A COLD WEATHER TOUR 201 



also a multitude of children, running and playing 

 about, and most of them were munching pieces of 

 the fresh sugarcane, as, indeed, were a considerable 

 number of the men. It was a pretty scene of rural 

 enjoyment. 



As the day faded the villagers gradually retired, but 

 the mill continued working, and the cane juice boiling, 

 till well into the night. It soon grew dark, and then 

 the fire in the shed sent out a bright ruddy glow. I 

 remained watching it, and listening to the sleepy dron- 

 ing of the mill, till I was summoned away by the 

 announcement that my dinner was ready. My ride 

 had given me an appetite. I ate my dinner with 

 much enjoyment. Then I sat and read, and had tea, 

 and soon after I went to bed, for at earliest dawn the 

 next morning we were to strike the tents and to 

 commence our second march. 



It would be tedious to describe my tour day by day. 

 I will, therefore, mention only such incidents as I think 

 will prove interesting, and some of these, I should 

 explain, occurred on former occasions, when in earlier 

 years I had held office in this part of the country 

 through which I am now proceeding. 



We marched at first in the direction of the Ganges. 

 We had crossed the canal, and were proceeding along 

 its further bank to the northward, when there fell on 

 our ears a murmuring sound, like the humming of 

 insects. As we went on the sound grew louder, and 

 presently it began to resemble that confused noise 

 which arises from a great assembly of people ; but no 

 such assembly was in sight, nor were there any large 



