26 LIFE AND WORK OF SIR JAGADIS C. BOSE 



not sold, and the mother was induced to keep her money for 

 Jagadis' return from Europe, though the family economies 

 were henceforth doubtless stricter than ever for their 

 student's sake as well as for relief of the father's burden. 



To follow our student's changing fortunes more clearly, 

 we must look beyond his educational routine and its 

 anxious vicissitudes, and into the less conventional elements 

 which were meantime also part of his preparation for life. 

 The love of nature, of pets, of horses, readily develops in 

 youth towards sport and adventure in the wild. With the 

 advent of vigorous boyhood had come the joy of taking 

 risks, even in chancing narrow escapes ; and these were 

 forthcoming. Thus, when under fifteen, fording a doubtful 

 river on horseback, which the flood had cut deep, the horse 

 slipped into a hole, and turned over under water, leaving 

 its rider to disentangle himself, swim from under the 

 struggling animal, and land himself and it, little the worse. 

 This fine horse thereafter would tolerate no other rider, 

 not even his father, and so was idle during the long 

 terms of absence in Calcutta. His attendant, now an old 

 Rajput Sepoy, taught the boy shooting ; whence hunting 

 expeditions as often as might be. A college vacation at 

 nineteen culminated in a month in the Terai, with first 

 experience of big game, and vivid impressions of jungle 

 and forest. Then six months later came a fascinating 

 invitation to a hunting holiday in Assam, from a friendly 

 zemindar a crack shot and distinguished hunter ; and 

 with not only wild buffalo in his forest, but rhinoceros. 

 Arriving at the nearest railway station in the evening, 

 a palanquin was waiting for a night journey of twenty-one 

 miles. Then he was out for an active day's sport, but 

 in the evening came an alarming attack of fever, of 

 an unprecedented violence. It was agreed he should 

 return at once before it grew worse. But the palanquin 

 was not now available. Anxious to be off, he asked, 

 ' Can you not spare me a horse ? ' ' The only horse 

 available is too dangerous for you a fine racer, but a 



