48 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



considerable payments for the purification ceremonies in 

 the temple ; but, worst of all, had any of the priests or 

 boys employed in the service observed me, money would 

 hardly square it. A few years before this a coffee planter 

 living not far off had come down here for the fishing with 

 his family, and nearly lost one of his children. Some of the 

 party strayed off into this very temple at a time when it 

 was full of people. The priests and worshippers were alike 

 furious at the intrusion and pollution, chasing them out 

 and throwing stones and pieces of wood ; one child was 

 within an ace of being stoned to death ; they wanted to 

 take his life ! It was at great expense, and then only with 

 the utmost difficulty, that the whole party were bought 

 off, the father giving into all present demands and binding 

 himself to further compensation, knowing well that the 

 temple authorities would be upheld in their rights. 



The proverb ' Fools rush in where angels fear to tread ' 

 might have been made for those intruders or for me. As 

 to our affair, the peon either hadn't seen, or didn't want 

 to see, anything, so no one was any the wiser, and we heard 

 no more about it. 



Camping in, or even travelling through, the forests is to 

 be avoided in the rainy season, when they are infested 

 with leeches. I did it once, but only that once. As you 

 pass along every leaf and twig is alive and bristling with 

 them in their legions, raising themselves on end and craning 

 out their necks till they seem all neck, being then ravenous 

 and thin. In this condition they are an inch long, no 

 thicker than twine, and dark brown in colour. Woe to 

 you if you happen to be their first victim ! If there be 

 one unguarded breach in your apparel from head to foot 

 they will effect an entrance. Nothing is any protection 

 from them but a veil, kept away from the face by a wide- 

 brimmed ' solar topee ' or sun hat, and fastened down closely 

 round your throat with elastic. Your under garments 



