38 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 
oftener the better, as the old man said), cover extraordinary distances and 
without dropping out of the running at an early age as folks seem to fancy. 
Mr. John Harvey, formerly assistant inspector of schools, Lahore 
Circle, who has had abundant opportunity for observation, writes that 
these people are not short lived and that they are known to have per- 
formed “ most extraordinary feats of endurance, such as bearing palan- 
quins and doolies, in carrying bangi loads and in long distance running 
when laying a palki dak, i. ¢., arranging for a succession of bearers for 
an urgent palanquin journey.” He says: 
I know that Kahars live to be old men, for it is from their own lips that 
I have heard of feats of long distance running, as sarbarais and proved them 
to be true. I could give you several instances of incredible endurance. 
The following story from Mr. Harvey illustrates the wonderful 
endurance of the Kahar: 
LONG DISTANCE RUNNING (DrALoeuE) 
ScenE—Amritsar, N. India. Cire. 1875. Time, 5 P.M. 
Dramatis Persons 
J. Harvey Asst. Inspt. Schools, Lahore Circle. 
Maghi Ram. Doolie chaudhri, Amritsar. 
Gangu Son of above. 
J. H. “Ah, chaudhri ji! It is necessary that I should have a doolie to 
start for Sialkot at 8 this evening.” 
M. R. “Very good, nourisher of the poor, here is the Order book: please 
write the order and pay the money Rs 30, at the rate of 44 annas per bearer 
for six bearers, 1 sarbarai (forerunner) and 1 misalchi (torchbearer) for each 
of eleven stages, with Rs 5 for the doolie and the balance for oil.” 
J. H. “There, count the money—is it all right?” 
M. R. “Quite correct, noble presence—Take the Rs 20, and be off with 
you. The doolie will be here at 7:30, Sahib. Salaam.” 
J. H. “Stay, chaudhri—That Gangu is your son, I think; now will he 
go the whole distance to Sialkot (64 miles) before morning, laying my doolie 
dak and paying the bearers?” , 
M. R. “O yes, noble presence, why not? That is nothing for a boy of 
his age (20 years). But kahars (doolie-bearer caste) are no longer in condi- 
tion since the railways came in, though their time was always surer.” 
J. H. “Nonsense. But it is interesting to know that Gangu will do his 
64 miles in 9 hours, if he really does do so. How shall I prove it?” 
M. R. “Why, nourisher of the poor, Gangu will pay his respects to you, 
in duty bound, when you arrive in Sialkot, for he must return to me at once 
with your assurance that all went well on the journey.” 
J. H. “Well, I know this is said to be the usual procedure, but is it not 
a trying piece of work for a young man, especially if he has to do it often?” 
M. R. “Great king, the oftener the better; for it is much more trying if 
undergone only occasionally, though we kahars are in a manner born to the 
work. Unburdened, we could go on forever, but burdened—well, fifty miles is 
nothing out of the way for a man in practise. Some of your own bearers will 
not change for three, four, five or more stages on the way to Sialkot. It will 
all depend on what men are obtainable on short notice. [This was subse- 
quently verified by J. H. who found one man of his bearers toiling under the 
doolie into Sialkot who started under it from Amritsar and who proved that 

