ALLOTMENT OF THE MEAT. 75 



otherwise using their masters' names in their own 

 behoof, they proceeded to the spot, easily guided by 

 the clamour. Under the wide-spreading branches 

 of a fine peep ul- tree, perhaps for centuries the 

 evening resort of the village elders, they found 

 gathered the whole population, male and female. 

 All were speaking at once, and it was some time 

 before the public attention was attracted to the 

 visitors. When, however, this took place, exclama- 

 tions of " The Sahibs I the Sahibs ! " caused the 

 speedy exit from the scene of some of the women, 

 and quickly tended to allay the uproar. 



The flesh of the game, cut up into blocks of meat, 

 was lying arranged in rows on the bare ground. 

 The contention was going on, at the end of one of 

 these rows, over a pile of meat of imposing magni- 

 tude, and far larger than any of the others. Rugo- 

 nauth stood forward as the gentlemen approached, 

 and, amid a dead silence, replied to their inter- 

 rogatories. 



" What is all this row about 1 " asked Mackenzie. 

 " Can't you divide the meat in peace, without quar- 

 reling over it like a pack of hungry jackals 1 " 



" Sahib," the man said, " it is the greediness of 

 the Patell (the village head-man). It is not our 

 fault. The meat has been cut into portions for each 

 house of the village ; but the Patell is not satisfied, 



