IN THE SAL FORESTS 365 



thickets found us nearing the end of our one hundred miles 

 of journey by ringhi, when suddenly the conveyance occu- 

 pied by the well-nourished man of parts gave way. There 

 was not very far to fall, however, and the entire axle-tree 

 having been detached, a teak pole from the jungle and 

 a few blows of an adze furnished the necessary repairs. 



We found our horses at the appointed village, near 

 which the entire population was occupied in capturing the 

 fish that were suffocating in the turbid puddle which 

 represented what must once have been a large tank ; and 

 after a short rest, a ride of fifteen miles took us to our first 

 camp. Hot baths and a good square meal served to 

 dissipate the highly uncomfortable memories of our long 

 forced march, and in the evening we strolled down to the 

 river bank and regarded, on the far shore, the land of 

 promise that we had come so far to enjoy. 



Next morning we continued our marching, and found 

 all the kit and carts delayed at the crossing of the river 

 splashing slowly through the warm shallow ford, or labour- 

 ing in the hot deep sand. The crossing was diagonal, and 

 three hours passed ere the last cart was forced with yells 

 and shouts up the far bank and entered the promised 

 land. Riding on, the thin jungle changed to trees of 

 larger size, many green and fresh-looking. In some 

 shallow valleys were the now hard-baked traces of rice 

 cultivation on a rough and ready plan ; and in many 

 places we saw the impressions of the feet of the wild 

 buffaloes that in the rainy season wander over this tract. 

 Of course we at once fell into the common error of 

 imagining many marks meant many buffs. We had not 

 yet learned that one small herd of these ponderous 

 creatures will cover the whole countryside with marks in 

 a very few days and nights. 



More marching brought us to the river again, having now 

 crossed the big elbow or bend in its course. The country 

 now grew more interesting. The villages were inhabited 



