chap HI. MINNER1A LAKE. 39 



march. It was a lovely afternoon. The waters of 

 the lake, which is twenty miles in cricumference, were 

 burnished by the setting sun. The surrounding plains 

 were as green as an English meadow, and beautiful 

 forest trees bordered the extreme boundaries of the 

 plains like giant warders of the adjoining jungle. 

 Long promontories densely wooded stretched far into 

 the waters of the lake, forming sheltered nooks and 

 bays teeming with wild fowl. The deer browsed in 

 herds on the wide extent of plain, or lay beneath the 

 shade of the spreading branches. Every feature of 

 lovely scenery was here presented. In some spots 

 groves of trees grew to the very water's edge ; in others 

 the wide plains, free from a single stem or bush, 

 stretched for miles along the edge of the lake; thickly 

 wooded hills bordered the extreme end of its waters, 

 and distant blue mountains mingled their dim summits 

 with the clouds. 



It was a lovely scene which we enjoyed in silence, 

 while our ponies feasted upon the rich grass. 



The village of Minneria was three miles farther on, 

 and our coolies, servants, and baggage were all far 

 behind us. We had, therefore, no rifles or guns at 

 hand, except a couple of shot-guns, which were 

 carried by our horsekeepers : for these we had a few 

 balls. 



For about half an hour we waited in the impatient 

 expectation of the arrival of our servants with the 

 rifles. 



