TO SIRINUGGUR. 11 



lurk mahseer of monstrous bulk, I am told. My fortunes 

 were at their worst this evening, as far as catching a dish 

 of fish went. I tried spinning, having heen provided with 

 most tempting minnow-like bait by some small boys, eager 

 for ' backsheesh ' : and I tried ' atta ' in a sticky lump 

 on a large-sized salmon-hook a bait of reputed irresisti- 

 bility but without effect. Numbers of fish, small and 

 some evidently of goodly size, to set one longing, rose and 

 actually floundered on the surface ; but not a run could I 

 get. A heavy thunderstorm, bursting in the distance, 

 was rapidly approaching, which was, perhaps, the unlucky 

 evil influence : so, tired of trying to get anything out of 

 the water, I took a header in, and enjoyed a most refresh- 

 ing and cooling swim. 



22nd April. Sunday. Halted and passed the Sabbath 

 in repose. 



23rd April. To Chungir-ke-Serai a long and tedious 

 march, the path leading over rocks which hedge in the 

 river, on turning an angle of which I overtook Abdoolah, 

 who had preceded me with the breakfast things, standing 

 gazing back in my direction. I told him it was not yet 

 time for breakfast, supposing that to be his meaning, when 

 he pointed upwards, and, suspended from the projecting 

 limb of a tree, some little way up the hill shutting in 

 the river, hung the still-mouldering body of a man, his 

 lower limbs still in his clothes, the ghastly face denuded 

 of flesh, yet with a matted felt of hair straggling here 

 and there over the glistening bones, grinning horribly 

 down upon us. 



This wretch, it appeared, had in the most treacherous, 

 barbarous, and cowardly manner murdered an old man 

 and child, close to the spot where he expiated his crime. 

 Being a sort of rural policeman in the employ of the 

 Maharajah, he was armed with a sword, which, of course, 



