was made into the circumstances of the child's death. But a report got about the bazaars that Government had decreed that the two ayahs should be torn in pieces by dogs on a named day, and that this scene of expiation, and of British justice, should take place on the general parade-ground! An immense native

crowd assembled on that day to witness the edifying spectacle, and were scarcely to be disabused of this absurd idea by the civil authorities, who turned out in force to disperse them.

It is well known, also, that the natives of India consider a Freemason's Lodge to be a house of resort for magical performances-indeed, they call it "Jadooghur" (the house of magic), and believe that the English gentlemen and others who attend such lodges are in the habit of kidnapping and sacrificing children on great lodge occasions!

In the spring of 1876 I was ordered to pay another visit of inspection to Chanda; and, as I was not tied to time, I returned via Dygaum, so as to combine a little sport with duty. At Goorpett, eleven miles from Chanda, I slept in an open glade of the forest, in preference to the rest-house, which was surrounded by native huts, and was also close to an encampingground for bullock-carts, &c. It was a bright moonlight night, and I slept very comfortably in the rays of the moon, as I have often done, in spite of the vulgar notion that it is dangerous to do so.

In the middle of the night 1 awoke with a vague idea that something unusual was happening, though I knew not what. I sat up in my cot, and was immediately greeted with inquiring grunts from several quarters; and I then saw that I was surrounded by a herd of wild hog! Some of them loomed very

A MOONLIGHT CONCLAVE.

405

large indeed in the pale moonlight, and must have been patriarchs of the porcine tribe. They were within twenty or thirty yards of me, all snouts being inquisitively upturned in my direction. My servants, horse, &c. were on the road-side, about two hundred yards off.

I had my gun under my pillow; but it was loaded with small shot only. However, I did not have recourse to it, but jumped up and clapped my hands, at which the whole herd uttered a round of dissatisfied grunts, and vanished like spectres in the dim distance—and I went to sleep again.

At Dygaum I had no luck with tigers; indeed, it was too early in the year for them. One was there, it was said, but I did not see it. I made a good double-shot at Dygaum at spotted deer, and killed two, right and left. Also I shot a blue bull, and that was all. Nothing more worth noting occurred this year. I went out once or twice, but for small game only.

In 1877, I may say that I bade adieu to largegame shooting. In the month of March I went on ten days' leave to Azimgaum, Seldoo, and Kailzer. Game was scarce, and we saw nothing but a few hog, spotted deer, antelope, and two sambur; I shot two spotted deer and a few pea-fowl.

In September I attained to "colonel's allowance," and thus terminated my service as a regimental officer. During the thirty-eight years that had elapsed since I entered the service as an ensign, great changes had taken place in the native army, few of them for the better-many for the worse. The men remained much the same, except that, in most regiments, the number of northern men (Teloogoos) had increased,

very much to the detriment of the smartness of regiments; for, though there are many excellent men of all ranks among the Teloogoos, still the mass of them are dull and loutish. The southern men, drawn from the Bara Mahal and the districts of Trichinopoly, Vellore, Madura, Madras, &c., are, as a rule, a much more intelligent and smart race, more soldier-like in habits and appearance, and, with good leading, are very efficient troops. That they cannot stand by themselves (nor can the North Indian races), goes without saying.' The mutinies proved this. If the Native soldiery, whether of Bengal, Madras, or Bombay, could do so, we should not now be in India. They cannot be left to the guidance of their native officers; nor do I believe that any natives, however admitted or selected into the grade of commissioned officers, will ever be fit leaders of disciplined men without the countenance and support of British leaders also in the hour of battle.

CHAPTER XVI.

To Waltair.-Cannanore and its Climate.-Disagreeable effect of the Monsoon.-Snipe-shooting and Fishing.-Moplahs.Fanatical Warriors.-To Bellary.-British Burmah.-The Andaman Islands.-Darjeeling and the Himalayas.—End of Service in India.

IE commencement of 1878 found me still at Nagpore, waiting for employment, which came in March. My first post was command of the Northern District, of which the head-quarters were at Waltair, on the east coast of the peninsula. I went by rail to Calcutta. At Calcutta I visited the Zoological Gardens, and was shocked at the wretched condition of the poor animals. The "Great Carnivora" were in a state of semi-starvation, mere frames of skin and bone. It was a shocking sight, discreditable alike to the committee who professed to manage the gardens and to the people of Calcutta, who did not make the committee do their duty and prevent the native subordinates, who were supposed to feed the animals, from peculating in so disgraceful a

manner.

I remained two months only at Waltair, for the Northern District was abolished in the interests of economy, and I was moved to the command of Malabar and Canara, on the western coast. Canna

nore is the head-quarter station of this command, and here we remained until September 1880.

The climate of this coast is not pleasant. An annual fall of 100 to 130 inches of rain is too much of a good thing, and the consequent steaminess of the atmosphere for more than half the year is excessively disagreeable. Everything at Cannanore partakes of mould and mildew; it is impossible to preserve books and pictures. In all houses there is a drying-room, in which are charcoal fires; and all articles liable to injury from damp are ranged on wooden frames, and on great wicker coops, round and over the iron stoves and chafing dishes in which the fires are kept.

Horses do not thrive in this climate, and mounted officers are allowed to keep "screws which would not pass muster at any other station. The vehicle of the country is the bullock-coach, and it is a convenient though uncouth equipage. In the rainy season these carriages are roofed with an enormous leaf mat, projecting some inches on all sides, and the driver is equipped with an oil-skin, or a wax-cloth coat, and wears an extraordinary palm-leaf hat, with, not a brim, but a top, of about three feet diameter, his head being received into a small round receptacle sewn on at the under side of this great covering. Every native when out walking carries a standing leaf umbrella about twice as wide as the hat; thus provided, the people of the western coast entirely disregard the rain, and never urge it as an excuse to stay indoors, or to neglect anything requiring their exposure to the elements.

During the monsoon, a very disagreeable phenomenon occurs all along the coast: the sea appears to