116 TWO YEARS IN THE JUXGLE. 



we asked one of Kamasawmy's peons to find a bandy-man for us, 

 lie flatly told us to find him ourselves, for he would not, which in 

 the end we were obliged to do as best we could. It is a source of 

 consolation to me now to know that cholera prevails at Mudumallay, 

 and that in time it will catch all those wretches. 



When we were starting off from oui* miserable camping-place, 

 old Courti Chetty made a last raid upon us, wanting arrack, powder, 

 shot, my " cumbley " (double blanket), and some money to spend 

 in redecorating ( !) his family temple, all of which I took great 

 pleasure in flatly refusing. He also begged me to write out a peti- 

 tion to the Forest authorities at Ooty, praying for the removal of 

 Ramasawmy, which petition he and the other Chetties would sign 

 and present. He complained most bitterly of the way the govern- 

 ment Avriter lorded it over them, compelling them to do this or 

 that without so much as saying "by your leave." He forgot that 

 in the same manner he and his relatives lorded it over the poor 

 Kurumbers and Puniyahs, and that they all had, with one accord, 

 used me about as meanly as they could. To me there was a sweet 

 consolation in the thought that 



" So, naturalists observe, a flea 



Has smaller fleas tliat on him prey ; 

 And these have smaller still to bite 'em, 

 And so proceed ad infinitum.'''' 



And I left the Chetties to fight their own battles with Ramasawmy. 

 We hastened our return to the hills, and the first day travelled 

 from the Karkhana to the foot of the Segor ghaut, when the bullocks 

 could go no farther. I at once set out and walked up to the Kul- 

 hutty bungalow, where I spent a wretched night of fever and night- 

 mare. The next day, finding that the bandy did not put in an ap- 

 pearance, and feeling that I must reach Ooty before night, I hired 

 a pony at the toll-gate and tried to ride it bare-back. It balked, 

 bucked, and kicked \T.ciousl3', and I could not get it a hundred yards 

 beyond its owner's hut, so I gave up in despair and lay down by 

 the road-side upon my blanket to enjoy my fever in peace and com- 

 fort. Just then, along came a good Samaritan (otherwise known 

 as Captain E. A. Campbell, of Ooty), Avho at once dismounted from 

 the fine bay horse he was riding, made me mount in his place, and, 

 walking by my side, brought me to the hotel at Ooty. Then I 

 gave up entirely, and in a few hours was quite out of my head, so 

 that for a time my miserable surroundings at the hotel and total 

 lack of attention did not trouble me at alL 



