106 KURBEER'S FLIRTATION. 



would be rash in approaching a Tartar camp after dark ; and, 

 when protected by the strong iron-spiked collar they usually 

 wear, they are quite fit to cope even with a marauding 

 leopard. 



Whilst resting and smoking my pipe beside a stream near 

 this Tartar encampment, I was much entertained by watching 

 a little by-play between Kurbeer and an old dame sitting 

 there with a buxorn, rosy-cheeked girl, who, I presumed, was 

 her daughter, spinning wool. It was a fair example of the 

 light-hearted character of these simple-minded people, which 

 their droll honest faces do not belie, and of how they could 

 enter into and appreciate a little fun. 



As the women seemed familiar with the Goorkhali lan- 

 guage, Kurbeer and they were able to converse freely to- 

 gether. From what I could gather of their conversation, and 

 was afterwards told by Kurbeer, it appeared that the old lady, 

 after satisfying her feminine curiosity as to whence we had 

 come and whither we were going, among other things asked 

 him if he was married. On learning he was single, she jocu- 

 larly began recommending her daughter to his notice, telling 

 him of all her domestic accomplishments and the advantages 

 to be derived by taking her for a wife. At hearing all this 

 the lassie in question at first looked rather coy, and would 

 only occasionally take a sly sidelong glance at Kurbeer, who, 

 having much the same Mongolian type of feature as herself, 

 she probably thought a good enough looking lad in his way. 

 However, on his addressing himself to her, she seemed noth- 

 ing loath to reply, and they were soon 011 pretty easy terms, 

 asking each other's names, ages, and suchlike questions. 

 However this little flirtation might have ended, I was sorry 

 to be obliged to interrupt it by proceeding on our way, for 

 we had still far to go, and distant thunder and gathering 

 clouds testified that a storm was brewing. 



We reached the hamlet where we intended to camp, only 

 just in time to seek shelter from one of those tremendous 



