Wouldn't a "missionary's pass" be a document allowing a missionary to ride free or at reduced fare on the railways? Presumably there were those who sought to abuse such privileges, hence the opprobrium of calling someone a "missionary’s-pass-hunting hound".

It wasn't so long ago that one could ride on American trains with special passes. The Santa Fe used to have a "Banana Messenger" pass, and I had great fun speculating on precisely how one would qualify for one!

Fred Lerner
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From: To exchange information and views on the life and work of Rudyard Kipling [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Yan [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 9:40
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Subject: “The Man Who would be King”

Dear list members,

In “The Man Who would be King”, Dravot  blamed Carnehan (when they escaped to Bashkai with Billy Fish):

“’It’s your fault,’ says he, ‘for not looking after your Army better. There was mutiny in the midst, and you didn’t know—you damned engine-driving, plate-laying, missionary’s-pass-hunting hound!’ He sat upon a rock and called me every foul name he could lay tongue to.

Can anyone advise on the meaning of “missionary’s-pass-hunting”?

It is not unlikely to make no sense at all: Carnehan says above that “Dan began to go mad in his head from that hour.” On the other hand, “engine-driving” and “plate-laying” refers to previous professions of them both: “We have been boiler-fitters, engine-drivers, petty contractors, and all that,”; and “pass” in this respect may allude to Bolan Pass: “...like Billy Fish that drove the big tank-engine at Mach on the Bolan in the old days.

Many thanks in advance,

Yan Shapiro
, Dravot  blamed Carnehan (when they escaped to Bashkai with Billy Fish):

“’It’s your fault,’ says he, ‘for not looking after your Army better. There was mutiny in the midst, and you didn’t know—you damned engine-driving, plate-laying, missionary’s-pass-hunting hound!’ He sat upon a rock and called me every foul name he could lay tongue to.

Can anyone advise on the meaning of this “missionary’s-pass-hunting”?

It is not unlikely to make no sense at all: Carnehan says above that “Dan began to go mad in his head from that hour.” On the other hand, “engine-driving” and “plate-laying” refers to previous professions of them both: “We have been boiler-fitters, engine-drivers, petty contractors, and all that,”; and “pass” in this respect may allude to Bolan Pass: “...like Billy Fish that drove the big tank-engine at Mach on the Bolan in the old days.

Many thanks in advance,

Yan Shapiro