He reported that the tree was full of
snakes. The risk was too great to run, so prompt orders were given
to demolish the house, and the little girl never enjoyed her tree-
top playground.
The Viceroy's State elephants were all kept at Barrackpore, and
the elephant-lines had a great attraction for children, especially
for a small great-nephew of mine, now a Lieut.-Colonel, and the
father of a family, then aged six. The child was very fearless,
but the only elephant he was allowed to approach was a venerable
tusker named "Warren Hastings," the very identical elephant on
which Warren Hastings made his first entry into Calcutta. "Warren"
was supposed to be nearly 200 years old, and his temper could be
absolutely relied on. It is curious that natives, in speaking of a
quiet, good-tempered animal, always speak of him as "poor"
(gharib). The little boy was perpetually feeding Warren Hastings
with oranges and bananas, and the two became great friends. It was
a pretty sight seeing the fearless small boy in his white suit,
bare legs, and little sun-helmet, standing in front of the great
beast who could have crushed him to a wafer in one second, and
ordering him in the vernacular, with his shrill child's voice, to
kneel.
Pages:
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408