24 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



else concerned him, except the previous superintending 

 of all his utensils, and the ' Europe-tins ' and supplies 

 generally, so that everything needful might be forthcoming 

 for him to set to work directly a halt was called. The larger 

 camp commissariat department was in the hands of others, 

 and included the providing of great quantities of rice for 

 the entire camp use, and the dogs ; gram and other food 

 for the horses, bullocks, etc. ; curry stuff (that is, chillies, 

 dried fish, and such things) and tobacco for the men ; medi- 

 cine and other necessaries ; but of the cook no more was 

 expected than the preparing of our meals. 



We had a double staff of servants : those attending on 

 us at home, or headquarters, remained there, as their 

 families could neither be left nor brought with us, for they 

 and their families cannot be separated for long. The camp, 

 or travelling staff might have their encumbrances too, but 

 they managed their own affairs in their own way, never 

 bringing them on the scene. 



Dinner announced, there would be the never-failing soup, 

 chicken cutlets, curry — tinned lobster was our first favourite 

 — and some sweet, with coffee to wind up. The cook had 

 no idea of forfeiting his good name as a ' travelling cook ' 

 for such trifles as brokendown carts or burnt bridges ; the 

 greater the odds the more he strove to eclipse himself. I 

 have known ices and iced wine and coffee to appear, as a 

 matter of course, under circumstances seemingly impossible 

 for more than a biscuit or two. No one shall ever say a word 

 against native servants in my hearing ! 



The ayah was just as clever in her way as the cook ; never 

 any telling wanted. We had folding cots, and she would 

 sleep on her mat on the ground with her blankets and hard 

 pillow — her usual habit — in a corner of the tent or close 

 beside my feet. 



The camp furniture was soon arranged, dhurries being 

 spread over the earth floor and hung snugly around. These 



