vol 



from fly and hardship the mortality in donkeys is very 

 heavy, pushes the freight rates away up. And that 

 fact accounts for the motor car, which has been my 

 point of aim from the beginning of this paragraph. 



The motor car plies between Voi and the German 

 line, at exorbitant rates. Our plan was to have 

 it take us and some galvanized water tanks out into 

 the middle of the desert and dump us down there. 

 So after breakfast we hunted up the owner. 



He proved to be a very short, thick-set, blond 

 German youth who justified Weber and Fields. In 

 fact, he talked so exactly like those comedians that 

 my task in visualizing him to you is somewhat 

 lightened. If all, instead of merely a majority, of 

 my readers had seen Weber and Fields, that task 

 would vanish. 



We explained our plan, and asked him his 

 price. 



"Sefen hundert and feefty rupees,"* said he un- 

 compromisingly. 



He was abrupt, blunt, and insulting. As we 

 wanted transportation very much — though not 

 seven hundred and fifty rupees' worth — we per- 

 sisted. He offered an imperturbable take-it-or- 

 leave-it stolidity. The motor truck stood near. I 

 said s omething technical about the engine; then 



195 



