encampment ground, and that government
ought to have a new well sunk. He
happens, just now, to be suffering severely from
one of very many ailments consequent on
his time of life, and he attributes it to the
water."

"Which happens to be very good," I remarked.

"Precisely so. These native officers, of
every rank and grade are, in my opinion, the
curse of the native service. Many very
clearheaded and experienced officers have
recommended doing away with them, and appointing,
in their stead, more European officers;
but the advice has never been heeded, and
never will be, I fear."

It was not until midnight that the little
camp was broken up, and we resumed the
march towards Agra. During the drive, the
Lieutenant entertained me by relating a number
of stories connected with the war in
Affghanistan. Several of them interested me
exceedingly; one in particular. It was this;
which I now give in the Lieutenant's
own words as nearly as I can recollect
them.

"About a year ago," said he, "I was
passing through Meerut, on my way from the
Hills, whither I had been on sick certificate,
and was putting up for a few days with my
friend Richards, of the Light Cavalry—a man
whom I had known during that disastrous
campaign to which this narrative has
reference. One morning, after breakfast, there
came to the bungalow of my friend, an
Affghan, who was a dealer in dried fruits—
such as grapes, apples, and pomegranates,—
and inquired if the Sahib or Mem-sahib was
in want of any of these commodities, which
he had just brought from Caubul. My
friend's wife, who had also been in Affghanistan,
and spoke the mongrel Persian current
in that country, replied in the affirmative,
and the Alfghan was admitted to the
verandah, to exhibit his specimens and declare
his prices. To talk to these dealers is rather
amusing at times, especially when you know
their habits, and customs, and peculiarities,
as well as their language. To people who have
been in their country, it is like meeting with
an old friend, and one lingers as long as
possible over the business, of the bargain and sale.
And so was it on this morning. We had him
for at least an hour in the verandah, before
my friend's wife would decide upon what
she would take. This matter concluded,
the Affghan inquired if the lady would
buy a kitten — a Persian kitten; kittens
being also a commodity with these travelling
Affghans.

"' Yes; where are the kittens? ' said the
lady.

"' Here,' said the merchant, putting his
hand into a huge pocket at the back of his
chogah (a sort of gaberdine), and withdrawing,
one by one, no less than sixteen of these
little animals (all males). For more than
the hour which was consumed in negotiating
about the fruit, and talking on other
subjects, this living bustle had remained
perfectly motionless, and had not uttered a
single sound; but now, when they saw the
light, and were placed upon all fours, they
ran about and mewed — bushy tails on end—
after the most vigorous fashion imaginable.
There they were! Kittens as black as the
blackest ink, kittens white as the whitest
snow, kittens as yellow as the yellowest
gold, and kittens piebald, brindled, and
grey.

" ' There they are, Mem-sahib. Take your
choice. Twenty rupees (two pounds) each.'

"The lady selected one of the white and
one of the black kittens, and for the two he
was induced to accept thirty-five rupees
(three pound ten shillings). This may
seem a large sum of money to give for a
brace of young cats; but it must be
remembered that they came from Bokara, and were
of the purest breed that could possibly be
procured.

"The Affghan dealer took his leave, and
promised to send the fruits in the course
of the day. He fulfilled his promise; at
tiffin-time there came a boy of about eleven
years of age, bearing the basket containing
them upon his head, which was shawled after
the fashion of the Affghan people. The boy
was admitted to the room. No sooner was
he shown in, than his exceedingly beautiful
countenance, and its peculiar expression,
riveted the attention of all of us, and we put
to him a variety of questions which he
answered with great intelligence, and in a
tone of voice so soft and silvery that even
the guttural sounds he uttered, came like
music on the ear.

"' Look into that boy's face,' said the lady
to her husband and myself; 'observe his
every feature and his teeth, regard especially
his smile, yes, and even the shape of his
fingers, and then tell me of whom he is the
very image.'

"' I know,' said my friend." ' So do I,' exclaimed your humble servant.

"' Stay! ' said the lady, energetically.
' Do not speak; but let each of us write the
name on a slip of paper, and see if we agree;'
and tearing up an envelope and taking a
tiny pencil case from her watch-chain, she
wrote a name upon one slip, and then,
handed to me and to her husband, respectively,
a slip and the pencil-case. When
we had each written a name, we compared
them,—and they did not agree exactly. My
friend and his wife had written, Captain
Percy —. I had written, Mrs. Percy —.
That the boy was the offspring of that
unfortunate couple (cousins), who perished in
that campaign, and of whose young child no
one ever knew what had become, we were all
quite satisfied; aad our reflections became
extremely melancholy.