ship, they bade me farewell and mounted their steeds. No sooner were they on the backs of their unfortunate quadrupeds, than they dashed their spurs up to the rowel heads in their flanks, and scampered off again at full speed,

"Making night hideous "

with their yells. I could hear their shouts and laughter growing fainter and fainter as they increased their distance from the bungalow, until nothing remained to disturb the silence of the night save the occasional cry of the jackall in pursuit of its prey, and the eternal chirupping of the crickets, with which every part of India teems, and which invariably keep up their monotonous concerts during the whole of the hours of darkness.

Shortly after my Seik friends had departed, I got into my palanquin and soon fell asleep. At about five o'clock in the. morning, the chokedar redeemed his promise by bringing the bearers who were to take me on. Shaking my shoulder as I lay asleep, he inquired if it was my pleasure to proceed, as the cahar logue* were ready, and

* Palanquin bearers.

waiting. I need not say that I assured him in answer, that it most decidedly was my pleasure to proceed at once; and, rewarding the chokedar with a rupee, I ordered the bearers to take up the palanquin, and was soon again trotting along the road.

At the bungalow, I had been able to dry the mattress and other coverings of my palanquin, which had been saturated with water during the storm which I encountered when leaving Ferozepore. I had, however, caught a most severe cough and rheumatism from lying on them, and having my own clothes wet for a day and night. No sooner had I proceeded about five miles from the bungalow than the dark clouds over head began again to discharge their burdens, and showers of rain came pouring down, again wetting everything I had through and through. The roof of my palanquin was completely like a sieve, the thin lathes of wood of which it was composed, having warped from the combined effects of sun and rain, and cracked the painted canvass with which it was covered. I was not able again to dry my things, until I arrived at Meerut.

However, it was some consolation that I found bearers waiting regularly at every stage; and I

proceeded on my route without stoppage all that day. Still it appeared that my journey to Meerut was ordained to be a continued chapter of accidents for during the night the pole of my palkee broke, and down I came with a run. Happily, however, this misfortune occurred close to a native city, where I was enabled to procure a quantity of rope and a strong bamboo, by means of which, the palanquin was soon again rendered serviceable, and I continued my journey, not in the most pleasant humour in the world, as I fully expected the pole to give way again every minute.

I was agreeably disappointed. The rude splicing kept together during the whole of the next day, and that night I reached Kurnaul, where I was enabled to get a new pole to my vehicle in a very short time, there being numberless carpenters at that station, whose trade it is to make and repair palanquins. After this, I met with no more mishaps, and arrived safely at Meerut the next night, where I had been long and anxiously expected.

All the ladies of the 9th and 31st regiments, together with the depôts of invalids, women, and children were located at this station, and the next

day I was quite overwhelmed with inquiries from the females on all sides regarding the health of their absent lords. As I was the first who returned from the scene of war, I had to bear the brunt of the first fire of their curiosity. They wanted to know whether this account was correct, and if that were not untrue; whether so and so did not distinguish himself particularly, and whether such a one talked constantly of his wife, and sent his love to her or not, and why he had not sent a letter by me, &c. &c.

I assured them all that their husbands were quite au désespoir at not being able to join them immediately, and that they all sent their love and would write by post, as they had not had time to get letters prepared when I left. I then began to make preparations for dâking down to Calcutta, which is about a thousand miles from Meerut. Being anxious to get to England as soon as possible, I had determined to travel by dâk, as the most expeditious mode.

MEERUT.

311

CHAPTER XII.

Station of Meerut-Dâk trip to Calcutta-Station of Allahabad-Benares-Beggars-The Rajmahal hills—A tiger -A wild elephant-Arrival at Calcutta-Author embarks for England-Fishing off the coast of Africa-Table BayCape Town-St. Helena-A gale of wind-An Irish hooker Kinsale-An Irish steamer An accidentArrival at home.

MEERUT is a very fine station, decidedly one of the best in India. The cantonments are very extensive, sufficient to accommodate six or seven thousand men, including a regiment of European cavalry, horse artillery, and infantry. Small pox is rather prevalent there, but generally the climate is not unhealthy. Shops for the sale of European wares of every description are large and numerous, and consequent on this competition the articles sold by them are at excessively moderate prices.