2o6 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



and with it, and in an exaggerated and rather an 

 aggressive degree, the Mahomedan independent de- 

 meanour. Also he had grown a beard. The cause 

 of his conversion was the usual one. He had formed 

 an attachment to a Mahomedan young lady, not 

 one, I am sorry to say, of the most irreproachable 

 character, and being in consequence ejected from his 

 own religion, he had no option but to embrace hers. 

 I had last seen him at the dak bungalow in the open 

 waste land that extends all along the margin of the 

 forest. He was then, he informed me, very unhappy ; 

 the desolation of his surroundings utterly depressed 

 him, and certainly the place was very lonesome and 

 dreary. He added that he had applied to be transferred 

 elsewhere. The result of his application was my find- 

 ing him here ; but in this case success had not brought 

 contentment. At first, he said, he had liked the change, 

 for he had arrived at the commencement of the hot 

 season, when there were plenty of travellers. Now he 

 rather regretted the waste. " That," as he expressed 

 it, "was a jehunnum" (hell); "but this was a 'dobarah 

 jehunnum ' " (a double hell). At this time there were 

 few or no travellers, and what troubled him more, in 

 consequence, no perquisites ; and, besides, at night he 

 and his fellow-servant went in fear of their lives. All 

 around there were bears, wolves, and hyenas, and lately 

 they had heard a tiger ; and, as if this was not enough, 

 only three days ago a whole herd of wild elephants had 

 crossed the mountain just behind the bungalow, and 

 these having come, it was only likely that others would 

 follow. 



