rity of those of our countrymen who might be willing to place
their services at the disposal of Government. 'India for the Indians'
is a very good cry; it sounds well; but it will not do to push it to
its logical issue. Unless Indians can govern India wisely and well, in
accordance with modern national ideas, they have no more right to
India than Hottentots have to the Cape, or the black fellows to
Australia. In my opinion, Hindoos would never govern Hindustan half,
quarter, nay, one tithe as well as Englishmen. Make more of your
Englishmen in India then, make not less of your Baboo if you please,
but make more of your Englishmen. Keep them loyal and content. Treat
them kindly and liberally. One Englishman contented, loyal, and
industrious in an Indian district, is a greater pillar of strength to
the Indian Government than ten dozen Baboos or Zemindars, let them
have as many titles, decorations, university degrees, or certificates
of loyalty from junior civilians as they may. Not India for the
Indians, but India for Imperial Britain say I.

CHAPTER XIV.

A native village continued.--The watchman or 'chowkeydar.'--The
temple.--Brahmins.--Idols.--Religion.--Humility of the poorer classes.
--Their low condition.--Their apathy.--The police.--Their extortions
and knavery.--An instance of police rascality.--Corruption of native
officials.--The Hindoo unfit for self-government.

One more important functionary we have yet to notice, the watchman or
_chowkeydar_. He is generally a _Doosadh_, or other low caste man, and
perambulates the village at night, at intervals uttering a loud cry or
a fierce howl, which is caught up and echoed by all the _chowkeydars_
of the neighbouring villages. It is a weird, strange sound, cry after
cry echoing far away, distance beyond distance, till it fades into
faintness. At times it is not an unmusical cry, but when he howls out
close to your tent, waking you from your first dreamless sleep, you do
not feel it to be so. The _chowkeydar_ has to see that no thieves
enter the village by night. He protects the herds and property of the
villagers. If a theft or crime occurs, he must at once report it to
the nearest police station. If you lose your way by night, you shout
out for the nearest _chowkeydar_, and he is bound to pass you on to
the next village. These men get a small gratuity from government, but
the villagers also pay them a small sum, which they assess according
to individual mea