-highpriestsandChiefsoffar-offvillagesBillyFishwasthefirst,andIcantellyouwescaredthesouloutofhimItwasnotinanywayaccordingtoRitual,butitservedourturnWedidn’traisemorethantenofthebiggestmen,becausewedidn’twanttomaketheDegreecommonAndtheywasclamouringtoberaised。
“’Inanothersixmonths,’saysDravot,’we’llholdanotherCommunicationandseehowyouareworking。’Thenheasksthemabouttheirvillages,andlearnsthattheywasfightingoneagainsttheother,andweresickandtiredofitAndwhentheywasn’tdoingthattheywasfightingwiththeMohammedans’Youcanfightthosewhentheycomeintoourcountry,’saysDravot’TelloffeverytenthmanofyourtribesforaFrontierguard,andsendtwohundredatatimetothisvalleytobedrilledNobodyisgoingtobeshotorspearedanymoresolongashedoeswell,andIknowthatyouwon’tcheatme,becauseyou’rewhitepeople——sonsofAlexander——andnotlikecommonblackMohammedansYouaremypeople,and,byGod,’sayshe,runningoffintoEnglishattheend,’I’llmakeadamnedfineNationofyou,orI’lldieinthemaking!’
“Ican’ttellallwedidforthenextsixmonths,becauseDravotdidalotIcouldn’tseethehangof,andhelearnedtheirlingoinawayInevercouldMyworkwastohelpthepeopleplough,andnowandagaingooutwithsomeoftheArmyandseewhattheothervillagesweredoing,andmake’emthrowropebridgesacrosstheravineswhichcutupthecountryhorridDravotwasverykindtome,butwhenhewalkedupanddowninthepinewoodpullingthatbloodyredbeardofhiswithbothfistsIknewhewasthinkingplansIcouldnotadviseabout,andIjustwaitedfororders。
“ButDravotnevershowedmedisrespectbeforethepeopleTheywereafraidofmeandtheArmy,buttheylovedDanHewasthebestoffriendswiththepriestsandtheChiefs;butanyonecouldcomeacrossthehillswithacomplaint,andDravotwouldhearhimoutfair,andcallfourprieststogetherandsaywhatwastobedone。
HeusedtocallinBillyFishfromBashkai,andPikkyKerganfromShu,andanoldChiefwecalledKafuzelum,——itwaslikeenoughtohisrealname,——andholdcouncilswith’emwhentherewasanyfightingtobedoneinsmallvillagesThatwashisCouncilofWar,andthefourpriestsofBashkai,Shu,Khawak,andMadorawashisPrivyCouncilBetweenthelotof’emtheysentme,withfortymenandtwentyrifles,andsixtymencarryingturquoises,intotheGhorbandcountrytobuythosehand-madeMartinirifles,thatcomeoutoftheAmir’sworkshopsatKabul,fromoneoftheAmir’sHeratiregimentsthatwouldhavesoldtheveryteethoutoftheirmouthsforturquoises。
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