we came to a piece of seemingly swampy ground; the high
reeds which had once covered it had been eaten down and the surface of
the bog trodden on till it became caked, firm and almost solid. Our
path was across it, but on coming to the edge the elephant refused to
proceed. On the mahout urging him he roared and protested in every way,
so much so that I was somewhat alarmed and suggested to the mahout that
the elephant knew better than he the danger of proceeding. Finally,
however, the elephant decided to try the ground, and carefully and
slowly he made his way across, his great feet at every step depressing
the surface, which perceptibly waved like thin ice all around him. I was
prepared and ready to jump clear at the first sign of danger, for had we
broken through we should have probably all disappeared in the bog.
Hatthi was as much relieved as myself on reaching terra firma. My guide
told me that this land had no bottom, that under the packed surface
there was twenty feet of soft, black, loamy mud. This set me thinking. I
was after something of this nature. In the course of the next day we
came upon a somewhat similar piece of ground, some 300 acres in extent,
still covered with the original reeds and other vegetation. The soil was
in places exposed and was of a rich, dark brown loamy character. Taking
a long ten-foot bamboo and pressing it firmly on the ground it could be
forced nearly out of sight. That was enough for me. The object sought
for was found. Further tests with a spade and bamboo were made at
different points; deep drainage seemed practicable, and, what was quite
important, a small navigable river bounded the property. Then I hunted
up a native surveyor, traced the proposed boundaries, got numbers and
data, etc., to enable me to send my application to the proper quarter,
which I soon afterwards did, making a money deposit in part payment to
the Government. My task was completed, and I at once started for
Calcutta and home.

As things turned out I never returned to the country and so had to
abandon my rights, etc.; but in support of my judgment I was very much
gratified to learn years afterwards that someone else had secured and
developed this particular piece of land as a tea-garden, and that it had
turned out to be the most valuable, much the most valuable, piece of tea
land, acre for acre, in the whole country. Often and bitterly since then
have I regretted not being able to return and develop and oper