dead to every feeling of humanity by the way in which they urged on their
unfortunate fellow-creatures. These coolies were certainly very well
paid, and need not have been so employed had they not chosen--for they
had all applied for their several appointments--but then the ignominy of
the thing!

And so we rolled lazily along, hoping to reach Benares some time within
the next fortnight. Before dark we passed through Burdwan, where a few
Bengal civilians vegetate on large salaries, to do the work of the rajah,
who is still more highly paid not to interfere. He lives magnificently
in his palace, and they live magnificently in theirs. We arrived at a
small rest-house at night, where we had the satisfaction of eating a fowl
in cutlets an hour after it had been enjoying the sweets of life.

There is a considerable amount of enjoyment in suddenly coming to hills
after you have for a long time seen nothing but flat country--in first
toiling up one and then bowling down the other side, at the imminent
peril of the coolies' necks--in seeing streams when you have seen nothing
but wells--in coming amidst wood and water and diversified scenery, when
every mile that you have travelled for a week past has been the same as
the last. Such were our feelings as we woke at daylight one morning in
the midst of the Rajmahal hills.

There were a good many carts passing with coal from the Burdwan
coal-mines; moreover, we saw sticks, and from the top of each fluttered a
little white flag, suggestive of a railway, whereby our present mode of
conveyance would be knocked on the head, and all the poor coolies who
were pushing us along would be put out of employ. Notwithstanding the
disastrous results which must accrue, a railway is really contemplated;
but I have heard doubts thrown out as to the present line being the best