44) THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



sent, and fetch Kistimali the peon (policeman) and 

 Veerepah the dhoby, (washerman,) both of whom 

 are good (' shekarries ') hmiters, and will be useful to 

 your honours." So saying, he made a profound 

 obeisance, and retired gracefully. 



As he strode away, I heard him muttering audi- 

 bly, though rather sotto voce, " Oh, fool of an old 

 man that you are, what have you done ? Your face 

 will become black before the sahib log, if neither 

 the peon nor the dhoby are to be found ; and if, 

 ' God helping,' they should be at home, still, per- 

 haps, those jungle animals of defiled fathers will 

 not allow themselves to be seen, and again I shall 

 eat dirt. Abah ! Abah ! Toba ! " 



" Well, my chickens ! " exclaimed W , " as 



the old Moslem gives so favourable an account of 

 the place, I think we cannot do better than halt a 

 day or two, provided the old begum raises no ob- 

 jections to the proposition, for I have another 

 strong reason for wishing to remain here a short 

 time, which is, that our supply of liquor will not 

 last the trip, if we get on as fast as we have done, 

 for when it was ordered, I did not think we should 

 have made it quite such thirsty weather. By stop- 

 ping here a few days, I shall be enabled to send a 

 coolie to the Mess for a couple of chests more of 

 Bass's pale; for, between ourselves, this hot and 

 dusty weather, beer is as necessary to keep one up 

 to the mark, as my grass-cutter's wife's milk is to 

 my bereaved Brinjarry pups, whose canine mother 



