322 A Journey from Bombay to Jeypore. [Sess. 



and she had been thrown, she was in no way injured beyond 

 a cut hand and a contused face. I desired her to get on my 

 horse and I would walk, but I could not persuade her to' 

 adopt this course. The next difficulty was with my wife, 

 who also determined to get off her pony for fear of an accident 

 to herself ; and as it was no use trying to convince the two 

 ladies, I had nothing for it but to let them have their way. 

 The ladies walked, the Gujerati led my wife's pony, and I 

 rode. Tired, pained, and hungry, we must have formed a 

 comical picture, in marked contrast to that we afforded on- 

 lookers at our departure. Fortunately, in the pale moonlight 

 our features were dimly visible. The riderless pony galloped 

 to the station, where its arrival caused alarm, as the natives 

 thought one of us had been taken out of the saddle by a wild 

 beast. A number of men came rushing along the road, as 

 they knew from our servant that we could not be far off. 

 The manager of the contractor for the ponies first came in 

 sight, and we could see him with his outstretched right arm 

 trying to count us, to see who was amissing. He seemed 

 anxious to keep his distance from us ; but as our own servant 

 immediately arrived and informed us who he was, I desired 

 him to ask the manager to come to me. He evidently was 

 frightened, so I went forward while he was hesitating, and 

 holding up the broken bridle I gave him clearly to understand 

 that if Miss S. cared to bring an action for damages against 

 his master, he might be ruined, and I told him that I would 

 consider whether or not I should report the matter to the 

 authorities. Whether this lecture has had any effect in 

 causing the contractor to improve the harness of his ponies 

 I know not, but suspect that with our departure in the train 

 it would be a case of " out of sight, out of mind." We had 

 only proceeded about a hundred yards after meeting the men, 

 when we found ourselves in the midst of a troop of between 

 thirty and forty Government elephants that were feeding 

 upon great heaps of cut sugar-cane. They scarcely took any 

 notice of us, but it was a remarkable sight to watch the huge 

 animals by the light of the moon, in what might have been 

 their native wilds. We reached the station without further 

 adventure, and, after a comfortable dinner, caught the train 

 for Ajmere at 10.39 p.m. 



