effort, no matter how hard, rarely, very rarely 

 fails. 



So long as England can produce such women 

 the position of the Englishman in India is assured. 



