48 The Hunting Grounds 



deer are to be found, besides all kinds of small 

 game; but if the 'sahib log' (gentlemen) wish to 

 be successful, they must take some one with them 

 who knows the haunts of the animals; so, with 

 your permission, I will take my leave for the 

 present, and fetch Kistimah the peon (policeman), 

 and Veerepah the dhoby (washerman), both of 

 whom are good ('shekaries') hunters, and will be 

 useful to your honours/' So saying, he made a 

 profound obeisance, and retired gracefully. 



As he strode away, I heard him muttering 

 audibly, though rather sotto voce, " Oh, fool of an 

 old man that you are, what have you done ? Your 

 face will* become black before the sahib log, if 

 neither the peon nor the dhoby are to be found ; 

 and if, ' God helping,' they should be at home, 

 still, perhaps, those jungle animals of defiled 

 fathers will not allow themselves to be seen, and 

 again I shall eat dirt. Abah! Abah! Toba!" 



" Well, my chickens !" exclaimed W , " as 



the old Moslem gives so favourable an account of 

 the place, I think we cannot do better than halt a 

 day or two, provided the old begum raises no ob- 

 jections to the proposition, for I have another 

 strong reason for wishing to remain here a short 

 time, which is, that our supply of liquor will not 

 last the trip, if we get on as fast as we have done, 

 for when it was ordered, I did not think we should 



