A SAVAGE "HANDY MAN" 



disposition, yet I could see that my suggestion had interested 

 him considerably, and being myself convinced of its 

 practicability, I ignored his objections. 



Pointing to the branches, overhead, standing out at 

 right angles to the trunk, I showed him how easily they 

 could be utilized for a platform, large and strong enough 

 to support us, and on which we might erect a roomy, 

 comfortable hut where we could live. 



My friend, who had been listening with attention, 

 gradually coming round to my opinion, soon became as 

 enthusiastic as myself. " By Jove, I believe it's quite 

 possible," he exclaimed at length, and jumping up excitedly, 

 insisted on our climbing the tree at once to see how the 

 platform should be made. 



The remainder of the evening we devoted to working 

 out the scheme, aided by our " factotum," one Dhundhos- 

 Dobhassia by name, nominally our shikari, but whom we 

 generally consulted in all matters, for he was an extra- 

 ordinarily knowledgeable old man. 



Originally a semi-savage creature he had, so to speak, 

 been captured in his youth by one of my friend's pre- 

 decessors, and though now partially civilized, still retained 

 much of his knowledge of the jungles and of the beasts they 

 contained, while as a " handy man " in camp, his equal 

 could not be found. 



He could turn his hand to anything, from driving a 

 refractory elephant to making up our beds, and, sometimes, 

 at a pinch, had even cooked our dinner. On hearing our 

 proposal, he entered into the scheme with all the enthusiasm 

 of a sportsman, and soon arranged all the preliminary 

 details. 



We were up early next morning, and while the old man 

 went off to cut the poles and grass, etc., required for the 

 construction of the hut, we collected the commissariat, 

 bedding, rifles, ammunition, etc., and reduced them to 

 portable dimensions for loading on the elephants. 



These preparations occupied some time, but were all 

 completed by the evening, and at daybreak, next day, we 

 started for the forest, one elephant carrying the materials 

 for the hut and the rest of our belongings, plus the 

 " kitchen," to wit, an oil-stove, one saucepan and a kettle. 



61 



