Diary of a Pedestrian In Cashmere and Thibet | Page 6

regions
of comparative civilisation, his cares increased: cellar, kitchen, larder,
farm-yard, tents, &c. had then to accompany our wandering steps, and
the expedition gradually increased in size, until it attained its maximum
of nearly forty. From this it again as gradually decreased, and as one by
one our retainers disappeared, it dwindled in dimensions until it finally
reached its original limited proportions, and then "we three met again,"
once more upon the plains of India.
All our necessary preparations having been completed, and a sacrifice
of three precious weeks having been duly offered to the inexorable
genius who presides over public correspondence, we reduced our
impedimenta to the smallest possible compass, and with about a
hundred pounds to commence life with, all in two shilling pieces, that
being the only available coin of the realm in this our second century of
British administration, we took our departure by railway for Cawnpore.

Here we found ourselves located and hospitably entertained in the
house in which our unfortunate fellow-countrywomen were confined
on their recapture from the river by the Nana Sahib, one of the few
mementos of the mutiny still left standing at Cawnpore.
Next day we laid our dak for Simla, and about six o'clock in the
evening, with the Q.M.G. on the roof, and ourselves and our
possessions stowed away in the innumerable holes and corners of the
rude wooden construction called a "Dak garee," or post coach, we took
our departure. After a few mishaps with our steed, involving the
necessity of getting out to shove behind, we entered upon the Grand
Trunk Road, and with a refreshing sense of freedom and relief, soon
left Cawnpore in all its native dust and dreariness behind us.

The Pleasures of the Plains.
MAY 21, 1860. -- Being fairly under weigh, our first attention was
directed towards the machine which was to be, in a great measure, our
home for many days to come. Not overburdened with springs, and not
much to look at, though decidedly an extraordinary one to go, our
conveyance was by no means uncomfortable; and, stretched upon a
mattress extending its entire length, F. and I chatted over our plans and
projects, and star-gazed, and soon fell asleep, in spite of the ruts on the
road and the wild discordant bugling of our ragged coachman, who
seemed to consider that, however inferior in other respects, in a matter
of music we were not to be outdone, not even by Her Majesty's own
royal mail. At first sight, the necessity of trying to clear such lonely
roads as we were travelling was not altogether apparent; but a slight
acquaintance with the general principles and laws of progression of the
national Indian institution called a bullock-cart, or "beil-garee," soon
clears up the difficulty. Built entirely of wood, and held together by
scraps of ropes and cord, a more hopeless-looking machine cannot exist;
and drivers and bullocks alike share in the general woodenness and
impassibility of the structure. The animals, too, having probably lost all
the better feelings of their nature in such a service, are appealed to
entirely through the medium of their tails, and the operation
occasionally results in the whole creaking mass being safely deposited
in some capacious rut, there to remain until "the Fates" -- assuming,
perhaps, the appearance of three additional bullocks -- arrive to draw it

out again. Occasionally, too, the institution comes to a halt for the night,
comfortably drawn up in the centre of the line of traffic, with a
delightful disregard for aught but the present, and an air of supreme
contempt for the most eloquent music of all the ragged coachmen on
the Grand Trunk Road.
Every five miles we stopped to change our horse, and miserable indeed
was the raw-boned little animal that made his appearance on every
occasion. Still the pace was kept up in spite of appearances, and at
seven A.M. we reached "Ghoorsahagunge" -- more generally known as
GOOSEYGUNGE -- sixty miles from Cawnpore, and 197 from Delhi.
Here we slept in peace until eleven o'clock, and awoke from dreams of
Cashmere to the unpleasant realities of a violent dust-storm. The usual
"Khus-khus tatties," or screens of fragrant grass, which are kept in a
continual state of moisture at door and window, and convert the
dust-charged scorching blast into a comparative coolness, were not
forthcoming, and our halt was not a pleasant one by any means: still
our faces were towards the mountains, and the pleasures of hope
enabled us to take our misfortunes with entire philosophy. We started
again about five P.M., when the power of the sun was somewhat abated,
and encountered the usual difficulties with refractory horses at every
change. A start was in no case effected without much management and
exertion. A half-naked black