VISIT TO TUNG. 65 



I dress myself up for a Chinaman or any other 



savage r 



When we approached the viceregal lodge of 

 the Hakim Beg, he came out to meet us, and 

 showed us into his durbar a large room with a 

 platform all round, spread with carpets, where we 

 were invited to squat. The proper way to do so 

 in this country is to kneel down and sit on your 

 heels. We found this not only difficult but very 

 painful, so apologised to our host, telling him 

 that no doubt we had been badly brought up, 

 and so could not do what was right and proper. 

 He was very polite, saying that he did not 

 wonder at it, for he had heard that the Faringi 

 (European) always sat in a chair, and he regretted 

 much he had none to offer us. 



We were then served with a duster khan, con- 

 sisting of a boiled sheep cut into quarters. As 

 etiquette demands that the whole of the animal 

 should be placed before you, it presents rather 

 an appalling dish, especially when you have just 

 breakfasted ; besides which, no plates or forks 

 are used, you have to cut off the limb of the 

 animal and gnaw it like a dog ! We had a good 

 excuse for our abstinence ready, as the Hakim 

 Beg had sent us a present of fruit and bread 



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