SPEARS AND GEAR 275 



Fans and Mosquito Nets, — In very hot weather 

 " jost " or electric fans are of value, while mosquito 

 curtains are a necessity, as much for flies in the day 

 as for mosquitoes at night. 



Water, — It is sound to boil your water. In the 

 Meerut Tent Club Mr. Norton started a portable 

 soda-water machine. It has paid and saved the 

 heavy loss on many full soda-water bottles broken. 

 Good leather chaguls allow some water to evaporate, 

 and keep it beautifully cool in the hot weather. 



Amusements, — For amusements, chess, patience, 



study of a language, and a few books are all good 



to fill in odd hours. 



Across the cool blue evenings 

 Throughout the burning days. 



Dickens, Shakespeare, and such outlast and out- 

 w^eigh many modern novels. 



Syces. — As for your syces, who feed your horses, 

 pay them well, clothe them well, give them blankets, 

 trust them, have them happy. It will repay you 

 many times in the end. If a man is starving and 

 underpaid he must steal his horse's grain. If he is 

 cold when by himself in the jungle he will sleep in 

 his horse's rugs. Give your men hatta and, if you 

 like, a small tip of a few annas for each first spear 

 or pig their horses get. They are wonderfully keen 

 and need little to make them take an interest in 

 the sport. 



