92 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



These robbers are wonderfully expert, and have been 

 known to steal a blanket from underneath the sleeper, with- 

 out awakening him. Their mode of proceeding is to watch 

 the countenance, and gently tickling those parts of the body 

 which press the most upon the blanket, withdraw it by 

 degrees, until the whole is disengaged; but woe to the indi- 

 vidual should he happen to open his eyes whilst this opera- 

 tion is going on, as the dagger of the bheel would very soon 

 be plunged into his heart. 



We remained for some time at Poonah, partaking of the 

 kind hospitality of the different messes, and enjoying one or 

 two days' excellent hog-hunting ; after which we continued 

 our journey to Bombay, about seventy -five miles distant 

 from this place. Passing through Panowlee and Girjaum, we 

 arrived at Candala, where a superb view of the ghauts, or 

 mountains, covered with forests, arrests the traveller's won- 

 dering admiration, and is thus described by one of the best 

 writers on Oriental scenery. And here I would observe, 

 how few, amongst persons who have witnessed splendid 

 natural effects, but must have deplored the inability of the 

 pen to afford an adequate idea of that which is seen to the 

 mind of the absent. 



. " The description of such natural and varied grandeur can 

 be limited only by each individual's power of graphic por- 

 traiture ; all, however, far below the truth, and weak to the 

 imagination of the poetic reader. From this site I contem- 

 plated the glorious scenes of this magnificent ghaut moun- 

 tain above mountain rose, their bare and rugged summits 

 towering amongst the fleecy clouds, while half-way down, 

 in richest beauty, thick woods of brightest green were gar- 

 landed with blossoming creepers of every hue, with here and 

 there masses of dark rock jutting from among the brilliant 

 verdure. Above, below, dense clouds and fleecy vapours 

 swept across the bold scarp of the mountain side, while on 



