MARKHOR AND SHARPU SHOOTING 161 



who was to accompany us to the Field of the Cloth 

 of Gold, to join us in doing honor to the Bara Maha- 

 rajah Sahib. Indeed, the ball was now thoroughly 

 rolling, and as the possibilities of the affair dawned 

 upon us, having solemnly welcomed the Rajah, we 

 took refuge in the tent in order not to lose caste by 

 a public exhibition of our unseemly but irrepressible 

 mirth. Furthermore, Perry and I felt that the oc- 

 casion demanded something more ceremonious than 

 the dingy old gray-flannel shirts we were wearing ; 

 so drawing forth from the carefully-packed corners 

 of our boxes two precious immaculate white starched 

 collars, our only two, we put them on. We 

 possessed no ties, but that was unimportant. Then, 

 fastening boutonnieres of wild roses to the lapels of 

 our puttoo coats, we emerged to await events. 



Camp was struck, and for a while all was confu- 

 sion in the process of getting under way. Two other 

 splendid chargers, beautifully decked out with sil- 

 ver and gold trappings, now appeared, and these 

 the Rajah placed at our disposal for the ride to the 

 Bara Maharajah Sahib's camp-ground; and while 

 the ponies were being packed, we took our position 

 at the head of the gathering, the Rajah stationing 

 himself beside us, and the Baltis quickly falling into 

 line in the rear of his bodyguard. Our shikaris and 

 coolies then took their places, the brass band, which 



