The Romany Rye/Chapter XLVII


 * Departure from Horncastle&mdash;Recruiting Sergeant&mdash;Kauloes and Lolloes.

Leaving Horncastle I bent my steps in the direction of the east. I walked at a brisk rate, and late in the evening reached a large town, situate at the entrance of an extensive firth, or arm of the sea, which prevented my farther progress eastward. Sleeping that night in the suburbs of the town, I departed early next morning in the direction of the south. A walk of about twenty miles brought me to another large town, situated on a river, where I again turned towards the east. At the end of the town I was accosted by a fiery-faced individual, somewhat under the middle size, dressed as a recruiting sergeant.

&ldquo;Young man,&rdquo; said the recruiting sergeant, &ldquo;you are just the kind of person to serve the Honourable East India Company.&rdquo;

&ldquo;I had rather the Honourable Company should serve me,&rdquo; said I.

&ldquo;Of course, young man. Well, the Honourable East India Company shall serve you&mdash;that&rsquo;s reasonable. Here, take this shilling; &rsquo;tis service-money. The Honourable Company engages to serve you, and you the Honourable Company; both parties shall be thus served; that&rsquo;s just and reasonable.&rdquo;

&ldquo;And what must I do for the Company?&rdquo;

&ldquo;Only go to India; that&rsquo;s all.&rdquo;

&ldquo;And what should I do in India?&rdquo;

&ldquo;Fight, my brave boy! fight, my youthful hero!&rdquo;

&ldquo;What kind of country is India?&rdquo;

&ldquo;The finest country in the world! Rivers, bigger than the Ouse. Hills, higher than anything near Spalding! Trees&mdash;you never saw such trees! Fruits&mdash;you never saw such fruits!&rdquo;

&ldquo;And the people&mdash;what kind of folk are they?&rdquo;

&ldquo;Pah! Kauloes&mdash;blacks&mdash;a set of rascals not worth regarding.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Kauloes!&rdquo; said I; &ldquo;blacks!&rdquo;

&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; said the recruiting sergeant; &ldquo;and they call us lolloes, which, in their beastly gibberish, means red.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Lolloes!&rdquo; said I; &ldquo;reds!&rdquo;

&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; said the recruiting sergeant, &ldquo;kauloes and lolloes; and all the lolloes have to do is to kick and cut down the kauloes, and take from them their rupees, which mean silver money. Why do you stare so?&rdquo;

&ldquo;Why,&rdquo; said I, &ldquo;this is the very language of Mr. Petulengro.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Mr. Pet&mdash;?&rdquo;

&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; said I, &ldquo;and Tawno Chikno.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Tawno Chik&mdash;? I say, young fellow, I don&rsquo;t like your way of speaking; no, nor your way of looking. You are mad, sir; you are mad; and what&rsquo;s this? Why, your hair is grey! You won&rsquo;t do for the Honourable Company&mdash;they like red. I&rsquo;m glad I didn&rsquo;t give you the shilling. Good day to you.&rdquo;

&ldquo;I shouldn&rsquo;t wonder,&rdquo; said I, as I proceeded rapidly along a broad causeway, in the direction of the east, &ldquo;if Mr. Petulengro and Tawno Chikno came originally from India. I think I&rsquo;ll go there.&rdquo;