All wore long black-cloth robes trimmed with scarlet, and white turbans, and carried a Snider rifle and belt stuffed with cartridges slung over the left shoulder.

I now noticed with some anxiety that Malak's quiet and undemonstrative manner had completely altered to one of swaggering insolence and bravado.

"The chief wishes you to know he has twenty more like this," said Kamoo, pointing to Malak's villainous-looking suite.

"Tell him I am very glad to hear it," was my reply, politely meant, but which seemed to unduly exasperate the King of Gwarjak.

Brushing past me, he burst into the tent, followed by his men, and seated himself on my only camp-stool.