LIFE IX CENTRAL ASIA. 281 



was necessary to have camel-men and servants, but 

 the former of these were not easily obtained, and the 

 latter, already in employ, objected strongly to cross- 

 ing the frontier, after they consulted the bazaar upon 

 the subject. These difficulties were at last got over, 

 but the want of any one on whom we could rely in 

 an emergency, was but ill compensated for by the 

 number of attendants. A small hill-tent, grain for a 

 horse, as well as provisions, &c., required to be carried, 

 and so it was found necessary to take one riding and 

 four baggage -camels, these being attended by three 

 camel -men, two of them Sindees, and the other a 

 Sind-Beluch. A horse-keeper, a cook, and a personal 

 servant, together with a negro peon, made up a very 

 respectable small caffilali; but in all probability these 

 attendants, excepting the negro and horse - keeper, 

 would have been worse than useless in any fighting 

 other than with the tongue. The disastrous Somali 

 expedition has shown well how little dependence can 

 be placed on Eastern servants when a sudden attack 

 has to be withstood. The smaller the number, the 

 more likely are they to stand by their master when 

 required, and the more unlikely to give notions of his 

 wealth which may arouse cupidity. It is always best 

 to have them as much as possible from different castes, 

 for then their mutual dislike and jealousy act as a 

 check on the evil practices in which they may be 

 inclined to indulge. It was rather difficult to get 

 these servants started on the journey, for at the last 



