Page:Letters from India Vol 1.djvu/247

 We always send our horses to the Government House bungalow half way, and we were a large party changing horses—Fanny and in his phaeton (the other aides-de-camp in their gigs), and I observed it would be odd if we arrived safely, merely judging from the manner of horses in India; they are all raving mad, and there never is a day without an accident on the course. We went well for a mile, and then met a palanquin packed for a long journey, which, with all its accompaniments of bearers, boxes, &c., is enough to frighten any horse. One of our leaders turned short round, dragged the carriage off the road and settled himself with his head in the carriage looking at George and me—very pleasant, but we did not want him; and in the shake the postilion, who drove the wheelers, was knocked off, and fell between his two horses. The syces all ran to help him, taking immense care not really to go near the kicking horses; all the natives are frightened to death at the least trifle. Giles, to my surprise, poured forth heaps of directions in pure Hindustani; the guards, as usual, stood stockstill, without attempting to help; and George and I spoke English, which nobody