70 The Hunting Grounds 



On arrival at the village, we arranged all matters 

 with regard to the number of beaters required. The 

 Ameldar, or head man of the village, sent to all the 

 neighbouring hamlets to collect men ; the gang esta- 

 blished themselves for the night in a choultry or 

 caravanserai, after having begged some coin from us 

 to buy sheep and fowls on the plea of sacrifices being 

 necessary to certain " Sawmies " (Hindoo Deities) to 

 ensure good luck on the morrow ; and mounting our 

 horses amid the "Salams," "Mashallahs," and 

 " Inshallahs" of the villagers, we rode back to camp 

 the scene we had that day witnessed, our hopes 

 of the morrow, and sundry hazardous speculations as 

 to the Doctor's success with the Begum, forming the 

 chief topics of our conversation en route. 



We arrived in camp just before sunset, and were 

 delighted to see the old Pill carefully watering what, 

 to the uninitiated, must have appeared like a garden 

 of straw, but we knew that a goodly store of " long 

 corks " (claret) and " Bass's " nectar, " may his shadow 

 never be less," was cooling in the wind for our even- 

 ing repast. 



We all adjourned to our different tents to enjoy 

 our bath, which the day's fag rendered particularly 

 refreshing. In no part of the world is the real luxury 

 of a bath so appreciated as it is in India. There you 

 bathe the first thing you get up in the morning ; again, 

 when you come back tired after a hot morning parade ; 



