The Moghul Part 75

Hawksworth squinted against the sun and studied the distant red walls of the city-fortress. Something about its remote purity beckoned him.

After the hunt, he told himself, when there's time. Right after the hunt.

Arangbar fell silent, and Hawksworth leaned back in his _howdah _as it rocked gently along. Elephants made better mounts than he had first suspected. He thought again of the previous morning, and his first reaction when told he would be riding an elephant for the next two days. He had arrived at the Red Fort, to be greeted by Nadir Sharif, who directed him to the royal elephants being readied in the courtyard of the _Diwan-i-Am_.

"His Majesty has selected one of his favorites for you. Her name is k.u.mada." Nadir Sharif had pointed toward a large female elephant, her body dyed black and festooned with golden bells, yak-tail ta.s.sels, gold tusk rings.

"What does the name mean?"

"The infidel Hindus believe the eight points of the earth are each guarded by a heavenly being in the shape of an elephant. Your English fleet is coming to us out of our ocean from the southwest, and k.u.mada is the name Hindus give to the elephant who guards that point of the Hindu compa.s.s. His Majesty believes this elephant will be auspicious for you."

"I'm most grateful to His Majesty." Hawksworth surveyed the a.s.sembled crowd in astonishment. Around him n.o.bles wearing jeweled turbans and silk trousers were selecting elephants. He had worn sea boots and a leather jerkin.

Nadir Sharif signaled toward the mahout perched atop the neck of k.u.mada, and the man tapped her flapping ear with a short barbed rod and gave her directions in Hindi as he guided her toward Hawksworth. She lumbered forward to where Hawksworth stood, and then her mountainous flesh seemed to roll like a wave as she kneeled, front legs out, back legs bent at the knee, ready to be mounted. Two keepers were there, opening the gate of the gold-trimmed _howdah _and then kneeling, ready to hoist the _feringhi_ aboard.

"Have you ever ridden an elephant before, Amba.s.sador?" Nadir Sharif monitored Hawksworth's apprehensive expression with delight.

"Never. I've never actually been this close to one before." Hawksworth eyed the elephant warily, mistrusting her seeming docility.

Elizabethans circulated fabulous tales about this mountainous beast, that it could pull down great trees with the power of its trunk, that it had two hearts--one it used when calm, the other when incensed--and that in Ethiopia there were dragons who killed elephants merely to drink their blood, said to be ice cold at all times.

"You will find an elephant has more wit than most men. His Majesty keeps a thousand in his stables here in the Red Fort. The Great Akman used to trap them in the wild, using a female in heat, but then he learned to induce tame ones to couple. Your elephant, I believe, is second-ranked. She's a fine-tempered animal."

k.u.mada examined Hawksworth with her sad, dark eyes, and waved her fanlike ears skeptically.

"I'm not entirely sure she's taken to me."

"Here, Amba.s.sador." Nadir Sharif slipped a paper-wrapped stick of sugarcane into Hawksworth's hand and nodded his head toward the elephant.

Hawksworth gingerly approached her and began unwrapping the paper. No sooner was the cane in view than k.u.mada nipped it deftly from his hand with a flourish of her trunk. She popped the cane into her mouth and flapped her ears with obvious pleasure as she cracked it with her immense teeth. For a second Hawksworth thought he caught a flash of appreciation in her eyes. He paused a moment, then walked close enough to stroke the heavy skin at her neck.

"She'll not forget you now, Amba.s.sador." Nadir Sharif was feeding his own elephant. "It's said these animals have a memory longer than a man's."

Hawksworth vaulted into the _howdah _and the entire world suddenly seemed to shudder as her mahout signaled k.u.mada to rise. He seized the railing surrounding him and gasped as she rumbled to her feet.

"You'll soon ride like a Rajput, Amba.s.sador."

The elephant rocked into motion. It was worse than heavy weather at sea.

"I think it may take practice."

"Women from the _zenana _ride elephants all the way to Kashmir in the summer. I'm sure you'll manage a two-day hunt." Nadir Sharif swung easily into his howdah. Around them other elephants were kneeling for n.o.bles to mount.

"Where will the hunt be?"

"This time we're going west, out toward the old city of Fatehpur Sekri.

