a precarious which i could not see and so thick was the darkness that i sat down in the water between the two and had to remain there during the crossing which took a long time being against the stream when we landed a met us very much excited he spoke and i guessed from a few words that i knew that there was a hue and cry at the you know how au pleasure is at once spoilt when after you have been enjoying yourself very much you find that people at home have been restless and about you and as it is one of my travelling principles to avoid being a bother to people i was very sorry we found a general state of major who was leaning over the received us with some very and told us that mr low was out and very anxious i was covered with mire and wet from head to foot and disappeared but when we sat down to the long delayed dinner i saw from mr low s silence and gloomy manner that he had been really much annoyed however he recovered himself and we had a very lively evening of conversation and discussion though i had a good the golden letter xxi deal of pain from the of the in the swamp parties had been sent in various directions was away with one and the police were all ready to do nobody knows what as there were no dogs major said that his fears did not travel farther than the river which he thinks is dangerous to cross at night in a dug out but mr low had before him the possibility of our having been assailed by bad characters or of our having encountered a tiger in the and of my having been carried oflf from my inability to climb a tree is surely dying he went to the roof where the half tamed was supporting him hour after hour as gently as a mother would support a sick child this wild has been very gentle and good to ever since he became ill i went out for a short time with mr low and on returning he called but the little thing was too weak to come and began to cry feebly on which the wild took him by one of his hands put an arm round him gently led him to a place from which he could drop upon mr low s chair and then darted away but while daylight lasted was looking anxiously at and at a m had so far conquered his timidity that he sat on the window sill behind mr low that he might watch his sick friend the little thing which is much to its master now the whole time unlike other animals which hide themselves when they are ill puts out its feeble little arms to him with a look of unspeakable affection on its poor pinched face and murmurs in a feeble voice mr low a few drops of milk down its throat every half hour and if he puts it down for a moment it screams like a baby and stretches out its thin hands it is very interesting and pleasant to see the relations which exist between mr low and the at this letter xxi patience and kindness moment three are lying about in the and their numerous followers are clustered on and about the stairs he never raises his voice to a native and they look as if they like him and from their laughter and they must be perfectly at ease with him he is altogether devoted to the interests of and fully carries out his instructions which were to look upon as a native state ultimately to be governed by native whom he is to endeavour to and advise without interfering with the religion or custom of the country he obviously attempts to train and these men in the principles and practice of good government so that they shall be able to rule firmly and justly is likely to become the most important state of the and i earnestly hope that mr low s wise and patient efforts will bring forth good fruit at all events in mr low is only a little over fifty now and when he first came the told him that they were glad that the queen had sent them an old gentleman he is excessively cautious and like most people who have had with is possibly somewhat suspicious but his caution is combined with singular kindness of heart and an generosity his own concerns as for instance he refuses to send his servants to prison when they rob him saying � poor fellows they know no better he is just as patiently to the mr told me that he had made a very clean and careful copy of a despatch to lord when dipped his fingers in the ink and drew them over a whole page and he only took him in his arms and said poor creature you ve given me a great deal of trouble but you know no better this is my last evening here and i am so sorry it see a the golden letter xxi is truly the there is rest then the are delightful companions and there are all sorts of beasts and birds and creeping things from downwards the scenery and vegetation of the neighbourhood are beautiful the quiet life which passes before one in a series of pictures is very interesting and the sight of wise and righteous rule carried on before one s eyes with a total absence of and red and which never leaves out of sight the training of the to rule themselves is always pleasing i like better than any place that i have been at in asia and am to leave it mr low would have sent me up the in the boat and over the mountains 