268 TKAVEL, ADVENTUKE, AND SPORT. 



including those of the officer in command, who had 

 declined their services. 



After the officials left and before the Puggis came, 

 an old vagabond of a Jat came to me with some 

 maundering stories, winding up with an offer to 

 introduce me to the queen of his tribe, which I 

 promptly declined, and which made me set him 

 about his business ; because, though much interested 

 in the gipsies, of whom the Jats are congeners, I had 

 no confidence that he would introduce me to any 

 person of the kind. After he was gone, a Bawa, or 

 Hindu devotee, who had been sitting under a tree 

 near by, left for the town, and on passing me, not 

 receiving the alms he asked for, proceeded to de- 

 nounce me and prophesy evil. In India, if you are 

 in want of means, all you have got to do is to strip 

 yourself almost naked, to sit down under the shade 

 of a tree or of an umbrella, and sweep a small circle 

 clear of dust round you. The passers-by will then 

 give you alms, both in money and food ; but in order 

 to carry out this easy profession you must have a 

 black skin. If you are seen to be an Englishman 

 a civis Romanus you will be arrested as a vagabond 

 and a rogue, be clapped into prison, will probably be 

 tortured secretly by the native police, and will finally 

 be deported from the country. 



When the Puggis arrived they lighted a fire, cun- 

 ningly arranged the stones with which the ground 

 was covered so as to make comfortable beds for them- 