But His Majesty has hunting preserves all over. In the neighborhood of Agra and near the small town of Delhi north of here, along the course of the Jamuna and reaching into the mountains, there is much uncultivated land. There are many places with gra.s.ses over six feet high and copse wood. This land is guarded with great care by the army, and no person, high or low, is allowed to hunt there except for partridge, quail, and hare--which are caught with nets. So the game-- nilgai, deer, antelope, _chitah_, tiger, even some lions--is plentiful.

Some of His Majesty's hunting preserves may extend as far as ten _kos _in every direction--I believe that's around twenty of your miles."

"You said preparations for the hunt had been underway for days?"

"Of course. When His Majesty announces a _s.h.i.+kar_, a royal hunt, the grand master of the hunt in that particular location has to begin extensive preparations. The hunts now are usually a _qamargha_, which was invented by Akman."

"What's that?"

"First, sentries are posted on all the roads leading into the preserve to keep villagers out, and then the entire preserve is surrounded by beaters, we call them _qarawals_, who begin to close the circle and drive in the game. For this week's hunt he used thirty thousand _qarawals_. The grand master of the hunt informs His Majesty when the game has been brought together. The next day the court and officers from the army leave early, to be at the appointed place to meet His Majesty when he arrives. His Majesty usually hunts alone at first, if there are no tigers, and everyone else must wait at a distance of about one _kos_. Only some members of the Imperial army are allowed to accompany him, for protection. After His Majesty wearies of the kill, then others of his choosing are allowed to kill the last of the game.

But if tigers are to be hunted, it's customary that only His Majesty and the royal family enter the circle. It's always been the tradition of Moghul rulers that only they and their kinsmen are allowed to hunt tigers. But this hunt will be different. This time His Majesty will merely watch."

"Who'll do the killing then?"

"That my surprise you, Amba.s.sador. Let me merely say that it is no man.

You will see."

Hawksworth was still wondering what he meant. But the time was not far away when he would know. They were nearing the area that Nadir Sharif had said was designated for the hunt.

"Inglish," Arangbar shouted back over his shoulder. "Does your king hunt?"

"Rarely, Your Majesty. But he has no elephants."

"Perhaps we should send him some. But then I a.s.sume he has no tigers either. Should we also send him some tigers to run free in Ingland so he can hunt them?"

"I'll remember to ask His Majesty."

"But first you must see our tigers for yourself, Inglish. Today you and Nadir Sharif will join us as we go into the _qur_, the hunting round.

Have your elephants fitted with leather armor."

Nadir Sharif started with surprise. "I thank Your Majesty for the honor."

Allaudin stirred in his _howdah_, and Hawksworth caught the disdain in his eyes. "Majesty, why are you inviting the _feringhi _into the _qur_?"

"Her Majesty suggested it. And it amuses me." Arangbar seemed to dismiss Allaudin's question. "He will not have a weapon. All he'll do is watch."

As servants rushed forward to begin fitting the leather armor, Hawksworth saw the queen's elephant approach. This was the closest he had ever been to her, and still he could not see her. Her _howdah _was completely enclosed with curtains, which now flapped lightly in the midday breeze.

"Her Majesty, Queen Janahara, will be going into the hunting circle."

Nadir Sharifs voice was discreet as he spoke to Hawksworth. "She rarely joins in _s.h.i.+kar_, but she is an excellent shot. This is a rare honor for you, Amba.s.sador."

Hawksworth studied the closed howdah and wondered why the "honor"

seemed to leave him with such an uneasy feeling.

The waiting n.o.bles formed a line with their elephants as the Imperial entourage moved past. Armed guards followed on horseback at a distance.

Leather padding had been fitted over the face and shanks of Hawksworth's and Nadir Sharif's elephants, and they joined the end of the procession.

Hawksworth held firmly to the side of the _howdah _as his elephant rocked along, with only occasional instructions from her mahout. Now they followed a winding road, which was surrounded on either side by tall, brown gra.s.s. He warily studied every sway of the gra.s.s, imagining tigers waiting to spring.

"Why don't we have guns?" He turned to Nadir Sharif, who rode alongside, rocking placidly in his swaying howdah.

"There's no need, Amba.s.sador. I told you the tiger will not be killed with guns today. Of course, His Majesty and Prince Allaudin have guns, but they're merely for protection, in case there's some minor difficulty."

"Minor difficulty? What are _we _supposed to do if there's a 'minor difficulty'?"