96 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



At various times I dug open numerous rat-holes; 

 they all consisted of one single, but very winding, 

 tunnel. The tunnel, if finished, terminated in a single 

 exit. There were no side exits for escape in case 

 of danger nor any chambers for the occupants to lie 

 in or to form a nest for the young, nor did I find in 

 any of these holes or burrows any store of grain or 

 fragments of other food. The tunnels, though long and 

 winding, were never deep. Except where they passed 

 under a raised path, none of these tunnels were more 

 than six or at most seven inches below the surface. 



We did not usually find the occupant at home, and 

 this I was glad of, as on two occasions his presence 

 resulted in a catastrophe. On the first occasion, as the 

 rat ran out of the exit, a servant happened to be stand- 

 ing near with a stick in his hand. To my regret, he 

 struck at the rat with his stick, hit and killed him. This 

 rat was a most unpleasant-looking creature; still he was 

 harmless and enjoying his life. I felt vexed that it 

 should have been thus needlessly put an end to. 



The fate of the other rat excited more sympathy, 

 especially among the servants. His burrow was not 

 yet completed, but this we did not know. There was 

 no exit. He endeavoured to make one through a patch 

 of very loose, moist earth. The earth was so extremely 

 loose and wet that the poor rat became embedded in 

 it. When in digging we reached the spot, to our great 

 sorrow we found him suffocated. He belonged to the 

 long, slender, and elegant-looking variety, and was 

 prettier than usual, even for that variety. Perhaps for 

 that reason his end the more excited our pity. 



