MURDER OF LORD MAYO 23 



two torchbearers in front . . . and the Viceroy stepped quickly 

 forward before the rest to descend the stairs to the launch. The 

 next moment the people in the rear heard a noise, as of ' the 

 rush of some animal,' from behind the loose stones ; one or 

 two saw a hand and a knife suddenly descend in the torch- 

 light. The private secretary heard a thud, and instantly turning 

 round, found a man ' fastened like a tiger ' on the back of the 

 Viceroy. In a second, twelve men were on the assassin ; an 

 English officer was pulling them off, and with his sword hilt 

 keeping back the native guards, who would have killed the 

 assailant on the spot. The torches had gone out ; but the 

 Viceroy, who had staggered over the pier side, was dimly seen 

 rising up in the knee-deep water and clearing the hair off his 

 brow with his hand, as if recovering himself His private 

 secretary was instantly by his side in the surf, helping him up 

 up the bank. ' Burne,' he said quietly, ' they've hit me.' 

 Then in a louder voice, which was heard on the pier — ' I'm 

 all right, I don't think I'm much hurt,' or words to that effect. 

 In another minute he was sitting under the smoky glare of 

 the re-lit torches, on a rude native cart at the side of the 

 jetty, his legs hanging loosely down. Then they lifted him 

 bodily out of the cart, and saw a great dark patch on the 

 back of his light coat. The blood came streaming out, and the 

 men tried to stanch it with their handkerchiefs. For a moment 

 or two he sat up in the cart, then he fell heavily backwards. 

 ' Lift up my head,' he said faintly ; and said no more." * 



Leaving Phoenix Bay, we steamed past Chatham Island, 

 where the sawmills are situated, and where a number of hospital 

 convalescents are kept busy with the easy task of manufacturing 

 rope and mats from the coir prepared in Viper Jail. On the 

 approach of a hurricane, vessels in port proceed up harbour and 

 anchor above this island, where they are secure from all danger. 



Our next stopping-place was at Haddo, where we visited the 

 Andamanese in their Homes, and out on the water saw a number 

 of natives fishing from canoes. 



* Rulers of India Series — The Earl of Afayo, by Sir \V. W. Hunter. 



