Chapter 11

The lookouts announced the arrival of a large column approaching the Fort three days later. Through his telescope he picked out Patar and Taraq along with Ashar Khan herding a large group of horses with six large wagons bringing up the rear.

He ordered a Havildar to organise water for the approaching column, then walked round to the paddocks. Khan and Sulkie were in the large paddock. The five men receiving instruction from a Naik sat on their horses in the smaller paddock watching the fast approaching column. David opened the gate and called to Khan and Sulkie. They came over to him and Sulkie dropped her head sniffing his jacket, she could smell the apples. “Come on my beauties, follow me.” He led them round to the divided paddock and once inside he closed the gate standing inside with them. When he produced an apple Khan pushed Sulkie’s head away with his to take it. “Never mind darling I have one for you too,” he said offering it to her. He stood between them rubbing their necks as they chewed.

When he turned to leave the paddock he saw Ashar Khan sitting on his horse watching him, a thoughtful smile on his face. “I came to see my children, but I find they have a new love,” he murmured. He dismounted and walked along side of David leading his horse, whilst his sons led the horses into the large paddock; the wagons moving towards the gate.

As they walked towards his quarters David told him of his progress with them. Inside his lounge Ashar Khan sat in the rocking chair and Hanga appeared. “Would the Horse Master like some refreshment?” he asked. Ashar Khan looked at the decanter sitting on the sideboard, one of Hangar’s acquisitions.

“Is that whisky wine?” he asked.

David poured out a good measure for him and a smaller one for himself.

“His Majesty has shown me the medicinal benefits of whisky wine,” he murmured taking a drink.

He then began to explain that they had delayed coming out until the fifty saddles were complete, adding that they were now ready. He also had a message from his Majesty to say the package from England was now on its way and arrangements made to receive it. They began to talk about the progress of the Fort and David mentioned his concern regarding the water supply.

“In the city we have wells that are powered by windmills so once the flow has started it continues until it is stopped by a handle, Colonel Sahib.” He went on to say he would arrange for men responsible for making these to come out to the fort.

“Tomorrow we will let the horses choose their riders then I must return to the city but my sons will stay to help.

Later David watched as details unloaded the wagons under the supervision of an old Havildar who had been made Quartermaster for the Company. Havildar Turin distributed the saddles and tack to the men in his command. There were also Lovet green saddle blankets edged with gold piping.

Patar brought his saddle tack and blanket to him, along with a jar of saddle soap. The saddle was beautifully made in black leather with all the additions he had asked for. The rifle holster had straps to adjust the fit. And was lined inside with a thick green material. Ashar Khan had advised him to place the saddle between the stalls of Khan and Sulkie to let them get used to the sight of it, also to saddle his horse were they could see him doing it. He said his sons would be showing the Ghurkhas how to care and lookout for diseases in the animals.

“But you will need a blacksmith to shoe them. I have in mind,” he said, “the eldest son of the royal blacksmith. He is not only skilled in shoeing but also versed in the art of treating ailments in the animals. I am sure he would agree to work here at the Fort if accommodation for him and his young wife could be found.”

David had agreed at once and said he would leave the matter of pay to the Horse Master to agree with him. That night he stood behind David as he gave them their evening apples, caressing their necks as he spoke to them in their stalls.

“Colonel Sahib you will soon begin to accustom Sulkie to the saddle,” he murmured.

The next morning he followed Havildar Turpin’s unit out to the Paddock. Each man carried either half an apple or a carrot. Ashar Khan and his sons walked with them. At the paddock Ashar Khan addressed them, “You will need to spread out on the opposite end from the horses. Make no sudden moves but whisper to them as if addressing a child. When a horse accepts your offering it means it has chosen you. Stroke it and talk soothingly to it and then lead it with its halter out of the paddock.”

As the men filed into the paddock the horses moved to the end away from them. The men spread out in a line and offered up their piece of food talking to them. Nothing happened for several minutes, and then a mare broke from the herd, and walked slowly over to a Ghurkha and took the offering standing patiently chewing as the Ghurkha made a fuss over her before leading her out of the paddock. Soon others followed and David noticed a black stallion selected Havildar Turin.

