248 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



cheerfully and unconcernedly as if no sad farewells were 

 taking place, no hearts full of sorrow for partings. 



Presently a quaint covered vehicle rattled up. Into 

 its canvas-covered maw many bags were thrown, my 

 small traps were banged on top, and I contrived to 

 crawl in. The driver took the heavy leathern straps 

 doing duty as reins, and we hurtled off. I have been run 

 away with, I have hunted on wheels in Ireland, and I 

 have raced in a two-wheeled cart for a wager, but no- 

 thing had prepared me for that wild thirty -mile burst to 

 Baramula. I have not ridden a mad bull through space, 

 nor been dropped from the moon in a barrel with iron 

 coigns, but I imagine a combination of the two would 

 approximate our pace and progress ! 



Our first wild ponies were changed for others, 

 and these again every six miles, and except that 

 some stood on their tails while others attempted 

 a like feat on their heads, and that some always 

 wished to commence their career by running down 

 any handy steep bank, while others preferred going 

 round and round in a vicious circle, there was no 

 whit more virtue in one pair than another. Meanwhile 

 I was doing assistant mail distributor at various points 

 where bags have to be given out or collected, the driver 

 suggesting that as I could read I might see that the bags 

 which had nearly smothered me in a preliminary rumble- 

 tumble were correctly rearranged, he literally having 

 his hands full with the " ribbons." For which labour I 

 have not as yet received any remuneration from the 

 P.O. authorities, nor even a tip from those who benefited 

 by the correct distribution of their letters that morning! 



An hour or two of this progression taught me various 

 things, and wedging each foot firmly round the supports 

 of the seat, putting two large cushions between my left 



