14 Incidents of Foreign Field Sport, 



Ellore, only one boy remaining behind with food, &c., 

 sufficient for a couple of days. . These carts are not 

 to be despised for travelling in. With a heap of straw 

 at the bottom, a light mattress on the top, and a 

 couple of pillows, one can be comfortable enough in 

 them, especially if you travel over the Government 

 roads ; but I was going across country, my sole guide 

 being a section of the map of the district compiled 

 by the Topographical Department. These are wonder- 

 fully correct, and show all bye ways, villages, and even 

 small sheets of water. I had examined my map care- 

 fully. The route I proposed taking was not only far 

 shorter than that by Ellore, but it would be novel to 

 me, as I had travelled the habitually used course 

 several times. All went well until I had got half way, 

 I then halted for a few hours at a considerable village, 

 put up in the choultry, a place set apart principally 

 for native travellers, intending to be again on the 

 move directly the moon was well up, which would be 

 at 2 A.M. About 1 A.M. I was awoke by a voice uttering. 

 " Sahib, Sahib, chota hazarie tyar hi " (Sir, your early 

 breakfast is ready). I was out of bed in a moment, 

 swallowed my cup of coffee, poured half a dozen chatties 

 (earthenware pots) of water over my head, and did not 

 take long to adorn my person. " Are the bullocks put 

 to ? " I asked. " The peon has gone to get them," was 

 the reply. I was getting very impatient at being 

 kept waiting, when the peon, a fine soldierly-looking 

 old Mussulman, said he had been to the Tahsildar 

 (who had only just retired to rest, having had a 

 nautch at his house) and that he had said that there 

 were no bullocks procurable. " How is that ? " said I, 

 "Did not the Burra Sahib send punvannahs to have 

 everything ready ? " " Ho, Sahib," replied the man, 



