194 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



Somehow we have missed a day. It shows how 

 pleasantly time passes in this wild life. We had accepted 

 an invitation to pass Christmas with Sir Dennis Fitzpatrick 

 at Lahore. But to our surprise, on arriving at Lilla 

 railway station this morning, we were greeted by the 

 Baboo with " Merry Christmas, Sare ! " We thanked 

 him, and said he had anticipated the day. But he 

 clearly proved it was not himself, but we, who were out 

 of our reckoning. 



There is no traveller's bungalow or waiting-room at 

 Lilla, and it would be some hours before our servants 

 and baggage arrived, so the Baboo suggested that we 

 should go to the " Platelayer sahib's " house. We could 

 not make out who went by this strange designation ; 

 but presently an Englishman who came up turned ou 

 to be the gentleman in question, and was in reality the 

 superintendent of this section of the line. He very kindly 

 asked us to join his Christmas dinner. We had a most 

 excellent plum-pudding, and our host insisted on opening 

 a tin of preserved salmon, which in India is the equivalent 

 to " killing the fatted calf." 



Our train takes thirteen hours to do the ninety-five 

 miles to Lahore — rather over seven miles an hour ! This 

 certainly includes a long stoppage at a junction ; but on 

 these little branch lines the speed never at any time 

 exceeds twelve or thirteen miles an hour, and the guards 