Hanga had his horse waiting by the horse stalls when David returned, Khan and Sulkie’s heads looking at him as he removed the saddle from the post dividing them. Sulkie whinnied thinking he was about to give her an apple. Nevertheless, they both watched, as he saddled the docile mare he rode before he gave them their morning apples. Khan snorted as he mounted and rode over to where Ashar Khan now mounted waited. They rode out of the gate together.

The Prince was already seated waiting for them when they were shown in to the usual room that they had their meeting in.

After the customary greetings David began his report. The Prince listened nodding his head when David mentioned about the blacksmith and windmill and that the Horse Master would organise that. Ending it by saying he was concerned about communication stating how long it would take riding to deliver a message.

The Prince said he would look into the matter. “And now my news,” the Prince murmured. “The next package from England is due to land in the next week with a further package three weeks later. I have written to Mr. Henry Cartwright ordering a further one hundred and fifty rifles and half a million rounds of ammunition, I think it only prudent to stock up with ammunition, because it could well be that supplies of cordite will soon become scarce if the British War Department has its way. The meeting came to a close with David saying he was returning to the Fort that day. Ashar Khan said he would have a fresh horse awaiting him.

Before leaving the city he visited the leather shop Havildar Turpin had mentioned regarding the cartridge belt. The merchant produced the one he had made. David slipped it over his shoulder and immediately the merchant said, “The Sahib has it on the wrong shoulder.” David realised he’d put it over his right shoulder due to his left-handedness. He explained why and the merchant said he could rectify it in a few minutes.

While he waited he tried on some riding boots finding a pair that had soft black leather uppers but with a stout soles and heels. When he returned with the modified belt David tried it on again and found he could flick the lid of the case quite easily and close it using the brass stud that held the lid. Satisfied he told the merchant to make one hundred and fifty of them but to deliver the first fifty he made to the Fort where he would be paid, also to add the cost of the boots and have another pair just like them made.

The bay stallion that Ashar Khan had left for him was big and strong and ate up the miles back to the fort, but the sun had set before he passed through the gates.

He warned Havildar Major Para that the next consignment of weapons and ammunition were due in roughly ten days’ time knowing he would take care of it the next day. He also mentioned about quarters for the blacksmith and his wife and that someone was coming out from the city to sort something out for the well.

Para made a note in his book and said it would be attended too. He made a point of seeking Patar and asked him how the horses would react to gunfire. He said they might try to bolt. To overcome this he suggested that they take the unit out to the rifle range whilst it was being used. He would keep them lined up some distance away and gradually over time bring them closer. Once the horses were accustomed to that, the men should try firing their rifles whilst on horseback. David had a detail of new men sent out to the range using the Martini Henrys.

Later he brought the stallion he had rode out to the paddock in which Khan and Sulkie were. First of all he walked around mounted in the inside of the paddock with the two horses backed in a corner watching, then he dismounted and unsaddled. He waited a few minutes then re-saddled, mounted and walked around again. He repeated this half a dozen times before Khan and Sulkie lost interest and looked elsewhere.

After his meal that night he went out to the stables with the apples and saw Khan and Sulkie smelling his saddle. They recognised him when he was still twenty feet away, their ears going forward and whinnying. Now when he produced an apple Khan normally won, being the more aggressive, but after they had eaten them, Sulkie would put her head over his shoulder as he stroked her neck whispering to her.

Havildar Turin reported to him the next morning as summoned before joining his unit. David had a request of him. He told him the next fifty rifles were due soon and he needed to start considering who would make up the next unit. He had his own idea of who should lead it, but respected Turpin’s judgment. Turpin said he would give it some thought and report back to him.

He watched as the men led their horses from the horse line out onto the parade ground before mounting and Taraq and Patar led them out of the Fort. He crossed to where Havildar Major Para was overseeing a group emptying out a room built into the wall at the bottom end of the Fort. When he saw David he saluted, “For the blacksmith, Colonel Sahib.” David smiled and told him he would be at the paddocks if required.

