82 JUNGLE PEACE 



the rock, with their glued labels reminding one 

 of museum specimens. Exhibit C was a rum- 

 bottle — an empty one. Perhaps if it had been 

 full, some flash of interest might have crossed 

 Ram's face. Then weighty legal phrases and 

 accusations passed, and the Judge's voice was 

 raised, sonorous and impressive, and I felt that 

 nothing but memory remained of that jovial 

 personality which I had known so recently. 



The proceeding which impressed me most was 

 the uncanny skill of the official interpreter, who 

 seemed almost to anticipate the words of the 

 Judge or the Clerk. And, too, he gestured and 

 shook his finger at the prisoner at the appro- 

 priate places, though he had his back fairly to 

 the Judge and so could have had none but 

 Verbal clues. Ram Narine, it seems, was in- 

 dicted on four counts, among which I could dis- 

 tinguish only that he was accused of maltreating 

 his friend with intent to kill, and this in soft 

 Hindustani tones he gently denied. Finally, 

 that he had at least done the damage to his 

 friend's face and very nearly killed him. To 

 this he acquiesced, and the Court, as the Judge 

 called himself, would now proceed to pass sen- 

 tence. I was relieved to hear him thus re- 



