150 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



vadi, which was the seat of Government locally, lay in the 

 low flat land between surrounding and isolated low hills, and 

 consisted of one irregular street with countless alleys. All 

 around was the ubiquitous Lantana, forming by its thick 

 growth a very nursery for young panthers. 



There were four European bungalows besides the hospital : 

 one for the doctor and his household ; one for the Super- 

 intendent of Police ; one for the District Magistrate ; and 

 one for the Forest Officer. 



Each bungalow was perched on the summit of its own 

 hill, and apart from the gardens ; very little more of the 

 jungle was cleared round it than enough to make it ap- 

 proachable by a carriage drive, or maybe by only a bridle- 

 path. The ' carriage drives ' were as far removed as possible 

 from the idea that word usually conveys. They were steep, 

 stony, narrow, winding ; nothing to mind, however, when 

 used to them. 



I had been ' tiffing ' with the doctor's wife, and was riding 

 leisurely home one evening after dark, the syce walking 

 ahead with a lantern, when I fancied I smelt a panther. I 

 was not sure, however, and my pony's quicker senses were 

 beforehand with me. Without the least warning he simply 

 laid legs to the ground, took a bee-line for his stable, and 

 tore home, the syce being nowhere. That pony knew all 

 the short cuts, and took them. Though not anything of a 

 rider, I had learnt the knack of sticking on, but the diffi- 

 culty now was not so much that as to keep myself from 

 being dragged off by the strong overhanging boughs, some 

 of which were thorny and clinging. The monsoon being 

 in, all vegetation was at its thickest growth ; indeed, only 

 by going in this headlong fashion could I have got through 

 at all. The ground was full of holes and puddles, but little 

 recked my pony of such trifles ; on he flew, while the 

 panther, doubtless, was going just as fast in an opposite 

 direction, but I had not had enough experience to be sure 



