CHAPTER VI. 



THE GANG. 



The begum's invitation accepted. — My shekar gang. — Qoo- 

 gooloo's history and the discovery of the Yanadi caste. — 

 Googooloo's gifts. — Insinuations. 



As I was standing superintending the preparation 

 of the skins, which my gang were pegging down 

 tightly on the ground and rubbing with cocoa-nut 

 oil and turmeric to preserve them, the black aide- 

 de-camp of the begum came up, and, with many 

 compliments on the part of his mistress, informed 

 me that she would only be too happy if we would 

 do her the honour of attending a nautch that even- 

 ing. 



I accepted the invitation on the part of us all, 

 bidding him tell the Khanum sahiba "that her kind- 

 ness had made a deep and lasting impression on our 

 hearts, and that, ere the evening gun boomed through 

 the camp, our shadows would cross her hospitable 

 threshold," and then joined the other officers, who 

 were sitting smoking in front of my tent and dis- 

 cussing the sports of the day. 



