PREPARATIONS FOR THE START. 63 



account of the immensely long march before me, I 

 had only kept four of my Madras servants, viz., 

 my head boy, cook, and two best shekarries. I 

 had also disposed of my stud, and had now only 

 two hill ponies, which I bought at Meerut from an 

 officer who was going to England on sick certificate; 

 but I had kept my three best dogs. The battery 

 with which I intended to take the field consisted of 

 two double eight-gauge smooth bores by Westley 

 Richards, two double ten-gauge rifles by Purday, 

 and two sixteen-gauge fowling pieces, one an old 

 long Joe Manton, and the other a Purday. Fred 

 had as pretty a set of guns for Indian shooting as 

 I ever saw, consisting of a pair of rifles and a pair 

 of smooth bores, all ten-gauge, and exquisitely 

 finished, by Joseph Lang of the Hay market. The 

 Doctor had a pair of guns by Boss, and a very long, 

 heavy pea rifle. In accordance with Fred's advice, 

 the doctor and I each ordered to be made three 

 waterproof * kiltas,' in anticipation of our trip to 

 the mountains. These are long, pottle-shaped 

 baskets, lined with painted canvas within and 

 leather without, having one side made flat to fit 



