248 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



perhaps aided by some hints from my Kocani Brah- 

 man, soon wrought a change. In the evening a 

 number of the Kathi chiefs came to call upon me 

 with the usual presents of fruit and sweetmeats, and 

 made themselves exceedingly communicative and 

 agreeable. Xext morning they showed me all that 

 was to be seen in Jaitpore (which was not much), 

 and then we settled down to a long talk and friendly 

 entertainment over their national drink. 



The Kathi chiefs are really very fine friendly 

 fellows ; but if I might venture to hint at any alter- 

 ation in their ancient hospitality, I would suggest 

 that a prolonged symposium with them might be 

 enjoyed with a greater sense of safety than at the 

 top of a wooden tower six storeys high. Even on 

 that point, however, I would not speak positively. 

 There is a certain advantage in being aware that you 

 have to go down six storeys again ; and perhaps, if 

 the symposium were carried on upon the ground-floor, 

 an inadvisable sense of perpetuity might prolong it 

 beyond what is expedient in these bustling times. 

 The staircases leading up to the top of this tower are 

 of rather a perpendicular kind, and are so fearfully 

 and wonderfully constructed that the aid of a hang- 

 ing rope is necessary in ascending and descending 

 them particularly in descending, after having par- 

 taken of the national drink. Having got up to 

 the top you have a fine large airy room overlooking 

 the whole country, with couches, hanging bedsteads, 



