Chapter 8

The sun was setting by the time David arrived back. In his absence a room had been cleared for him and furnished with a cot, table, and chairs. An enamel bowl sat on a stand with a large pitcher of water and against one wall was his luggage. The Havildar Major asked if he needed anything else. He thanked him for the room and furniture and requested that the senior NCOs report to him after breakfast the next morning.

The next morning with four Havildar’s and the Havildar Major in attendance he crossed to the storeroom and dismissed the guard, sending him to the cookhouse to bring back buckets of boiling water. The men’s eyes gleamed when they saw the new rifles. Over the next hour he demonstrated how to clean the rifles first by pouring the boiling water over them to clear the protective grease from the outside and down the barrel, then how to dry them using the pull through, and then oiling. When he was finished he gave each a rifle and watched them closely as they cleaned them.

When they were all finished, he told them he wanted them to demonstrate it to as many troops who could be made available with the remaining 45 rifles. He asked the Havildar Major to ensure the cleaned rifles were stacked away afterwards and the sentry put back on guard.

A Ghurkha in a bright red uniform came over to him and saluted. It seemed three large wagons filled with timber poles were outside the gates. He saw Havildar Turin and called to him, asking to round up as many men as he could who were not on duty to help in constructing the paddocks. He replied he would be pleased to help but he held no rank here to order men.

“You still have your old rank here my friend. If any question you about it tell them to see me.”

He watched as Turin gathered over thirty Ghurkhas, had them fall in, and then marched them out of the gate. Returning to his room he read the muster book the Havildar Major had left. It seemed there were fifty-seven Ghurkhas in the Kanda Army and forty-eight unassigned. It also seemed six were assigned to guarding the Patena Pass, the entrance to Kanda from India and eighteen the Khana Pass. Reading the standard orders, the guards were changed every two weeks.

He was prevented from reading further by the gate guard announcing a merchant from Putan was outside demanding to see him. He walked outside the gate finding the tailor he had seen the day before standing by a cart drawn by a donkey. After the usual greeting he explained what he wanted. He let him feel the safari jacket material asking if he had material like it. He was assured he had material similar. They walked to where the men were erecting the paddock and called out for the men to stop and fall in. Then he told the tailor to measure them. As each man was measured, he returned to work. When the tailor had finished he consulted his notebook. Of the thirty-three men measured, twenty-three were approximately the same size; the remaining ten were roughly of another size. David knew that Ghurkhas tended to be between five foot three inches and five foot six inches with a stocky chest size.

He told the man he required seventy suits in the first size and thirty in the second size like the suit he was wearing, but without the belt. They must have shoulder lapels and the trousers should be gusseted at the ankles. They should also be dyed. He picked up a rock that was dark brown, “Like this colour, but the dye should not run when they are washed,” he warned. In addition, he would need a large roll of white tape one inch wide.

By this time the tailor was all smiles, “Oh yes Sahib, I understand perfectly; you shall have them within four days.” David told him that if he made a good job, there would be other work for him.

He walked over to the son of Asher Khan, and introduced himself. The boy’s name was Taraq and his younger brother was called Jemal. David asked how the work was going. It seemed the son was impressed with the speed of the Ghurkhas. “I was asked to deliver this to you, Sahib, by his Highness,” handing him a covered basket. He left them to their work and returned to his room and the muster book. Inside the room he opened the basket and inside were two bottles of Dimple Haig malt whiskey, fifty cheroots, and two shoulder insignias of a Colonel; a crown and two pips. He poured some whisky into a glass, and then settled down with the book.

The light was failing when the Havildar Major whose name the book gave as Para reported that all the rifles were now clean and stored, ready for inspection. The two Indian boys, had fed their animals, and were safely inside the walls. Along with their wagons and quarters had been found for them. David thanked him and wished him good night.

He knew from the book that Para was fifty-six years old and had served in the British Army for twenty-eight of those years. He lit the oil lamp, and then considered his notebook. Of the one hundred and five men, he had one Havildar Major, (Sergeant Major), six Havildar’s (Sergeants) two of which were on duty at the two Passes, five Naik’s (Corporals) two on duty at the Passes, eight Lance Naik’s (Lance Corporals) with three on duty at the Passes.

Seven men were aged over fifty ... two Sergeants, two Corporals, and two Lance Corporals.

A Sergeant was in charge of stores, and the Corporals and Lance Corporals on permanent cookhouse duty.

Fifty-eight were under thirty years old.

Thirty-three under forty years old

Eleven were over forty years old.

He closed the book and made for his bed, too tired to eat.

The revelry bugle woke him the next morning; he stood and watched as the men fell in. The front ranks with the men in red uniforms, the men without uniforms at the rear. However, they all came to attention smartly enough before being marched off to the mess hall for breakfast. A Ghurkha knocked and came in carrying a tray. “Your breakfast Sahib,” he announced. When the cover was lifted off he was astonished to see scrambled eggs on toast.

“Did the cook make this?” he asked.

“Oh no, Sahib, they are busy making breakfast for the men. I made it. Is it not to your liking?” he asked looking worried.

“It’s fine but where did you learn to do this?”