TWENTY YEARS AGO 4 



o 



does not actually fall. But to me it was a 

 great day ; for, was I not off to visit India 

 for the first time in my life ? and, moreover, 

 was it not the very first slice of leave that 

 had fallen to the lot of a junior subaltern ? 

 Either of these things would have made it 

 memorable. To be sure, the slice of leave I 

 had got was but a small one — fourteen days ; 

 but I had determined to get a lot into the 

 time. One precious day was already gone 

 in getting to Galle, but that night sufficed for 

 our short voyage ; and, without losing a 

 minute at the little Indian port where I 

 landed, I inducted myself into a gharry, 

 and started on a drive which lasted well into 

 the afternoon. At last I reached the spot 

 where the road was no longer of any use, 

 and found a pony and coolies waiting. Hav- 

 ing handed over my gun-cases and my box 



