natives, who took possession of these points of vantage to gaze to their
hearts' content on the sahib, who, with signs of evident suspense on the
part of these spectators, managed even to shave. Hilarity, on the other
hand, was caused when I smeared myself all over with soap while bathing.
Admiration followed at my putting on my last starched shirt and other
mysterious garments, but the excitement grew almost to fever-heat when I
went through the daily nuisance of winding up my watches and registering
daily observations of temperature, etc. The strain was too much, I fancy,
and a general stampede followed the moment I touched my unloaded rifle.

The town of Askote is not unlike an old feudal castle such as are found
in many parts of Central Italy. Perched on the crown of a central hill,
the Rajiwar's palace overlooks a fine panorama of mountains encircling it
on all sides. Among the higher peaks discernible from the palace are the
Chipla Mountain and the Dafia. Then across the Kali River, forming the
boundary of Nepal, is Mount Dooti. The "_gown_" or town itself numbers
some two hundred houses scattered on the slope of the hill, and includes
a school, a post-office, and two Mahommedan shops. The Rajiwar had on my
arrival just completed building a new Court, a simple and dignified
structure of brown stone, with fine wooden carvings on the windows and
doors, and with chimneys in European fashion in each room. One wall in
each room was left open, and formed a charming verandah, commanding a
magnificent view of mountain scenery.

The Rajiwar of Askote occupies a unique position in Kumaon. Having
repurchased his right to the tenure of land in the Askote Pargana as late
as 1855, he now possesses the right of _zamindar_ (translated literally,
_landed proprietor_), and he is the only person to whom has been granted
to retain this privilege in the Kumaon Division. Jagat Sing Pal, the
Rajiwar's nephew, assured me that the people of the Askote Pargana are
brave and good-natured. They never give any trouble to the Rajiwar, who,
on the other hand, is almost a father to them. They apply to him in every
difficulty, in sickness and distress, and he looks after them in true
patriarchal fashion. The Rajiwar is not rich, probably because he spends
so much for the benefit of his people and of the strangers who pass
through Askote. Many of these are little more than beggars, of course,
even when they travel as fakirs, or other religious fan