ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 67 



and informed him that they were all much distressed and 

 shocked at finding the Sahib had shot a very holy cow, which 

 had been allowed to roam at will about the village. They 

 then took him to the spot, where, sure enough, lay a red cow 

 dead, with a bullet-hole through her shoulder, and the marks 

 of the dog's teeth in her throat. 



Pogson expressed much regret, and offered to pay for the 

 cow, but was informed no doubt much to his own satisfaction 

 that the cow was sacred, and could not be sold for money. 

 The villagers behaved very well, and said it had been the fate 

 of the cow to die by the Sahib's bullet, and there was an end 

 of the matter. 



About the close of the year we received our marching 

 orders for Guzerat. This district we had always heard of as 

 abounding in game of all sorts ; and we were not sorry to 

 leave the Deccan, where, to say the most of it, our bag had 

 been but small. 



We marched to the port of Wagotun, on a river about 

 twelve miles from the sea. Here we found a number of 

 coasting boats, twenty-two I think, waiting for us ; and we 

 were told off to these according to their capacity. 



A few of the boats had cabins ; these were assigned to 

 married officers. I had a party of about seventy-five men 

 and women, for many of our men moved with their families. 

 Our boat had a split bamboo mat for a deck, and the men 

 took up their quarters on it as best they might. The boat 

 had no cabin, and the only spot which afforded any shade from 

 the sun was under a platform, whereon sat the steersman. This 

 was by courtesy supposed to be my cabin, but it was filled 

 with bags of provisions for the men ; and during the eleven 

 days occupied in the passage I sat above in the sun, and tried 

 to console myself with the idea that I was serving my country. 



