238 EDGE OF THE JUNGLE 



I have seen many wonderful sights from an 

 automobile, — such as my first Boche barrage and 

 the tree ferns of Martinique, — but none to com- 

 pare with the joys of vision from prehistoric 

 iikka gharries, ancient victorias, and aged hacks. 

 It was from the low curves of these equine rick- 

 shaws that I first learned to love Paris and Cal- 

 cutta and the water-lilies of Georgetown. One 

 of the first rites which I perform upon returning 

 to New York is to o^o to the Lafayette and, after 

 dinner, brush aside the taxi men and hail a vic- 

 toria. The last time I did this, my driver was so 

 old that two fellow drivers, younger than he and 

 yet grandfatherly, assisted him, one holding the 

 horse and the other helping him to his seat. 

 Slowly ascending Fifth Avenue close to the curb 

 and on through Central Park is like no other ex- 

 perience. The vehicle is so low and open that 

 all resemblance to bus or taxi is lost. Every- 

 thing is seen from a new angle. One learns in- 

 cidentally that there is a guild of cab-drivers — 

 proud, restrained, jealous. A hundred cars rush 

 b}^ without notice. Suddenly we see the whip 

 brouglit up in salute to the dingy green top-hat, 

 and across the avenue we perceive another vic- 

 toria. And we are thrilled at the discovery, as 



