TIGERLAND 



tearfully, how could he possibly serve a dinner of cold 

 tinned soup and raw potatoes to the sahibs even with 

 "hart-bile yegg" * to follow? or dare to send up such a 

 meal without the certainty of " bamboo bukshish " t i n 

 return ! 



His real grievance being that in spite of his orders to 

 take tinned provisions only, he had, it seemed, surrepti- 

 tiously brought with him a half-cooked chicken and some 

 cutlets, which he had intended warming up and serving ; 

 but now, finding himself minus the element necessary for 

 this operation, he was at his wits' ends to devise a decent 

 dinner for his sahibs ! 



The above is no exaggerated example of the devotion of 

 native servants to their masters in those good old days 

 but now, alas ! very seldom seen though possibly in this 

 case an ulterior motive was not altogether absent, for 

 the cook was probably as averse to cold food as his 

 masters ! 



But to go on with the story. The Forest Officer was deaf 

 to all entreaties for some time. At length, won over by 

 the eloquence of the man, more especially with respect to 

 his description of the very uninviting meal he had sug- 

 gested, he yielded to the extent of allowing him to light a 

 small, well protected oil stove which formed part of our 

 equipment. 



This amusing duologue had been going on within ear- 

 shot of where we stood, and being naturally interested in 

 the subject after our long fast, we went up closer to find 

 the stove now alight and the cook engaged in the somewhat 

 difficult task of trying to warm up two dishes on it simul- 

 taneously, there being barely room for one. 



But this was only a portion of his trouble. Seated on 

 the ground beside him was his inexorable master who, 

 keeping a watchful eye upon the flame, turned it down 

 from time to time till nearly out, and while thus retarding 

 the operations was cursing the bewildered chef for being 

 so slow. 



Amused at these proceedings, yet somewhat appre- 

 hensive as to their effect upon our dinner, we attempted 



* Hard-boiled eggs. 



t An Anglo-Indian slangism for a thrashing. 

 110 



