Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 77.djvu/45

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be had the previous day reached Amritsar from Sialkot with a banghy (bamboo shoulder pole with burdens at either end) load of mangoes.] My grandfather was a famous long-distance kahar, and my father, an old man now, still carries his banghy all day."

J. H. "Is it so? But now, listen; how far could your Gangu go without rest on one stretch?"

M. R. "Noble presence, there is no telling how far an unburdened kahar could not go, but Gangu should be able to do one hundred miles without food or rest."

J. H. (cynically) "Ah, indeed! And you, I think, in your day could have done two hundred."

M. R. "Great king, more than that. Listen, incarnation of justice. Just at the mutiny time, Capt. of Mian Mir sent for doolie chaudhri Tika Ram, and after informing him that he had important despatches for Meerut, asked him if he could arrange for a doolie dak there. I need not tell you the distance, Sahib, three hundred miles as the crow flies—and have him carried with safety. Tika Ram was aghast at the very notion, but when Capt.  said he had thought of every other means, and had come to the conclusion that a continuous doolie journey through Patiala and Karnal would be speediest, that not only would the chaudri be well paid, but that the reward would be great if the dispatches could be delivered on the third day, and that if Tika Ram, son of Lalu Ram, could not manage it, no one else could, the chaudhri after considerable thought agreed to undertake it, as it was worth risking. So asking for the bare fare in advance, and stipulating for ten hours start for the sarbarai, he despatched his own son on the business of laying a cross-country doolie dak to Meerut. At the appointed hour, the doolie was at Captain 's door and bore him off to arrive without let or hindrance at Meerut on the third day, to be greeted on his arrival by the sarbarai, and to give him assurance that all was well."

J. H. "Enough, enough, chaudhri, that will do. Go."

M. R. "Your noble presence does not believe me. Here is the proof, always carried with me. There, great king, cast your eye over that. What is its purport, mine of intelligence?"

J. H. (Reading No. 1.) This to certify that chaudhri Tika Ram, son of Lalu Ram arranged a doolie dak for me from Mean-Mir to Meerut and that he fulfilled his engagement by having me safely brought with important despatches to my destination.

Signed, Capt. Hianmir.

Dated.

No. 2. The bearer of this chaudhri Tika Ram, son of Lalu Ram, has been rewarded with the sum of Rs 1000 for etc., etc.

Signed, General Commander Hianmir.

Dated.

No. 3. This is to certify that Maghi Ram, son of Tika Ram, doolie Chaudhri of Mianmir, laid my doolie dak successfully from Mian-Mir to Meerut, etc.

Signed, Capt. Hianmir.

Dated.

Looking at the chaudhri—" Humph! I am to believe then that you are the same sarbarai that laid the dak from Mianmir to Meerut which arrived on the third day."

M. R. "Incarnation of justice, your slave is the grandson of Lalu Ram, the son of Tika Ram, and the father of Gangu—Salaam."

Exit.