Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 1.djvu/112

 CHAPTER VII.

DEPARTURE FROM THE PRESIDENCY.

Fulbertus Sagittarius—Billiards—The Recal of Lord Amherst—Zenāna of an opulent Hindū—The Death of Bishop Heber—Affliction in the Family of the Governor-General—Appointment to Allahabad—Sale of 'Scamp'—March up the Country—Dāk Bungalows—Fakīrs en route—The Soane River—Sassaram—Satīs at Nobutpoor—Benares—Pūjā in a Hindū Temple—Brāhmanī Bulls—The Minarets—Beetle Wings—Hindū House—Benares Hackeries—Dāk to Allahabad—Visit to Papamhow.

1826.—Lady Amherst is on horseback at gun-fire; few young women could endure the exercise she takes. She is an admirable equestrian, and possesses all the fondness of an Archer for horses. Her ladyship has won my heart by expressing her admiration of my beautiful Arab. His name originally was Orelio; but having become such a frisky fool, he has been rechristened 'Scamp.'

On the death of Lord Archer, in 1778, she "who knew and loved his virtues," inscribed the following sentence on his tomb: "He was the last male descendant of an ancient and honourable family that came over with William the Conqueror, and settled in the county of Warwick in the reign of King Henry the Second, from whom his ancestors obtained the grants of land in the said county."

When it was recorded on his monument at Tanworth that Lord Archer was the last of the male branch of the Archers who came over with the Conqueror, little did Lady Amherst (then the Hon. Miss Archer) imagine that, in her future Indian career, she would cross the path of the poor Pilgrim, the child of one of the noblest and best of men, who through Humphrey