VISITORS 55 



was much amused at it. The first day Mr. Jenkins 

 held office, the cook as nazir had to present some 

 report. It was his duty to read it, but he excused 

 himself. " Unfortunately he had left his spectacles at 

 home." Mr. Jenkins smiled and said, " Well, bring 

 them to-morrow." 



The next day the spectacles were all right. But the 

 nazir explained that he had a pain in his eyes that 

 prevented his using them. Mr. Jenkins smiled again, 

 and hoped that by the following morning the pain 

 would have departed. But though the next day the 

 pain had left, the nazir was still unable to read on 

 account of a hoarseness that had come on in the 

 night. 



On this Mr. Jenkins laughed, and said to the cook, 

 " I know all about it. I cannot keep you as nazir, but 

 I will give you another appointment just as good 

 where reading and writing are not required"; and so 

 he did. 



The cook held this appointment, whatever it was, I 

 believe, till his death. He had his son educated, and 

 in due time got him into the Government service. In 

 my day this son was the kotwal (mayor) of the city, 

 and a very efficient officer he was considered to be. 



I am fond of conversing with the natives who call 

 on me. I often in this way obtain much curious in- 

 formation about the early days of our rule and the 

 times that preceded it. Also occasionally the stories 

 related are in themselves very interesting. Especially 

 so was one quite recently told me. The narrator was a 

 Mahomedan, a man advanced in years, and who held 



