A.Y EKKA DRIVERS DIPLOMACY. 21 



stitute for Paddy's pig, aud apparently living on the same 

 familiar terms with his master. 



Thursday, October Vith.—l think if I had not slept on 

 that bedstead it would have gone for a walk by itself! It is 

 explained to me that the rain drives "things" indoors. It 

 certainly did. There is a tiny English shop here, and I am 

 laying in tins of Keating's powder. 



The view from the bungalow is beautiful. Two rivers 

 meet below, one quite blue, the other brown, and the moun- 

 tains tower above us on every side. We decided to wait 

 here until our ekkas arrived. The first came at 12.30, the 

 other at 3. The difference explained itself when we dis- 

 covered that whilst the winner had only some rugs and a 

 small portmanteau, the last had all the stores, my boxes and 

 the ayah. The successful driver was much disgusted when 

 we divided the weights more equally, and wept bitterly over 

 his piebald pony, which he swore would be killed. 



We started again soon after, but, leaving so late, it was 

 nearly dark before we had gone half-way. The recent heavy 

 rain had washed away the road in places, and once the tonga 

 was obliged to descend by an extempore track through the 

 river, whilst we walked round. After dark, of course, we 

 came to the very worst part of the road, or at least what 

 appeared to us to be so, and, as usual, the horses seized the 

 occasion to commence jibbing. 



It was late before we reached Hutti. The bungalow is 



