134 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
been entrusted to a multitude of various con¬ 
tractors, some of whom had succeeded, while 
others had failed. The latter were the most 
numerous, therefore a route of 24 miles, through 
forest, running at the foot of the mountain range, 
was diversified by a succession of surprises; a 
tolerable piece of stone-paved highway suddenly 
ceasing, and a depth of mud of 2 feet receiving 
the traveller’s floundering horse, without the 
slightest warning. As the route skirted the 
forest - covered hills, the drainage towards the 
lake a few miles distant on the east had scored 
the surface into numerous channels; these were 
partially bridged, but wherever the stones had 
become dislodged, the bridge remained impassable, 
as no authority expended money upon such trifles 
as repairs. It was dreadful to witness such a 
picture of neglect, where a most lovely and 
fertile country, within a few niiles of a secure 
harbour, was completely paralysed through the 
absence of all-important roads. 
A scramble of 24 miles upon good ponies may 
be amusing occasionally, but when baggage must 
be conveyed, the matter becomes serious. Even 
the pack animals fell down with their loads, in the 
places where contractors had failed, and where 
the broken bridges necessitated a descent into 
the treacherous torrent-bed. A ride to Sabanja 
was a journey in those days, full of misery to 
horse and rider, but the result of this difficulty 
of access was in favour of the game, as the 
