Page:Burke, W.S. - Cycling in Bengal (1898).djvu/46

 have a full day's riding on hand. Breakfast at Clark's Hotel comes next on our itinerary. We despatch this, while sandwiches, fruit, &c., are being got ready for our tiffin. This satisfactorily settled, we get on to the main road as soon as we can, and after a rough bit in the suburbs, we find ourselves on a road that almost impels us to "scorch." But though we may indulge in a sprint or two, we must not overlook the little truism that tells us "it's the pace that kills." We can do over twelve miles comfortably on this road, but there is no need to try and do twenty—unless we want to get into Allahabad dead beat. We shall pass Mizanabad, Maharajgunge and Gopeegunge ere we get out of the Mirzapore district; which we do just before reaching Barodee. At the latter place we may or we may not get a meal, for it is one of those places where the commissariat fluctuates between milk and stale eggs to fowls, vegetables, fish and fruit. If it happens to be a milk and egg day, out come Clark's sandwiches; if not, so much the better. A shorter midday halt than usual is recommended, and then we remount. There are several monuments erected over the graves of military and civil officers; these we might get off to see if we are running up to time. There is one most interesting relic of the troubles of 1857 to be seen close to the toll bar over the Bairagee river. It is a monument erected on the spot where James Phillip Barrett, Collector, was killed by the mutineers. The marble tablet conveys a touching message to his wife and little ones (perchance his last words whispered in the ear of a comrade), and some lines which have been intentionally defaced by some vandal in authority.