In the Sal Forests. 207 



nearing the end of our one hundred miles of journey by 

 ringhi, when suddenly the conveyance occupied 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 re- 

 presented 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 pro- 

 mised 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 country-side with marks in a very few days and 

 nights. 



