NOVELTIES. 465 



trip. They seemed in such perfect good humour that we 

 were a little too kind to them, whereon they at once began to 

 say that without arms they would certainly not go, and to 

 assume a distinctly insoleut manner, though a few hours pre- 

 viously they had crept iuto the village in mortal terror. Then 

 my Manipur mentor, one of the sweetest-tempered and most 

 patient old gentlemen I ever met with, blazed out in wrath, 

 for the first and last time during the six months we were together 

 (and even then, as I found out, it was only a piece of excellent 

 acting). In a minute two of the leaders were seized, eight 

 men of the guard loaded their rifles, and it seemed as if there 

 was going: to be an execution then and there. All the rest of 

 the men began to howl and throw themselves at my feet, but 

 of course 1 shrugged my shoulders. I could not understand 

 what was passing, but I knew well that my old friend would 

 not hurt a fly, and was quite content to let him play his own 

 game. I found out later that what he had said when he pre- 

 tended to be so furious was this : i( You scoundrels, how 

 many Manipuris have you not killed in old times ; when you 

 came as fugitives and we ought to have killed you. I it was 

 who was Governor down here, who induced the Maharaja to 

 spare your lives ; now the first time His Highness desires a 

 small service of you, you treat his sacred orders with insolence, 

 you, you dogs ! You shall die. Here seize those two and 

 shoot them to begin with/' 



All began to cry and howl and throw themselves on the 

 ground, but the old gentleman was not to be appeased, and 

 I really became nervous, for eight men with loaded Eufields 

 (which they did not in the least know how to use) but which 

 they were brandishing in the most terrifying manner, were 

 dangerous. 



Guessing that he wanted a stepping stone down from his 

 high horse, I then came forward and suggested that, if they 

 at once went off for the Pheasants and brought some within a 

 week, their lives might be spared. He appeared to receive the 

 suggestion with great deference, but most unwillingly, aud 

 walked backwards and forwards saying in their language as 

 I afterwards learnt : " No, they shall die ; they are only fit 

 to be shot, dogs ; still His Excellency is His Highnesses guest ; 

 it is as though the Maharaja himself spoke, but they ought 

 to be shot. Well, never mind, I will shoot them the next time 

 they give the smallest trouble." Then he turned to them and 

 said that at my request he would spare them if they went off 

 then and there and brought the Pheasants. 



Instantly they agreed to go ; there was no more hesitation, 

 and in half an hour they were off, laughing and chuckling 

 and vociferously chaffing the two who had been seized for 



