84 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SHIKAR 



try and dry them in the sun. The pony was the 

 easiest to dry and suffered the least harm. 



The paths, too, were very wet and slippery, as I 

 found when riding a little country pony up a steep 

 bit of hill. He gathered himself together to make 

 an effort, digging his fore toes into the ground, but 

 slipped, sat down on his hind quarters when I slid 

 off and went completely head over heels back- 

 wards. Then he rolled over and over on his side 

 some long distance down the grassy slope and was 

 brought up by a bit of level ground. The little 

 Dobbin got up, shook himself and then came back 

 to be mounted. He was allowed to climb unloaded 

 for a time until we reached more level going. Then 

 Ned's heels slipped up on a very greasy place and 

 he sat down suddenly in a dirty puddle. He was 

 very angry and said something about Providence 

 having far less consideration for his feelings than 

 for those of the spectators ! Some of the huts we 

 passed were built into the side of the hills, with flat 

 grassy roofs supported by posts and rafters. One 

 of the huts was on the lower side of, and the roof 

 just level with, the road, and we were amused to see 

 our coolies walk on to it, sit down and hold a long con- 

 versation with the family inside, down the chimney. 



Such heavy rain fell that we could neither march 

 nor pitch our tents the rain had begun after we 

 had started so we stopped at the first village we 

 came to and took refuge in a large wooden house, 

 part of which the headman put at our disposal. 

 He turned out four tiny dark rooms for us on the 

 first floor, the best he had ; they were over a steamy 



