The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 25,
January 1893, by Various

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Title: The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 25, January 1893
An Illustrated Monthly

Author: Various

Editor: George Newnes

Release Date: September 5, 2009 [EBook #29911]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRAND MAGAZINE, JANUARY 1893 ***

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THE

STRAND MAGAZINE

_An Illustrated Monthly_

EDITED BY

GEORGE NEWNES

Vol. V.

_JANUARY TO JUNE_

_London_:

GEORGE NEWNES, LTD., 8, 9, 10, & 11, SOUTHAMPTON STREET, AND EXETER
STREET, STRAND.

1893.

THE

STRAND MAGAZINE

_An Illustrated Monthly_

Vol. 5, Issue. 25.

January 1893

[Illustration: "WE SWEAR!"

(_Margarita, the Bond Queen of the Wandering Dhahs._)]

_Shafts from an Eastern Quiver._

VII--MARGARITA, THE BOND QUEEN OF THE WANDERING DHAHS.

BY CHARLES J. MANSFORD, B. A.

I.

"The Cingalese declare that the Queen of the Dhahs is a Sahibmem," said
Hassan--meaning by this expression an Englishwoman.

"I don't think that can be true," responded Denviers; "it is hardly
possible that any civilized human being would care to reign over such a
queer race as those just described appear to be----"

"The Englishman is wrong in what he says," interrupted an
indolent-looking native, "for I once saw her myself!"

"You!" I exclaimed, "then tell us what you know about this queen." The
native was, however, by no means disposed to conversation, or indeed to
do anything that disturbed his serenity.

From Southern India we had crossed over to Ceylon, and after a somewhat
prolonged stay at Colombo, struck into the interior of the island. We
visited Kandi, and having travelled for some days in the hilly district
which surrounds it, arrived at the palm-covered hut of a Cingalese
labourer, where, in spite of his protests, we stayed for a day to rest
ourselves. Round the stems of the palms about us we saw, high up, that
dead brushwood had bee