24 WILD LIFE. IN NORTH CANARA. 



marched from Belikeri by way of the 

 Arbyle Ghaut, and encamped at Yella- 

 pore, the chief, town of Soopah. Here 

 was located the office of the Tahsildar of 

 Soopah, a grand old veteran who in 

 early life had seen the Duke of Welling- 

 ton when he passed through Hullial 

 (an ancient town on the confines of 

 Soopah), and who was conversant with 

 the history of the Mysore and Mahratta 

 campaigns. This old Brahmin was on 

 the verge of life, but full of fire and 

 energy, and, if need should arise, full 

 of fight. I found him early one morn- 

 ing outside his cutcheri, carefully 

 swathed against the cold, raw fogs 

 of the season, but scrutinizing keenly, 

 one by one, all the muskets of his 

 armoury; a peon was proving before 



