TENT LIFE IN INDIA 



monotonous inactivity they can, indeed must, necessarily 

 devote them to out-of-door pursuits. 



To the ordinary " stay-at-home Englishman," " camp- 

 ing out " is usually suggestive of more or less discomfort 

 and privations ; in other words, a " roughing it " con- 

 dition, only to be indulged in, occasionally, as a tonic by 

 those seeking some new sensation for a mind weary for 

 the time of the ease and luxuries of life. But to the Anglo- 

 Indian official, camp life, being a part of his official duties, 

 he regards it from quite a different point of view, viz. as a 

 period of hard work, combined with such amusement as the 

 situation may occasionally afford. At the same time he 

 cannot fail to realize that there is no other calling or pro- 

 fession in which the duties, for practically half a year, 

 necessitate such a healthy and attractive mode of life or 

 one more congenial with the habits of the ordinary 

 Englishman. 



Tents are provided by the Government for this purpose, 

 together with a liberal allowance for their carriage and 

 other incidental expenses which such journeys may 

 entail. 



The tents are large, luxurious structures, averaging from 

 twelve to sixteen feet square. Canvas houses, in fact, to all 

 intents and purposes ; and furnished with the necessary 

 furniture, all made to roll up or take to pieces for con- 

 venience of carriage ; the number of tents supplied to 

 each officer is generally sufficient to allow of one or more 

 being sent on in advance; thus, when moving camp from 

 one place to another, the discomforts of the move are 

 considerably minimised. 



At the same time it must not be assumed that " camping 

 out " on the scale it is done in India, can be carried out 

 without some little trouble and inconvenience to the 

 individual. On the contrary, the preparations for each 

 tour require both time and thought. The route to be 

 traversed, the different places to be visited, the work to 

 be done at each of them, and the length of the several 

 marches have all to be carefully considered, and an itinerary 

 left in the office to allow of papers being sent out daily to 

 the camp. 



Having settled these official details, the next important 



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