He carried his saddle and the blanket as he led his horses to the small paddock. Once inside he gave them an apple and caressed each of them in turn talking to them in a calm voice. He started with a blanket for Sulkie, placing it on her back while talking to her. She swung her head around to see what it was, but remained calm. He took her halter and led her around the paddock twice, and then stood in front of her stroking her head while she muzzled his face.

Next he gently placed the saddle on her back. She took half a step sideways and he felt a slight tremble in her body. He went to her head again soothing her, “It’s all right darling I won’t let anything hurt you,” he whispered in her ears. He stood like that caressing her while talking to her for over ten minutes, until she has settled down.

Finally he fastened the girth strap, but not too tightly. She had her head turned to watch him but he kept his face turned to her talking gently while he did it. He stood away and watched her reactions as she swung her head from side to side as if to see what was on her back. When he called to her she trotted over to him and took the apple he offered. Khan in the other paddock snorted at not getting one. He left the saddle on her all that day, only removing it when they returned to the stable in the evening.

The next morning he saddled Sulkie outside her stall while Khan watched, she made no fuss as he did so, happily chewing her apple. He led them round to the paddocks putting them in their separate ones carrying the rest of the tack.

He stood in front of her talking softly as he removed the rope halter she had come from the city in, and then slowly lowered the leather bridal over her head. She didn’t fight the bit when he put it in her mouth, merely shook her head a few times as he adjusted the straps. Once he was satisfied he stepped back to see her reaction. She trotted around the paddock and shook her head a few times but apart from that was quite happy. He left them and returned to the Fort, deciding to return later to fit the remaining tack. He saw a detail mucking out the horse lines, wheel barrowing the soiled straw out to the rear of the Fort. He remembered Hanga had said the cooks were starting a vegetable garden with the horse manure.

Back in his office he watched as Havildar Turin’s detail rode in. They unsaddled, rubbed their mounts down with straw, then watered and fed them before going for their meal. He was going over the muster book when Havildar Turin reported to him.

“Colonel Sahib I have been giving your question a great deal of thought. It is my opinion that Naik Sultar would be the best to lead the next section. But, as you allowed me, he should suggest the men he would have to command.”

After thanking him and dismissing him, David sat back in his chair. Naik Sultar, he knew from the records, was twenty-six years old, quite young for his rank. He had joined the Prince’s Army as a seventeen-year-old recruit straight from Nepal. The fact that Havildar Major Para had promoted him over older men spoke highly of his capabilities. He checked the range scores book and he was in the top ten for marksmanship.

He called out to the guard outside his door and asked him to find Naik Sultar. Most of the recruits who had served in the British Army could speak English to varying degrees and had been teaching those who couldn’t. Naik Sultar was one such who’d had to learn.

The guard announced when he was outside and David told him to enter. Naik Sultar came to a halt and gave a sharp salute; David answered it and told him to stand easy. He began to explain that another fifty-man unit like Tiger Company was to be formed, and he had been selected to lead it. David saw his eyes gleam at this. He went on to say that Sultar would need two Naik’s, and four Lance Naik’s for the unit. What was required was a list of those Sultar would wish to be in it from the men available in the Fort. “You are free to suggest any one for the ranks of Naik or Lance Naik. You are promoted to the rank of Havildar as of this moment.” David added that there was no immediate rush for the list, but he would like to have it in ten days’ time, adding this unit would be called Cobra Company.

After he had gone David realised that he would soon need the next string of horses for the new unit and made a note to himself to speak to Patar about it. As he left to return to the paddock he noticed a large wagon drawn by two mules down at the end of the fort, a detail under the Havildar Major were helping to unload it. The blacksmith had arrived.

He had no problems fixing the reins to Sulkie, although she thought she was going to get an apple. “Sorry darling but you must wait until this evening,” he murmured patting her neck. He tied the reins to the pommel of the saddle.

He sat on the top rail of the paddock to watch her. At one stage when she moved over to the dividing rail and put her head over it, Khan came up to her and sniffed her head. David chuckled ... just like a woman showing of her new jewellery. He returned them to the stables earlier that evening; Hanga had mucked out their stalls and laid new straw for them. Khan watched as he removed the saddle and halter, sniffing it when he placed it between their stalls. He spent two hours brushing them until their coats gleamed, and then rewarded them with their evening apples.