182 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SHIKAR 



They looked very grave and solemn about it all and 

 said, looking at each other, " Han, beshak, Khuda ka 

 bachcha," that I must certainly be God's " child/' 



It was the Holi festival tjiat day, so shikaris, 

 tigers and everybody else had a holiday. There was 

 a great din, shouting and drum-beating all day, 

 going on in the village ; some of the performers came 

 and gave me a turn, playing and dancing and splash- 

 ing red paint about. They offered me a dish of paint, 

 so I put a red spot on my forehead. 



After my fall I had a pricking when I breathed, 

 and was rather glad to keep quiet for a day or two 

 till that and the stiffness wore off; otherwise I was 

 none the worse, and I spent the time in putting fresh 

 ropes on the hammock. I do not know what made 

 the rope give way, as it was a very strong one, unless 

 the men had cut a branch rather obliquely, and tied 

 it round the sharp edge of it. 



A new syce had come with the pony from Bilaspur ; 

 he was quite good at grooming her, but was very 

 much puzzled over a double bridle. Fanny was 

 brought round saddled and bridled after a fashion, 

 but it took some time to get things right before I 

 could make a start. One rein might be buckled on 

 to the snaffle ring at one side and the curb on the 

 other, besides several twists in the reins ; the curb 

 chain itself afforded him endless amusement, but he 

 generally had to bring it to me in the long run. The 

 water-carrier was both deaf and dumb, and worked 

 as well or better than any one in camp ; he was always 

 smiling and in a good temper. He had come round 

 with the Maraji troupe on Holi feast day, and beat 



