8 THE EARLY DAYS OF 



when the English armed themselves as remote savages do now. 

 The clergy, as might be expected, were in force, bringing in a stream 

 of new arrivals, full of life and joyous mirth. 



One group of lads was engaged in hunting frogs which abounded 

 there, and great heaps of the slain were prominently exposed to 

 view; whilst the captain of the crew, like Agamemnon, was chiding 

 the backward, and encouraging the zealous ones to renewed 

 exertions. Every hole and corner was carefully explored, and 

 reptiles, which scenting danger, had crept into fastnesses under logs 

 or stones, were remorselessly dragged out. The moat also, which 

 bounded the wilderness on one side, was searched by an eager band, 

 with sleeves turned back, in order to probe the overhanging banks, 

 and draw out the slimy prey. Some were stripping nut-trees of their 

 fruit, whilst others, more to show their prowess, than to illustrate 

 Darwin's " Descent of Man," which had not then appeared, were 

 climbing trees, and amid the branches, peeping down with gay 

 grimaces on the passers-by. 



The sports of children satisfy the child ; but the parents soon 

 grew weary of the scene, and thinking that their brood might be 

 shipped off fairly now, retired to spend a quiet evening at the 

 " Ailesbury Arms," which, doubtless, at that time was doing a 

 roaring trade. Then I was left alone, and eager to give full play to 

 my buoyant spirit, at once made overtures to gambol with a rough- 

 looking sturdy lad, under whose wing I hoped to bask in safety, as 

 he appeared a giant in my eyes. But he, resenting these advances, 

 aimed a furious blow with a thick frog-slaying bludgeon at my head, 

 which would have knocked out the scanty brains I possessed, and 

 ended my schooldays for ever, had I not, with the agility of a puma, 

 jumped aside and fled in terror. But, as I fled, an imprecation was 

 wafted through the evening air, which sounded like, " O, damn the 

 bugs* ; I hate the bugs ; I should love to slay them all." 



This early lesson made a deep impression on my mind ; it showed 

 how true the Eastern proverb is — admi ka Shaitan admi hai, which 



* This elegant sobriquet was applied to all the boys of the Lower School. 



