186 SPORTING AND 



which they intended giving me ; but as I 

 did not take it at that time, perhaps I 

 would be pleased to accept it now as a 

 token of their esteem and goodwill. The 

 messenger hinted that the " present" 

 consisted of five hundred rupees (fifty 

 pounds) in gold, and he said how gratified 

 they would all feel if the English sahib 

 would condescend to accept this small 

 offering of their goodwill and respect. 

 From the hearty manner in which this 

 fellow urged their cause, I could see he 

 had been well bribed ; he never once 

 alluded to the cruel manner in which I had 

 been treated in both villages, nor did he 

 say a word about my being tried and 

 twice condemned to death. 



I told him I would have nothing to do 

 with them, or with their present, and that 

 I would report their infamous conduct to 



