302 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



tubs, yet everyone took it good naturedly, feeling how wel- 

 come the downpour was to the anxious peasants and planters. 

 Had the rain but fallen while the conference was in progress, 

 the Hindoos would have connected it with His Honor's visit, 

 they would have made a little tin god of and worshipped 

 him for ever after. Old Beharites were indeed glad to see 

 Mr. C. C. Stevens again, for he made himself universally liked 

 when in charge of Patna, and he will be received with open 

 arms, if it be true that he comes amongst us again as Manager 

 of the Hutwa Raj ; a sound statesman, good lawyer and 

 penman, gifted with infinite tact and the most courteous 

 manners, cautious, experienced, sympathetic and having a 

 thorough knowledge of the Hindoo character, he will be the 

 right man to guide the estate through the minority. Mr. 

 Finucane, too, found may old friends to welcome him, and it 

 was universally regretted that Mrs. and Miss Stevens and 

 Mrs. Finucane had not come with the party. Mr. Gayer met 

 many who had known his parents well, when Dr. Gayer was 

 .Civil Surgeon of Mozufferpore, and Sir Alec himself was 

 remembered when he was a caustic youngster at Arrah. He 

 won more than one sportsman's heart by the enthusiastic way 

 he greeted Mr. Edwards' fine riding of Pointsman and we 

 were only sorry we saw so little of one who can speak like a 

 man, and is certain to keep a level head in a crisis such as 

 has now to be faced in the province under his rule. His 

 Honor has evidently heard of the rude way the Chupra 

 dacoits treated his predecessor and, not wishing to be either 

 robbed or abducted, brought his own special Bobby with him, 

 Sir John Lambert's right hand, the invaluable Mr. Hogg, who 

 saw Sir Alexander safely across the Ganges, and then re- 

 turned to sample the turkey and champagne, on which he 

 passed a favorable judgment. Our old friends Messrs. Bourne 

 and Shepherd were absent this year, but Messrs. Johnston 

 and Hoffmann sent up an obliging and bright little represen- 



