pose than for locking up money; and I was obliged to
leave them open to inspection before they would sell
anything for cloth.*
The sultan now lived at Bunder Gori, and seldom
showed himself, promising to come to me every day,
without the least intention of doing so; and only at
last, after three days’ absence, when I threatened to
invade his dwelling, did he appear, bringing several
camels with him: of these I purchased some good ones,
and sent the reist away: this was the 15th November.
He then returned home again, and promised faithfully
he would bring on the morrow a sufficient number of
camels to carry all my kit.
16 th. For the first time the sultan kept his promise
by returning, but the animals he brought were weak
and useless, and I could plainly see I was being trifled
with, and detained here for the mere purpose of being
robbed in an indirect manner, so that no accusation
could be laid against any one. Nothing, I may say,
in all my experiences, vexes the mind so much as feeling
one’s self injured in a way that cannot be prevented
or avenged. Some might take such matters quietly,
but I confess I could not. Indeed, I stormed and expostulated
with the sultan until he agreed to assist me
in a move. I had now eleven camels, and wanted
some five more, but thought it better not to wait; for
* It may appear strange that these men would not accept anything
from me in payment except such things as they were accustomed to ;
and many of the pretty baubles which I brought from Calcutta, and*
considered would allure them by their beauty, proved of no use here as
a medium of exchange.
as long as I remained in a comfortable dwelling, I
knew my men would not exert themselves. That day,
then, packing up what I most required, I started for
Bunder Gori, and unloaded, after a three miles’ march,
at an old well in rear of the village, selecting as a
camping-ground the least comfortable place I could
find, and not allowing the tent to be pitched, though
the sun-heat was 112 degrees, and the sand was
blowing in perfect clouds. Some days previous
to my leaving Goriat, Sumunter induced me to
give him twenty rupees to hire donkeys for conveying
the heavier things over the hills, and repeatedly
assured me he had got them, but they never
came; and now I asked him to return the money,
as I had brought it with me as a reserve fund,
to provide against any possible difficulty, and not
to be parted with for any ordinary purpose. This
commenced a series of rows between Sumunter and
myself: he had made away with the money, and
could not produce it. The salt also was never forthcoming.
17 th.—I could not succeed in making up my complement
of camels. The sultan said he and his men
must be fed before they could do work, and sat upon
the date-bags so resolutely I was fain to open them
that some business might be done. After feasting
they all dispersed, under pretence of bringing other
camels, and I went into the town to inspect the place.
There were five small forts, occupied by merchants, of
whom one was a Hindi from Cutch, and a large collec