306 Sport and Life in the Further Himalaya 



" Do you think it will drown ? " he asked the 

 lady, when out of earshot of the shore. She did 

 her best to reassure him, and evidently with some 

 success, to judge by the next remark he let drop 

 after settling himself comfortably in the stern, 

 " Madam, this is very pleasant." Prince and lady 

 were now nearing the duck, which were getting 

 up in swarms and circling round the lake, and the 

 bang -banging and flop of falling duck showed 

 that he in the jungle was also having a pleasant 

 evening. 



But one more scene in the career of the " Alys." 

 Many years ago an Indian Maharajah, who ruled 

 over a big tract of country in Eajputana, observed 

 a river running through a gap in a range of hills. 

 It struck him that if the gap were filled in a fine 

 lake would be formed, where he could build him- 

 self a plaisance. So the order was passed, and 

 men dug and carried baskets of earth and plumped 

 them down in the gap. After some hundreds of 

 thousands or millions of baskets of earth had been 

 deposited, the river was dammed and spread out 

 into a huge lake, with islands and promontories 

 and long arms of water stretching out among the 

 jungle-covered hills. The great barrage was then 

 paved with blocks of white stone and retaining 

 walls were built up on both sides ; a marble temple 



