REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



two hundred must have collected outside the verandah. The 

 talk of some of those would-be wiseacres was highly amusing. 

 One of them asked if the snake was alive. On being told 

 that the Sahib had killed it, he shook his head ; there was no 

 hope. Another pinched Abbott's arm where the ligature was 

 tied and asked him if he felt it. On being told no, he also 

 shook his head ; there was no hope, the Sahib must die ; a 

 regular Job's comforter this. A charmer then came forward, 

 and wanted to exercise his blandishments, but we cried enough, 

 and the charmer retired ; he also shook his head. 



" I have not yet stated the way in which the bite occurred. 

 It appears that shortly after retiring Abbott heard the 

 punkahwallahs call out, ' Samp ! Samp ! !' He was up at once 

 like a terrier at a rat, and, going outside, saw Mr. Snake 'by 

 the light of the moon.' Making use of his old tactics, he, aS 

 he thought, made a grab at its tail, which, however, turned 

 out to be its head ; hence this tale. Moral: Don't trust the 

 moon, and don't catch snakes by the tail, or you may not get 

 off so lightly as the hero of the alligator adventure." 



In 1878 we miss from the list of the names of patrons 

 that of Mr. Richardson, Judge of Mozufferpore, whose retire- 

 ment from the service deprived Sonepore of one of its 

 staunchest supporter. Good old " Doleful Dick " was one of 

 the fine old Haileybury lot of Civilians, now alas nearly ex- 

 tinct. In mentioning his approaching departure, the sporting 

 correspondent of the Englishman thus alludes to him : 

 " I am indeed sorry we are about to lose our judge, Mr. 

 Richardson, who has for many years figured as one of our 

 Stewards ; his place will be hard to supply ; he leaves Mo- 

 zufferpore regretted universally by both Europeans and 

 natives, a most perfect host, a true and kind-hearted English 

 gentleman, one who never made an enemy, a staunch friend 

 and a very prince of good fellows, his memory will be green 

 with us for many years to come, and we can only wish him 



