Dawk Driving. i6i 



I got used to Tirhoot driving, although at first it 

 tried my nerves to the utmost. Except on the line of 

 railway, travelling from one part to another of " the 

 three districts" is done by driving daz^'ks. A man 

 wants to go a journey of, say, fifty miles. To accom- 

 plish this he will require nine or ten daivks ; so he sends 

 on two or three horses of his own for the first three 

 or four stages, and then writes to the planters whose 

 factories are near the road he is taking to supply the 

 remainder. This request is acceded to with the greatest 

 good-will, on the understanding that the traveller must 

 accept hospitality on his way through. He has then 

 nothing to do but to drive his dog-cart or gig, and 

 change at each stage. The horses are generally good 

 ones, in capital condition, and not overworked, so 

 make very light of their five or six mile " spell." If 

 they run away at times it doesn't very much matter, 

 as the native carters, when they see a snJiib coming, 

 promptly drive their bullocks off the road, lest swift 

 chastisement might fall on them. 



I can never forget the unbounded kindness I have 

 received from the Behar planters, and especially from 

 my best of friends, Charlie Webb, who, the last time I 

 stayed with him, wanted me to stop as his guest for a 



12 



