Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/226

 We lefi Delhi with s “left-handed bicse» ing” for Barrabbas, and at midnight tourd ourselves at Acharunpore, 4 station one hur dred and teu miles farther north, where we took a dsk gharry the next morning for Rajpere, fifty miles distant, near the foot hills of the Himuleyas, the highest range of mountains In the world, which form the “hackbone” of the continent of Asia.

Thearrangzements for eur vehicles and relays cf hoxses slong the route to the Hituy alayas sed back, which would occupy five GY sia days, were made with the hotel keeper, aud ix called “laying 3 dak.” All our heavy iugesge was left here to swati aur return, and we started on the rxpedi- Monin “Sight marching order.” The horse dak st Northern India js so peculiar an instilgtion, that it merits a short deecrin- tion. Lie the gharry his a rquare, so7- ered yan, With sliding doors on exch Aide. It secommodates two persona sud is fitted up for continuors day and nightirayeL The space between the seats is “floored over,” and covered with a thin mativese, over which we spread ovr resais, or thick ext- fon wadded quilts, and cur pillows, siawia aad svedry “wraps,” we recline at ou? ease and mske outselves comfortable. The springs of the vehicle are “nsckad” with bamboo, which saves their brasking, but does not increase cur ecmfort when ihe road is reugh, ard the bubs sre wound with straw-rops, frequently wet ta protcet them from the hest of tbecun, Twa horses are attached, one ju the phatts the other outaide, @rawivg from a pieca of bamboo tied with arops to the ehinpletree, acd projecting several foet on ove sida of tha ask, The horsey sre smsll and badly broken, sud cox rarely be etarted without a map pushing at esch wheel, and two mere pulling at their bits, Bat when they do 29, it ie witharush, tis bare-headed exd bare-leggcd mative driver shoutizg and racking his whip, and sll the hangers ca around the station chesring at the top sf their vaices. This break-neck apeed Ia kept up until the next station iv reached.

Es this style, after reveral false starts, we dashed away for the bungalow at Sskanpors, with our laggsgs and “Chuddy-Lall,” a na: tive servant whom my friend had breugbt from Caleutts, stowed on the tep ef the vehicle ta which he clung for dear life,

Before the days of railways this was the universal method of travel for Europeans in India; and all the daks seem to have