Across India; Or, Live Boys in the Far EastOptic, Oliver
General
Across India; Or, Live Boys in the Far East
Optic, Oliver
India -- Juvenile literature
Each carriage contained but two compartments; but they were suites of rooms
on a small scale. The principal one was of good size, and on one side was
cushioned to the ceiling, so that being "knocked about" did not imperil the
traveller's bones and flesh. Against this stuffed partition was a low
couch, which could be made up as a bed at night, or used as a reclining
sofa by day.
Over it was a swinging couch suspended by straps, which could be folded up,
or be entirely removed, and formed a couch like the one below it. On the
other side of the apartment was a toilet-room, with all conveniences
required for washing and other purposes, including a water-cooler. In this
compartment the traveller takes his servant, and often a cook, for the
valet cannot meddle with culinary matters; and they sleep on the floor
wherever they can find a place. A reasonable additional price is charged
for accommodations in this luxurious style.
The journey to Baroda would occupy hardly more than three hours, and these
elaborate arrangements were scarcely necessary for the time they were to be
used; but the members of the party looked upon them with especial interest
in connection with the long travel to Lahore, and that which was to follow
to Calcutta, though they were to break the journey several times on the
way.
The "Big Four" had a compartment to themselves, with the two servants,
Sayad and Moro, who proved to be such good fellows that the boys liked them
very much. Sir Modava had managed to dismiss more than half of the
attendants furnished at first, for all the party declared that such a mob
of them was a nuisance; and the others had overcome their repugnance to
serving more than one person in the face of dismissal, for their
perquisites had already been considerable as they valued money.
"This isn't bad for a haythen counthry," said Felix, as he stretched
himself on the lower couch. "We'll git to Calcutty widout breakin' ahl the
bones in our bodies."
"This is vastly better than anything I expected to find here," replied
Louis, as he pushed his crony over against the partition, and lay down at
his side.
"But where do the elephants and the tigers come in?" asked Scott, as he
called upon Moro to "shine" his shoes. "I haven't seen an elephant since I
came here."
"Elephants are not worked in this country," added Morris. "The Moguls use
them when they want to go in state, and sometimes when they go hunting
tigers; and then the big beast gets most of the hard scratches."
"But the elephant can take care of himself when the mahout allows him to do
so," argued Scott.
"Is the mahout his schnout?" asked Felix.
"You know better than that, Flix. The mahout is the fellow that sits on the
elephant's neck and conducts him. He is the driver," replied Morris.
"Is he afeerd of schnakes?"
"He needn't be, perched on the top of the pachyderm," answered Scott.
"Who is he? Oi've not been introjuced to 'm."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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