, and a few others,
including Hari Madhay Parangpe, editor of Native Opinion, to which he
was a contributor. The conversation of Rehatsek, Burton, and Arbuthnot
ran chiefly on Arbuthnot's scheme for the revival of the Royal Asiatic
Translation fund, and the translation of the more important Eastern
works into English; but some years were to elapse before it took shape.

On February 4th, Burton wrote to his cousin, St. George
Burton--addressing his letter, as he was continually on the move, from
Trieste. He says:

"My Dear Cousin, "You need not call me 'Captain Burton.' I am very sorry
that you missed Woolwich--and can only say, don't miss the Line. I don't
think much of Holy Orders, however, chacun a son gout. Many thanks for
the details about the will. Assist your mother in drawing up a list of
the persons who are heirs, should the girl die without a will. [288] Let
'the party' wash his hands as often as he pleases--cleanliness is next
to godliness. As the heir to a baronetcy [289] you would be worth ten
times more than heir to an Esquireship--in snobby England. Write to me
whenever you think that I can be of any service and let me be

"Yr. aff. cousin,
"R. F. Burton."

83. In Sind.

From Bombay, the Burtons journeyed to Karachi, which had grown from
3,000 to 45,000 [290] and could now boast fine streets and noble houses.
Here Burton regaled his eyes with the sights familiar to his youth; the
walks he had taken with his bull-terrier, the tank or pond where he used
to charioteer the "ghastly" crocodile, [291] the spot where he had met
the beautiful Persian, and the shops which had once been his own; while
he recalled the old familiar figures of hook-nosed Sir Charles
Napier, yellow-bearded Captain Scott, and gorgeously-accoutred General
J-J-J-J-J-J-Jacob. His most amusing experience was with a Beloch chief,
one Ibrahim Khan, on whom he called and whom he subsequently entertained
at dinner spread in a tent. [292] The guests, Sind fashion, prepared
for the meal by getting drunk. He thoroughly enjoyed it, however, and,
except that he made impressions with his thumb in the salt, upset his
food on the tablecloth, and scratched his head with the corkscrew,
behaved with noticeable propriety. Having transferred from the table
to his pocket a wine-glass and some other little articles that took his
fancy, he told his stock stories, including the account of his valour at
the battle of Meeanee, where