angle high above my bagful of snipe or of quail as the case might
be!--yes, I took this love of a gun, together with the cartridges,
accoutrements and all other rights, members and appurtenances
thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining, and slid the whole
lot softly into a deep green pool of the very stream from which had
flown my sáras.

The taste of gypsy life which I was now enjoying contributed to add
a sort of personal element to that general interest which hangs about
the curious Banjaris, whom we met constantly, with their families
and their bullocks, along our road. _Banjara_ is literally
"forest-wanderer." The women were especially notable for their tall
stature, shapely figures and erect carriage; which circumstances are
all the more wonderful from the life of hardship which they lead,
attending as they do at once to the foraging of the cattle, the
culinary preparations for the men and the cares of the children. From
the profusion of ornaments which they wore, one may imagine, however,
that they were well cared for by their lords in return for their
affectionate labors; and the general bearing of the tall Banjara who
bore a long two-handed sword gave evidence of a certain inward sense
of protection over his belongings which probably found vent in many an
affectionate gift of rings and bracelets to his graceful partner. It
must be confessed that the gypsying of these Eastern Bohemians is not
so free a life as is popularly supposed. The _naik_ or sovereign of
each _tanda_, or camp, seems to be possessed of absolute power, and in
this connection the long two-handed sword suggested much less gentle
reflections. The Banjara, however, though a nomad, is a serviceable
one, for he is engaged in trade. With his bullocks he is the carrier
of Central India, and is to be met with all over that section,
bringing salt and other commodities and returning with interior