SOME STARTLING REVELATIONS 



a fact acknowledged by the Government in several gratify- 

 ing telegrams, and a subsequent resolution, winding up 

 with the bestowal of a sword of honour to the inspector in 

 recognition of his services. 



Meanwhile the military had arrived, all as keen as they 

 could be, thinking they were in for a real sporting time, 

 and were consequently greatly disappointed to find the 

 " show " was over, for a dacoit hunt would have been a 

 pleasant break in the monotony of their life in cantonments. 



Amongst the captured members of the gang were many 

 of very fine physique, whom I much regretted being unable 

 to enlist in my corps, and who would doubtless have made 

 excellent military policemen, if only on the principle of 

 " Set a thief to catch a thief." 



I had many conversations with the Chief Chimanya while 

 he was in hospital. Among many other things, he told me 

 he had no enmity against Europeans, as they had never 

 done him any harm, which I thought was rather sporting 

 of him, seeing that it was to them he really owed his 

 wounds and final downfall ! 



He also informed me much to my humiliation that 

 on several occasions during the pursuit, both myself and 

 my assistant as well as some of my men had met and asked 

 his own scouts disguised as rustics the way to his strong- 

 hold ! also that on one occasion my assistant was talking 

 to one of their men, quite innocent of the fact that there 

 were several of the gang concealed close to the spot, who 

 could have shot him quite easily had they wished ! 



But the strangest thing he told me was that " one day 

 he and several of his men were hiding in a ravine close to 

 the public road, when they saw a tonga passing with a mem 

 sahib inside. " t He could easily have held it up," he said, 

 " in fact his men wanted to do so, but he would not let 

 them." 



Comparing dates later I was astounded to find that 

 the lady in the tonga was my wife on her way to join me 

 in camp ! True she had an escort of two sowars with her, 

 but against so many they could scarcely have made an 

 effective defence. 



On another occasion they had seen a sowar ride into 

 camp with the pay, quite a large sum of money, on a day 



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