216 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SHIKAR 



was right after all, and I utterly wrong/which rather 

 embarrassed but pleased him. 



The flies in this camp were horrible ; eye-flies and 

 a nasty, nimble, sprightly sort of house-fly that 

 never left one alone by day, though happily they 

 wanted a time off at night, for rest. The mangoes 

 were in full bloom then, which may have attracted 

 them. ; 



There were no signs of any tiger anywhere near, 

 so I left there, staying for a night again at Garchiroli, 

 as I passed through. Before I left, Rattan Lai 

 asked me if I would mind coming to a pan supari 

 party he wished to give me. Then he wrote a 

 note " requesting my company to tiffin, at 3.30." 

 I went to his house when he said they were ready, 

 and found, in the middle of the room, a large chair 

 covered with a lovely brilliant green cloth, stitched 

 in many colours ; a small table in front of it, some 

 sugar and a cup of milk on the table, and, incidentally, 

 a dead fly in the milk, but that was soon fished out. 

 The doctor had an untapestried chair in a far corner, 

 and his mother, aunt, wife and a tiny child were 

 standing in a row, besides a babe in arms, all looking 

 on. 



They gave me a very nice tea, and I asked if he 

 and his family would not join. He said, if I would 

 allow, he would have some tea in his corner, after I 

 had begun, but the " females " would eat afterwards. 

 The biscuits were quite good, but one sort was 

 sweeter than I liked, and I had taken more of it 

 than I could manage. I did not like to leave it, 

 so shoved the last bit into the baby's mouth, which 



