38 THE INDIAN ECLIPSE, 1898. 



terms an offer from Commissioner J. A. Bourdillon, of the Patna 

 Division, to aid us to the extent of his ability, the other from 

 the local magistrate, Mr. J. D. Cargill, marked by the same 

 unbounded courtesy, but frankly explaining that the resources 

 of the neighbourhood were after all limited, and might well 

 prove insufficient for our requirements. 



But ere these letters had been fairly read, our vessel lay off 

 the Ballard Pier, the tender was alongside, the gangway run 

 out, and the moment was already come for a hasty yet most 

 hearty leave-taking of our captain and officers, who had been 

 such true friends for three happy weeks. Five minutes later 

 we found ourselves contemplating long groves and avenues of 

 piled-up baggage, and verily in a strange land. We were 

 thrown entirely on our own resources ; not a soul of our party 

 had been in the country before, nor knew the native or his 

 tongue, nor had we one friend in all Bombay to turn to. Worse 

 still : as all credentials were in my keeping, it was essential that 

 I should go forward and with all speed make due arrangements 

 with the railway company ; yet the heaviest of the instruments 

 and baggage were my own, and half of these lay buried some- 

 where under chaos, and seemed likely, for all that we could do, 

 to remain so for good and all. 



Of course in the end things righted themselves somehow. A 

 Babu came to my rescue, unearthed my bulky belongings, and 

 while I cleared all at the Customs, engaged a small army of 

 coolies, with sundry gharries and bullock-waggons, and then 

 asked for payment. How many rupees I had to overpay him 

 I shall never know ; yet the money was well invested, for it 

 bought me experience which was simply invaluable. However, 

 at the railway station, on the arrival of the bullock-carts, there 

 seemed to be every one of those coolies again who had been 

 already overpaid, and a vast number more besides, all salaaming 

 and clamouring for more backsheesh. It was a Parsi this time 

 who stood my friend, promptly dismissed the rabble, and booked 

 our baggage at an outlay that by comparison must be deemed 

 moderate ; and to the end of my days I shall remember 

 that courtly gentleman with his shiny hat with the utmost 

 gratitude. 



My own family party, accompanied by Miss Dixon and Mr. 

 Johnson, started forward that night for Benares, as pioneers for 

 the main body of the expedition, who elected to remain in 

 Bombay and await thel further development of plans. Messrs. 

 Gibbs, Hebert, and Smith also journeyed up by the same train. 

 And so 10 p.m. found us, with the satisfaction of feeling that 

 not an hour had been lost, steaming out from under the heated 

 roofs of the Victoria Terminus, the fresh air from the open 

 country blowing through us, and a journey of forty hours on 

 end before us. 



