The Next Morning We
Took Our Baggage On Three Packhorses, And, After A Few Break-
Downs, Arrived About Noon At Our Destination.
After getting all my things set straight, and having made a hasty
meal, I determined if possible to make friends with the people.
I
therefore sent for the owner of the house and as many of his
acquaintances as liked to come, to have a "bitchara," or talk.
When they were all seated, I gave them a little tobacco all
around, and having my boy Baderoon for interpreter, tried to
explain to them why I came there; that I was very sorry to turn
them out of the house, but that the Rajah had ordered it rather
than build a new one, which was what I had asked for, and then
placed five silver rupees in the owner's hand as one month's
rent. I then assured them that my being there would be a benefit
to them, as I should buy their eggs and fowls and fruit; and if
their children would bring me shells and insects, of which I
showed them specimens, they also might earn a good many coppers.
After all this had been fully explained to them, with a long talk
and discussion between every sentence, I could see that I had
made a favourable impression; and that very afternoon, as if to
test my promise to buy even miserable little snail-shells, a
dozen children came one after another, bringing me a few
specimens each of a small Helix, for which they duly received
"coppers," and went away amazed but rejoicing.
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