328 THE LAST HUNT 



made, I believe, pilgrims had to cross the face of a precipice 

 on the other bank of the river along a platform — a very 

 good test of the faith of the mild Hindu ; the passage was 

 called the Bhaironghati. We put up for the night in the 

 Jiingla bungalow. An obliging clerk lived here, and also' 

 two fakirs, who gave me some very nice fresh milk. The 

 clerk had been here ten years ; his wife was ill from fever 

 and dysentery, so I gave him some quinine, and recom- 

 mended an early change of climate. The bungalow is built 

 on the edge of the precipice overhanging the river, which 

 is some distance below — a very wild spot. 



I had heard various versions of the murderer sahib's 

 doings since leaving Nilang, but probably none of them 

 were true. The wife of the culprit was said to be in the 

 village. If reports be true, this lady had no small part 

 in bringing about the bloody tragedy with which her 

 husband's name is connected. Farther on is the place 

 said to have been the scene of the tragedy. The murderer 

 is said to have slaughtered his victims on the level spot 

 between the bridges over the two streams in front of the 

 house. I found only the chaukidar's wife in the bungalow^ 

 but she was very reticent. An official from Tiri had been 

 here for the last few days, and had just finished his- 

 inquiry ; so everybody's mouth was shut, as is the custom 

 in India when information is wanted. There seemed to 

 be a feeling among the people here in favour of the sahib,, 

 scoundrel though he is, due, no doubt, to his family connec- 

 tions and to the wealth and influence which I learned were 

 possessed by his mother. 



At Bhattari I met the Tiri police official, who had been 

 for the last three weeks inquiring into the murder case ; 

 he was returning to headquarters with his report. He 

 gave me the history of the tragedy, which may be con- 

 sidered the official version, and therefore the most trust- 



