184 TWO TEARS IIST THE JUISGLE. 



life, and. while I was waiting an lioui' at Potlianoor Junction for the 

 train to Coimbatore, I went to the butler, or "head-boy," of the 

 refreshment station, and asked him where I could find a good 

 servant, 



" Why sii', you got one servant already. What you want with 

 one more? " " That's none of your business. I want another and 

 a better one. Can you find one for me ? " " No, sir ! " " "WTiere do 

 you think I can find one ? " "I don't know, sir." " Now look here. 

 If you will find me a good ' boy,' that can cook and speak a little 

 English, I will give you a rupee ! " 



You should have seen him brighten up. Telling me to wait 

 there for him, he ran off and in fifteen minutes returned with a fine- 

 looking young man wearing a magnificent black mustache, and rub- 

 bing his eyes in a bewildered way. The butler recommended him 

 strongly and offered to be " secniit " (security) for him to the extent 

 of twenty rupees. I looked at the boy keenly, and he at me, asked 

 him a few questions hurriedly, answered a few, and in five minutes 

 we had struck a bargain. The train was nearly due. He dashed 

 off to where he had been sleeping, in five minutes ran back with a 

 moderate sized Avhite bundle ; I handed him his ticket and three 

 minutes later we were off. 



I saw that the idea of going into the jungle on a hunting sj)ree 

 had stirred him ujj profoundly, and I knew he was my man. His 

 name was Doraysawmy— meaning "gentleman's god!" — and he 

 was worthy of his name. After my other three Madras servants, he 

 seemed almost worthy of adoration. He was a capital cook, a 

 first-rate tailor in his way, clean, neat, and industrious as any New 

 England housewife. Of my own accord I nearly doubled his wages, 

 and at last paid him at the rate of eighteen rupees per month ; 

 but he was worth it. He was a perfect jewel of a boy. 



When we got to my new hut that night, he showed his good 

 qualities at once. First, he tore the cover off a box, fished out a 

 cork-screw and a cup from the camp chest, and in a moment 

 handed me a brimming cuj) of Bass' pale ale, the most celestial 

 stuff that ever warmed the midi'iff of a tired and hungry traveller. 

 In retm-n I gave him a dram of arrack, which helped him also. 

 Then he flew around and undid certain of the packs, made the men 

 build a fire, and in twenty minutes a supper of bacon, eggs, and 

 hot chocolate was i-eady for me. While I was busy with these, he 

 slung my hammock, and got out my pillow and blanket. I sat and 

 watched him in dumb astonishment ; it was so totally unlike any- 



