CHAPTER II

LIFE ON OUTPOST

The daily routine--Drill in the Indian Army--Hindustani--A lingua franca--The divers tongues of India--The sepoys' lodging--Their ablutions--An Indian's fare--An Indian regiment--Rajput customs--The hospital--The doctor at work--Queer patients--A vicious bear--The Officers' Mess--Plain diet--Water--The simple life--A bachelor's establishment--A faithful Indian--Fighting the trusts--Transport in the hills--My bungalow--Amusements in Buxa--Dull days--Asirgarh--A lonely outpost--Poisoning a General--A storied fortress--Soldier ghosts--A spectral officer--The tragedy of isolation--A daring panther--A day on an elephant--Sport in the jungle--_Gooral_ stalking in the hills--Strange pets--A friendly deer--A terrified visitor--A walking menagerie--Elephants tame and wild--Their training--Their caution--Their rate of speed--Fondness for water--Quickly reconciled to captivity--Snakes--A narrow escape--A king-cobra; the hamadryad--Hindu worship of the cobra--General Sir Hamilton Bower--An adventurous career--E. F. Knight--The General's inspection 19