The record-union., 1897-03-28
mountains to teach


gave them their orders, and retired,
leaving a subaltern with a score or so
of Pathans at Kalt, a fort command
ing the only pass by which the tribes
could descend into the lowlandS.
Things went on well enough for
time and then rumors began to get
around of renewed raids, and X was
about this period the authorities saw
fit to send the Bun up to serve his turn
OF SentrygO at Kalt.
! Il was seedy that hot weather and
had an extra term of leave, towards
the end Of which / found myself not so
far from Childazai l had been there
with the expedition, and thought l
should like to have a look at the old
place and the Bun. incidentally, also,
l was rather curious to see how the
Bun upheld his authority.
"Childazai is well up towards the
roof of the world, as you know, and is
not precisely san easy place to get at.
But l reached it after some tritling
miSadventures, and was welcomed by
the Bun with effuSion.
Il found him very fit; he blushed
and blinked much in the old way, and
to a casual observer his responsibilities
did not seem to weigh upon him.
while we We're waiting for dinner
he took me up on the top of the fort to
have look around. Kalt is not large.
Its little square towers stand in the
very eye of the pass on a short, rocky
terrace, below which the torrent of the
Somara rOars through narrow gorge
| between two sheer walls of granite
hundreds of feet in hight. The river
bed being impassable the path to the
plains Zigzags over the shoulder of the'
ridge directly under the guns of the
fort-a convenient arrangement, as the
Bun remarked. The whole region is the
most Godforsaken medley of black,
naked mountain sides and gloomy ra-
vines swept alternately byAseas of
mist or bitter winds off In SHOWS.
Looking northwards the view is
blocked by the tail-end of one of the
biggest glaciers in the world.
I'm the mid-distance the Bun pointed
out the principal village, where the ir-
regular lines of fiat roofs looked like a
broad ruined stair, leading up to the
squat tower of the Rajah's castle.
See that dark thing on the top of
the tOwer? asked the Bun, handing me
his fieldglass; that's the pet fetish of
this cheerful neighborhood. It's a
drum, trimmed round with big garnets.
1t used to be beaten by propitious fair
les or devils when a projected raid was
destined to turn out lucky
1T hasn't been used lately 1 re-
marked.
No, but it's still there he returned.
Directly below us across the gorge
enclosing the unseen river, a frail
bridge of twigs swung in the evening
wind over depth of black abyss. I
didn't feel like trying it, and said so
to the Bun.
He gazed at it abstractedly and
agreed with me. I've been over it
once or twice, but it isn't a pleasure.
It's one of our high roads, and I've had
T. strengthened with ropes and Stats,
as you see.
'And, then he took me down to din
ner.
"'What have these beggars to do
with magic drums?' 1 asked presently.
L understand they We're Mussulmans.'
''The Bun nodded.
Dissenters,' he explained, as he
tackled a second helping of a whole
lean hen. They despise the Koran,
and have a convenient schism of their
own, under the dogmas of which they
may drink wine and bedevil themselves
generally. Their one golden rule con-
sists in paying the Pir7-thats the high
priest-handsomely, and he arranges
the rest. Not half bad, you know, when
you come to think of it,
What do they believe in then?'
They believe in the devil and the
drum-prncpally the drum-and the in
fluence of the Pr with the bogies all
round
These gorges, remember now are
supposed to be peopled by demons and
wizards said, but 1 don't remember
the drum
"'Of course not replied the Bun
You don't suppose they have left that
around for the Tommies to fool with.
They hid it. Why, it's the luck of the
ChiIdazais, so to speak, and the begin
ming of all evil in these parts
after this we began to talk on the
subjects men always talk of when they
meet on the edges of the world-the
Varsity match, golf, music-halls, and,
lastly we fell to discussing the chances
of a row.
"'We're in for bit of a storm here,
on I'm much mistaken he said. The
tribe is being fea-bitten into discon-
tent
The Pir?' I haZarded.
Naturally he returned. The Pr
is no end of a chap! In the old days
he used to levy tithes on the loot Of the
caravans, and, in fact, on all the plum
der these beggars brought back from
their raids l believe he has a ten
foot we'll cran1med with treasure. I'd
not like to NEEDLE with it, by George,
lit is heavy with rusted blood. Now his
income is paltry in comparison to what
it was. and he fails to see the beauty
Of the embargo laid by the Government
On the outgoing and ancient customs of
the tribe. There has been a good deal
of grumbling and cllafing this while
past
You should report it, I observed.
"'I have he answered. but you
know what they always say-that they
don't want to go to any expense in the
way of sending up reinforcements and
hint that if I am worth my salt 1
should be able to keep the tribe quiet.
$50 you should l agreed, with the
proper amount of superiority.
~ wish you had it to do, then ex-
claimed the Bun boyishly, driven be-
yond the limits of his patience. L dare
| say / might manage the ruck, but
| when it comes to dealing with such
an astute, daring old cadger AS the
Pr I tell you I feel pretty childish
"'Go and talk to the Rajah about it,