A SAD ACCIDENT 



an indigent individual to whom even a couple of rupees will 

 spell riches, and five almost a fortune. 



* * # * * # 



I remained for some months with the regiment at Male- 

 gown, learning my drill and incidentally acquiring consider- 

 able experience of jungle life and sport, for amongst the senior 

 officers were one or two old shikaris as willing to relate 

 their adventures and experiences as I was to hear of them, 

 and in this way picked up much valuable information, 

 which in after years stood me in good stead. So that on 

 the whole, life at this little station, if not very exciting, 

 was at any rate instructive and decidedly enjoyable. On 

 one occasion, however, a gloom was cast over our small 

 community by the death of one of our young officers under 

 circumstances so sad that it made a great impression on 

 us all. He and a midshipman, on leave from a man-of- 

 war lying in Bombay harbour, were travelling to Ahmeda- 

 bad for the race-week by train, and on the journey, wishing 

 to join some friends, who were in another carriage, they 

 got out on to the footboard and were walking along it 

 when the midshipman, who was in front, saw that they 

 were approaching a bridge. He called out to warn his 

 companion, meanwhile flattening himself up against the 

 door. The other attempted to do the same, but being a 

 much bigger man, and possibly less agile, was cannoned off 

 and fell into the river below, whence his body was subse- 

 quently recovered. 



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