142 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



nine bottle loomed very large, was carefully stowed 

 away in one of the compartments — a very necessary 

 precaution in a country where disease makes such 

 rapid progress. Besides having often found this 

 chest extremely useful, the mere fact of having it 

 with me inspired my people with confidence, and 

 overcame their fear of the malaria of the dense 

 jungle. 



My supplies consisted chiefly of tea, coffee, sugar, 

 spices, curry stuff, brandy, tobacco, biscuits, and 

 kiln-dried flour, (country flour will not keep.) As 

 bread soon gets dry and spoils in a hot climate, I 

 used to prepare a kind of rusk for travelling, by 

 cutting up loaves in small pieces, and having them 

 baked until they became of a light brown colour. 

 Prepared in this way, if they are carefully kept in 

 tin cases, they remain fresh and palatable for many 

 weeks, and are a great improvement upon Indian 

 biscuits for breakfast. 



My boy was very clever in preparing chapaties or 

 hoppers, which are a kind of girdle-cake baked on 

 an iron plate, and generally made of rice-flour. The 

 materials being always to be procured, even in the 

 smallest village, these cakes are much used in India 

 as a substitute for bread. 



My time for three days was occupied in preparing 

 for the trip, hiring coolies, and superintending the 

 casting of bullets for my different guns. In case of 

 meeting with elephants I had some brass bullets 

 cast, besides others, which I now infinitely prefer, 



