“Stuff!” she interrupted. “One person may know a little of one part of the continent, but there are twenty Indias!--all different, with different climates, customs, and people. What resemblance is there between a Moplah on the west coast and a Leucha from Darjeeling, a little stunted Andamanese and a Sikh; a Gond from the C.P. and a Pathan from the frontier; a Bengali Baboo and a bold Rohilla?” (Aunt Jane was now mounted on her hobby, and I had nothing to do but to look and listen.) “Every one thinks his own little corner is India. You, as an officer’s wife--the wife of a subaltern in a marching regiment”--(she always insisted on the prefix “marching”)--“have better chances than a civilian, for they live in one groove; you are shot about from Colombo to Peshawar. However, much good it will do you, for you are naturally dull, and have no talent for observation.” “No, not like _you_, Aunt Jane,” I ventured with mild sarcasm: was she not going home? “And where are you bound for?” she pursued. “About a hundred miles out, due north.” “That is the Merween district, I know it well. We were in that division years ago. Had you consulted _me_, before making your plans, your uncle might have arranged about elephants for you. It’s too late now,” with a somewhat triumphant air. “But we don’t want elephants,” I protested; “we have our ponies.” “Id----” correcting herself, “simpleton! I meant for shooting from. The district is full of long grass. Tom will get no deer, nor indeed any game on foot. You may have the shikar camel, if you like, for his keep, and the Oontwallah’s pay--no?” as I shook my head emphatically. “Well, I can give you one tip: take plenty of tinned stores; the villages are scattered, and Brahmin. You won’t get an egg, much less a fowl--at most a little ghee and flour; but I strongly advise you to take your own poultry, and a couple of milch goats, also _plenty_ of quinine and cholera mixture; parts of the country are very marshy and unhealthy. I suppose you have tents? _We_ cannot lend you any.” “Yes, we have three, thank you.” “And so your brother Charles is going with you! Tell him that _I_ think he had much better have stayed quietly with his regiment, and worked for the higher standard--a boy only out two years. Of course _you_ are paying his expenses?” I nodded. Tom was moderately well off; though we were not rich, we were not exactly poor, and I always had a firm conviction that Aunt Jane would have liked me _much_ better if I had been a pauper! As it was, she considered me dangerously independent. “Of course you think you know your own business best!” removing her spectacles as she spoke, “but mark my words, you will find this trip a great deal more costly than you imagine. With us civilians it is different, a sort of royal progress; but with you--well, well,” shaking her head, “you must buy your own experience!”