The relatives of the deceased accompanied it. The dead man, they said,
had desired to be buried across the frontier. The smell proclaimed the
corpse to be in an advanced state of decomposition. The railway
officials afforded every facility for the passage of so unpleasant an
object. No one checked its progress. It was unapproachable. It was only
when coffin and mourners were safe across the frontier that the police
were informed that a dozen rifles had been concealed in the coffin, and
that the corpse was represented by a quarter of "well hung" beef!
I regret to have to state, that theft is not the only means by which the
frontier tribes obtain weapons. Of a hundred rifles, which the Utman
Khels had surrendered, nearly a third were condemned Government
Martinis, and displayed the Government stamp. Now no such rifles are
supposed to exist. As soon as they are condemned, the arsenal
authorities are responsible that they are destroyed, and this is in
every case carried out under European supervision.
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