I 
ROUTE TO LUCKNOW. im 
west bank of the Goomty, with a nullah intersecting it at right 
angles. In the rains the landscape must be pretty, as there are 
plenty of mango topes, and the river winds as usual. At present 
the heat has burnt up all vegetation, and covered the whole 
country with a russet brown. The cantonment is built to contain 
an entire brigade; but at this time the greater part are on duty with 
General Lake, and several of the rest are absent assisting the Aumils* 
in collecting the Nawaub's rents from the Zemindars, who frequently 
refuse to pay without compulsion. The town is on the opposite 
side of the river. At seven in the evening I again set off, leaving 
Mr. Salt to follow. I found my bearers so much worse than usual, 
that they tired before they had carried me half a stage ; it was 
consequently dark before we arrived, and they had no oil. I made 
them buy some at a village, and went fast to sleep. After some 
time I awoke, and found that the palanquin was not moving on; 
and hearing no noise, I threw open my doors, fearing lest my 
bearers had deserted their post, a circumstance that sometimes oc- 
curs, and more frequently in the most unpleasant situations, where 
they are alarmed respecting tigers. I found the fellows lying on 
the ground around me, and they gave me to understand, chiefly by 
signs, that they had lost their way, and had sent one of the Mus- 
saulcheesf to seek for a house. I own my situation was by no means 
eomfortable ; we were in a jungle without the appearance of a 
road; and to add to our anxiety, a lurid light in the sky, with 
occasional forked lightning darting from it, and the thunder rolling 
at a distance, gave us reason to fear the approach of a north-wester. 
The country, in which we were, was far from being free from wild 
* Native collectors of districts. f I^ink boys. 
