I used to give each man a "coolie" blanket that cost Rs. 3, and
which would last three winters; and, if they had to go out much into camp,
such as taking horses out to meet me on shooting or pig-sticking
expeditions, a pair of woollen leg-bandages, or "putties." It is a mistake
not to give servants warm clothes, and a false economy, as, if they are
not properly protected against the cold, which is very severe in Northern
India, they are everlastingly getting fever; and I know no greater
nuisance than having your head man laid up for two or three days at a
stretch. In the second place, if they have not warm clothes themselves,
you can never tell if in the night they will not take the clothing off the
horses to wrap themselves up in. A constant source of squabbling amongst
Indian servants is the allotment of their huts or houses. In the older
Indian bungalows there is usually enough of both these and stabling, but
in the newer ones there is not. It is best, however, not to listen to any
such complaints, and somehow the disputants settle the knotty point
themselves. Every now and again it is advisable to see who is living in
your compound, as a most enormous number of relations will turn up, who
are known as brothers (bhai); and if you don't look out, you will find you
are giving shelter on your premises to several hundred individuals. Indian
servants are always asking leave to attend weddings, funerals, and
religious ceremonies; and I always allow them to go, provided some
arrangement is made to carry on their work. They are clannish in the
extreme, and a substitute was always forthcoming. In the hills
"grass-cutters" are not required, as grass can be bought in the bazaars.
The country people look on the sale of this as a vested right, and
naturally resent any outsider cutting it or interfering with them; and, if
they do, there is pretty certain to be a disturbance and unpleasantness.
If "grass-cutters" are preferred to purchasing the daily supply, local
hillmen should be employed, who will arrange the matter with their
neighbours, and not men brought up from the plains of India. In most hill
stations passes or licences have to be obtained to cut grass. In every
Indian station there is an official price-list of country produce
published, and should any dispute arise as to the rates charged, it is as
well to obtain it from the native magistrate (tehsildar), whose decision
in such matters is usually accepted as final, and whi