THE RAINS 137 



a Hindoo zemeendar — that is, a landowner ; he is well 

 off, and, having little else to do, he spends a good deal 

 of his time about the different offices ; he generally 

 makes his appearance in mine two or three days in the 

 week. He stands in the court and listens to the cases, 

 and when tired of that he strolls outside and chats 

 with acquaintances. He is rather a favourite both 

 with me and the other English, for he behaved very 

 well in the Mutiny, and is besides amusingly eccentric, 

 both in speech and appearance. I may add also that 

 he is extremely stout. 



On this particular day, though in the court, he was 

 not in his usual place, nor was his attendance voluntary. 

 He was standing with several others in the prisoners' 

 dock, and had been committed for trial on a charge 

 of affray. He and a neighbouring zemeendar each 

 claimed a piece of land, and they met on the spot with 

 their followers to decide the dispute in the ancient 

 manner with swords and " latees." The latee, I may 

 explain, is a long, solid bamboo, often bound and tipped 

 with iron, and in the hands of a man who can use 

 it a most formidable weapon. The case was rather 

 a serious one, for, though no one had been killed, 

 several of the combatants had been more or less 

 severely injured. 



I was distressed to see my friend in such a position, 

 but he himself seemed quite unconcerned. His face 

 wore a drowsy expression, and he appeared to pay little 

 or no attention to the proceedings. I remarked on his 

 indifference, and saw a smile go round the court. Its 

 meaning was soon explained. When called on for his 



