REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 227 



charge of the camp, his hair did not turn grey, but he became 

 prematurely bald. Sir Charles danced like a boy at the balls, 

 and on the first night came a real good cropper, Harry Abbott 

 went to help him up, and consoled him thusly : " Well done, 

 Sir, you fall as you do everything else, most thoroughly." Sir 

 Charles and Lady Elliott were lavish in their hospitality through- 

 out the meeting, and gave a splendid ball as well. 



It is surprising that with all the fun going on and the de- 

 mand on his time, His Honour found an opportunity not only 

 to go through a great deal of work while at Sonepore, but to 

 visit the Hajeepore Sub-Divison of the Mozufferpore District 

 on the 1 6th instant. He was trollied across to the Hajeepore 

 end of the Gunduck Bridge, where he got down and rode 

 through Hajeepore and inspected minutely the Sub-Divisional 

 Office, the Jail, the Moonsiff's Office and the Opium Office, and 

 then walked over the Gunduck Bridge and rode from the 

 Sonepore end (where his horse was waiting his return) to his 

 camp. While at Sonepore he was frequently out riding and 

 driving, and the rush of the crowd to see His Honour was a 

 thing to be remembered, especially by those who happened to 

 get mixed up in the thick. 



At the last ball on the night of the iyth instant, there 

 were some excellent speeches made at the supper. 

 " Jimmy " McLeod proposed the health of His Honour 

 in a feeling speech. He welcomed His Honour to Sonepore, 

 wished him a prosperous reign, and hoped that he would 

 repeat his visit. Sir Charles, in replying, thanked the mem- 

 bers of the meet and the Committee for the hearty wel- 

 come they had extended to Lady Elliott and himself, and 

 impressed on the planters the great influence they were cap- 

 able of exercising for good or for evil, and hoped they would 

 remember their position and exert their influence for the 

 former only. He alluded to the Volunteer movement and to 

 the stirring times of the Mutiny ; and pointed out how 



