Rude Awakenings - Forest Sangha Publications

^0 S E C O N D M O O N 06played it as confidently as I could, looking stern and answering theirquestions in a perfunctory manner. And I told them “No!” they couldn’tsee what was in the belt under my trousers (both passports, our traveller’scheques, and all our money!) when they asked.One of them was obviously the leader—he was doing most of thequestioning, was the best dressed, with a richly brocaded waistcoat andrings on his fingers, and had the best rifle. It was a proper modern rifle,while most of the others had ancient-looking muskets. When hepointed at my binoculars and had the English speaker ask what theywere, I let him use them. He had never used a pair before, and once Ihad shown him which way round to hold them, he was very impressed.That reduced the tension. I explained with sign language about birdwatching, showing him the birds in my bird book. He nodded and indicated,using his rifle to point at the trees, that these were the birds theyshot. After that things got quite friendly and I told him about our pilgrimage.When I bade them farewell, the man with the little Englishtold me not to tell the guards we had met him. Then I walked quicklyback to the resthouse, vowing never again to go off walking alone withall our valuables!At the resthouse the head guard had returned with flour, rice, dhal,and vegetables and was cooking us a meal. He acted surprised when Imentioned the dacoits. Later, during our meal, the man who had beentranslating for the dacoits turned up. He appeared to be some kind ofassistant to the forest guards. He looked furtive and said nothing to us.I did not believe that the guards did not know all about the dacoits—Ihad met them only a few hundred yards from the resthouse—but theywould not admit it.We spent two nights there, both of us using much of the time to sitalone by the lake enjoying the feeling of not having to go anywhere. Itwas a lovely stop, or at least it was for me. Ajahn Sucitto had dysentery,it was his turn; he had been feeling bad for a couple of days, but he hadnot told me. For him the stop at the nature reserve was timely, a chance1 2 0