MILITAR Y AD VENTURES. 151 



the ground, and it is so easy for the rider 

 that it was no more fatigue than sitting in 

 an arm chair. My pony was a piebald, a 

 favourite colour with the natives, and the 

 lower half of his tail was dyed pink, which 

 they also consider a great beauty. 



I decided upon starting the next 

 morning, and rode my new purchase 

 round to take leave of the kotwal^ and to 

 thank him, in the name of the Honourable 

 East India Company, for his kindness 

 and hospitality to me. He received me 

 in quite a fatherly manner, got up and 

 embraced me, and, on my leaving him, he 

 blessed me in a way that was quite patri- 

 archal. The kotwal was evidently much 

 impressed with my altered appearence, 

 for, in no part of the world are appear- 

 ances so much thought of as in the East ; 

 and, on the old principle about " fine 



