GIRL GUIDE NOTES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7269, 23 September 1933, Page 5

GIRL GUIDE NOTES

(By "Scribe.”) Many Guides ■will remember Miss Dalton, who visited Palmerston North during her sojourn in New Zealand a few years ago. She is now Guiding in Hyderabad, India, and sends the following interesting account of a hike in that country. Thus Guiding flourishes in far away parts of the world, even under difficult conditions. A Hike in Hyderabad, India. “It was the third attempt of some Moslem. Guides to do their First Class hike. The first had ended in rain which put out the fires, the second time they were one hour and five minutes late for the start, so wo (feeling that even though time hasn’t somehow quite the same value here, a stand must be made somewhere) hardened our hearts ; didn’t listen to their voluble explanations of broken cars and other misfortunes, and said 'People who cannot be in time for an appointment are not first class’ (and spent the rest of the day hoping that it hadn't really been quite impossible for them to be there to time!) "As most of the Guides keep purdah we have to do our hiking in paces where there is no danger of any man seeing them, so we arranged to meet on the Banjara road. Hyderabad is surrounded by wild roeky country and you need not go far to find a deserted place. The rocks are most amazing, miles and miles strewn with great boulders and just enough soil to support a few small trees and prickly pear. Some of the tors are balanced one on top of the other in the most fantastic way, and are just flung about in thousands in the most reckless manneT. The story is that Hanuman, the monkey god, was helping Rama to rescue his wife Sita from the King of Ceylon, who had captured her. All the monkeys headed by Hanuman were building a stone causeway across the sea, from India to Ceylon, and to do this they were carrying

rocks down to the South from the Him* alayas to drop into the sea. The Dec* ean was a sort of half-way dumping ground and when the bridge was finished there were still a good many rocks left lying about here, whilch were not needed, and here they have remained. Not very good organisation. "We had only gone a mile when we were passed by a purdah car, every window tightly curtained, and we guessed that these were hikers trying very hard to be in time this morning. When we got to the meeting place two car loads had already arrived- A child who keeps purdah cannot jump out as soon as the car or cart stops, but must wait (though peeping a little, and I suspect not missing much) until she is told that all is clear. First the driver must walk away out of sight and then the Ayah, who goes everywhere with them, will open the door if no one is about. Opening the door is rather like letting out tho four and twenty blackbirds; there are always moTe children inside a purdah car than seems strictly probable, and they all tumble out one after another talking hard. "One of the ‘guests’ was a Bluebird who had only just flown .into the company, so she was still wearing hex Bluebird uniform. Bright blue satin pyjamas closely fitting from knee to ankle, a white muslin ‘kurta’ and a blue satin waistcoat with little buttons nil down tho front. Her uniform is satin just because her clothes are always satin. School is full of colour, instead of blue gym. dresses and brown or black stockinged legs there are Tundreds of silk or satin pyjama logs of every colour; a row of little girls sitting on a bench with their rainbowcoloured legs and bright jackets is a cheerful sight. "The Guides wear white jumpers and navy blue saris. "This was not really a very hikey hike, we couldn’t let them go very far out of our sight as we were responsible for them, and they are always guarded and accompanied wherever they go.' So after wo had climbed a little over the rocks they went off into three groups aud each party chose a spot a few hundred yards away.

"The Banjara road in tho early morning is really lovely. It climbs a roeky ridge behind Hyderabad, and looks down over Huseim Saga Tank. Behind there are rocks stretching away as far as you cau see, everything very clear and distinct, shadows a deep hard blue and occasional mango and custard apple trees amongst the cactus and scrub. In front, Nawaib Fakr-ul-Mulk's palace and the sun coming up over the great tank which is Older than Hyderabad.

(To be continued next week.)