Chapter 4

It was late Saturday afternoon when the train came to a halt at McLeod Station in Karachi. As David stepped from the train, a Mr. Smithers introduced himself as the Prince’s representative in Karachi. In the carriage taking him to his hotel, Mr. Smithers informed him of the arrangements he had made for him. He was booked into a suite at the Royal Hotel, Karachi’s premiere. A stateroom on the steamer Eastern Comet had also been booked for him. The ship, Mr. Smithers explained, was a fast mail ship that catered to only thirty passengers. When David brought up the subject of clothes and a suitable suitcase, Mr. Smithers assured him that he would provide a tailor who could make whatever he required in the time available to him.

Arriving at the hotel, Mr. Smithers took his leave telling David he would return in an hour with the tailor. The suite David was shown into was opulent, all the more so because it contained a private bathroom with an enamel bathtub served by hot and cold taps, as was the washbasin. The flushing toilet was a final touch of luxury.

After tipping the porter he wasted no time in taking a bath, his first since boarding the train. He was wearing his long johns with a bathrobe over him when Mr. Smithers returned with three other Indian gentlemen wearing European clothing, but with Nebbi caps. The elder, obviously the employer of the other two, was introduced as a Mr. Pattal. Mr. Smithers took charge, informing him that David required a full wardrobe that must be ready by Monday at ten am due to his sailing at two pm. Whilst one of Mr. Petal’s assistants began to measure him, Mr. Pattal took out a notebook and began writing.

“Am I to assume the Sahib requires everything from top to toe?” a beaming Mr. Pattal asked.

Mr. Smithers replied, “Yes, at least three suits of your best material. A dinner suit, overcoat, and shoes to match. He’ll require a dozen shirts of your best Egyptian cotton along with dress shirts, stud’s, cufflinks, cravats, ties, and any other necessary accessories.”

Mr. Pattal was furiously jotting down the provided information. “Shall I include underclothes and socks Sahib?”

Mr. Smithers seemed agitated, “Yes, of course. Everything a gentleman of means requires for London society Mr. Pattal, if you please. He will also require a cabin trunk to put it all in.”

“Would the Sahib like to have a suit and shirts for tomorrow morning?” Mr. Pattal inquired.

“If that is possible, please,” David replied looking at his crumpled linen suit.

Mr. Pattal beamed, “That is no problem Sahib. What colours would you like for your suits?”

After a further ten minutes, Mr. Pattal and his two assistants left him with the promise that he would return in the morning at nine. After they had left, Mr. Smithers handed him a slim briefcase extracting from it a thick leather wallet, “There are £500 in this for you’re out of pocket expenses, Mr. Ramage,” he said before replacing the wallet back in the briefcase.

“Thank you Mr. Smithers, you have been a great help. I’m afraid I’m a little out of my depth in these matters,” he said accepting the briefcase.

“Not at all, my boy,” Mr. Smithers smiled, replying, “The Prince’s instructions were quite explicit concerning your welfare.”

“But you haven’t had much time in which to organize all of this surely,” David replied.

Mr. Smithers frowned, “I’ve known since Thursday of your arrival. One of his agents brought me word of what was required.”

After Mr. Smithers’ departure, David sat considering the implications of the Prince’s disclosure of his pigeon communications system. A message capable of being carried securely by a pigeon would require some sort of abbreviated code he decided. He was developing a newfound respect for the Prince and wondered how many agents he had working on his behalf scattered around India with pigeons in their lofts. He placed the letters of introduction the Prince had given him to his bank in London and to the hotel he was to use in the briefcase. He had room service that night and was in bed by ten.

True to his word, Mr. Pattal arrived promptly at nine accompanied by two assistants bearing boxes. He waited whilst David dressed in his new clothes then fussed around for several minutes to ensure the fit was satisfactory before leaving David to his affairs.

Although it was a Sunday, he still found most of the shops were open due to the difference in religion. He made a point of visiting a large book and magazine shop and purchased a number of hunting magazines and books on modern firearms and ammunition along with a notebook, pencils, and pen. These he intended to study on the voyage, making notes as he went.

Back in his suite, he sat down with a drink and continued his thinking about what lay ahead of him as he strove to accomplish the mission the Prince had given him. He knew you couldn’t just go into a shop as if buying a pair of shoes and ask if they would be so kind as to provide him with several hundred rifles and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition.

There was also the question of whether the Government would allow him to make such a purchase. He couldn’t believe they would wholly favour an enterprise that provided the means for Kanda to maintain its independence from a complete colonial takeover. He would have to be very careful in his dealings. With those thoughts, he had an early dinner before retiring for the night.

Mr. Pattal arrived at nine again the next morning carrying a suitcase, whilst his assistants struggled with large leather cabin trunk, brass bands reinforcing the trunk at the corners and base. He wasted no time in opening the trunk and suitcase and, referring to his notepad, began calling out an inventory of the items they contained as an assistant removed the item to show David where it was before repacking it.

David was watching the smaller items being removed from drawers set into the trunk when Mr. Smithers arrived. When they had finished, Mr. Smithers told Mr. Pattal to send his account to his office, at which point Mr. Pattal wished David a pleasant and prosperous voyage before departing with his assistants. After they had gone, Mr. Smithers removed a large envelope from his inside coat pocket, explaining these were his travel documents for the ship and his arrival in England.

“As far as the crew and passengers are concerned, you are returning to England for health reasons,” he said before handing David his card and assuring him that it would be a pleasure to provide him any further service upon his return from England. Shaking his hand, he wished David well as he took his leave.

Arriving at the ship, a crewmember loaded David’s luggage onto a wheeled trolley and preceded him along the deck to his stateroom which proved to be placed near the bow of the ship with door access directly from the deck. The crewman knocked on the door and a steward dressed in white opened it. Together, crewman and steward lifted the trunk into the cabin as David followed carrying the suitcase. He tipped the crewman a couple of Rupees as he left. Turning to the steward, he was informed that his name was Rangi and that he would be his personal steward for the voyage.