22 TWO TEARS IK THE JUNGLE. 



tion to the collector of customs would secure the passage of my 

 outfit free of duty. A naturalist, unless he is a millionaire or has 

 one at his back, cannot afford to look lightly upon a matter involv- 

 ing forty to fifty nipees. So I went to the United States Consul, 

 and asked that he make a statement of the facts in the case to the 

 collector of customs. ]\Ir. Farnham may be of more use to the 

 United States than a wooden man would be, but he certainly wasn't 

 to me. He simply declined to trouble himself about the matter in 

 the least and, with not more than a dozen words, went back to his 

 " long-sleeved " chair and his newspaper. I was so completely 

 snubbed that I determined to give our consuls a wide berth there- 

 after, and meekly paid the duty demanded.* 



In the yard of the custom-house I saw about three hundred 

 elephant tusks lying in a pile, awaiting shipment to England. I 

 was greatly surprised at the shortness of them all. 



Knowing that I could remain but a comparatively short time in 

 India, I realized that I could not afford to spend time in learning 

 the languages of the different Presidencies. I resolved therefore 

 to depend entirely upon interpreters ; and my first care was to 

 find a servant who could speak a little English. I wanted some one 

 who would act as my shadow every time I went out, and who could 

 also assist me at whatever work I should undertake. The Hindoo 

 servant is a nuisance, for he can only eat in a certain way, at a certain 

 time, and do but one kind of work ; and the Mohammedan is not 

 easily induced to travel. I wanted a man who would be willing to 

 do any kind of work that I myself would do, and I found a Httle 

 feUow from Goa who proved to be the very man. He was a native 

 Christian, and therefore not hampered by caste prejudice ; he 

 dressed neatly in Er.ropean style, wore a nobby, high black hat, a 

 moustache and side whiskers, and was as black as night. He did 

 not know more th.^n fifty words of English, but he was quick to 

 understand and prompt to execute my wishes. I took him at first 

 on trial, with the understanding that if we suited each other, I 

 would take him to Northern India with me. 



With my new servant, Carlo, at my heels, I started out to visit 

 the market, which is always good collecting ground in a new locality. 

 Bombay is the only city in the East Indies blessed with street cars, 

 and being well managed and liberally patronized by all classes, they 



* In justice to the service I should add that I soon reconsidered this de- 

 termination, for I found our consuls at Calcutta, Columbo, and Singapore, ex* 

 tremely obliging and serviceable. 



