ves"--and dropped them a raft in shape of an inch
of paper, and on to it the survivors went, and hauled in one whitey-blue
chrysalis after another. Then an ant went up to the side of the bowl by
the handle of the painting brush and shouted or signalled for help to
another fellow below on the matting, and it went and got hundreds of
willing helpers. Now they are saving the remainder, and wiring to their
friends, I've no doubt.

I leant over the bowl like a minor clumsy Providence and watched the
V.C. sort of action for quite a long time,--and suppressed cheers,--but
Burmah called, and the Boy waited, so I had to leave them to Pucca
Providence for a little. In half an hour by the clock all were
rescued--(five hundred ants and almost as many cocoons!) Even the ants
that had got under water, which I thought were drowned, were pulled out,
and revived. Then they formed a new colony under my water colour, "The
Landing of Lord Minto at the Appolo Bundar."

I have had an entertaining half-hour with them, but they will be glad we
are gone. Here comes Krishna, the deft handed, to pack sketches and all;
I must supervise him, and see that he does not pack my cousin's soap,
matches, and pieces of string along with his increasing collection of
these articles in a corner of my kit bag.

CHAPTER XX

BANGALORE TO MADRAS

This is the broad gauge Madras line. The cars run as smoothly as oil on
water--I can write perfectly well, or as well us usual to be exact,--and
there is gas, electric light, fairly soft cushions to sleep on, and nice
wide berths. The fares are moderate and the arrangements for food, etc.,
are good; how can I say more, than that they are as well done as on the
line we have just left--the Southern Maharatta Railway.[16]

[16] The mileage in 1901 of Indian Railways was 25,373. This mileage is
somewhat larger than that of France and of the Austro-Hungarian Empire,
and two and a half times that of Italy, and the development is
phenomenal.--MURRAY.

Our views on the road were a breadth of night-blue sky and stars, and a
sweep of obscure plain, and the glimmer of the carriage lights on the
hedge of aloes alongside, and crowds at stations with dark faces against
white lamp-lit walls, the natives running about heaped with sheets to
keep them warm--the temperature at 70 deg..

I must make a note here _en route_ to Madras that before we left Krishna
brought his wife and her sister and their children to pay their r