240 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
that desperation which calculates upon no choice be- 
tween a voluntary and inflicted death but the former 
alternative, he spurred his faithful Arab towards the 
ravine. With one mighty bound, it sprang forward at 
the prick of the spur ; stood a moment with inflated 
nostril, dilated eye, and projected ears, over the ter- 
rific void ; then plunged desperately down the gulf 
with a spring that carried it several yards beyond the 
brink. One of his pursuers was at the moment close 
behind him, and, not being aware of the precipice, he 
had not time to check his horse, which leaped likewise 
over the brink. It, however, first made an effort to 
turn, which was ineffectual, then followed the Parsee’s 
Arab so close that there was only a few seconds be- 
tween the leaps. 
Jumsajee’s horse had taken so tremendous a spring 
as entirely to clear every projection of the precipice, 
and pitched upon the thick underwood which grew 
densely in the ravine below. This broke its fall, 
and probably saved the life of its rider; though the 
horse was killed upon the spot, and Jumsajee escaped 
with a broken arm and leg. The other horseman was 
not so fortunate. The struggle which his horse had 
made before taking the fatal plunge prevented it from 
springing beyond the uneven surface of the mountain ; 
it consequently struck upon a large piece of rock 
that projected midway, which was torn from its bed 
with the force of the shock, and came, together with 
the horse and rider, to the ground, where it rolled 
over them and crushed them to death. Amidst all 
his sufferings, Jumsajee had sufficient cause for congra- 
tulation, as he had escaped certain destruction with the 
