Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-06
A LONG DANDY RIDE
Carried Down g. Mountain
Side by eWsllahs,
JOURNEY INCIDENTS
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY MORE
THAN REPAID FOB FATIGUE.
A Pony Ride With a "Sais" Trotting
Contentedly Be-
hind.
JOURNEY INCIDENTS
Written for The Evening Star.

who were stationed there, and we were ac-
companied by the padre" as the DARRELL
ing vicar is called, and Mrs. c. The dandy
is of all fatigue-saving vehicles the most
hideous, being exactly the shape of a coffin
mounted on a long pole. is covered with
black enamel cloth, and has a hood of the
same in case of rain. There are usually
four dandy wallahs, the short, sturdy hill
men who in carrying 1t fasten cross poles
to either end of the long shaft and bear
them on their shoulders. Very heavy peo-
pie must take extra man to exchange
now and again with the others.
We had been told that the motion was
as hideous as the vehicle of it, and that a
camel or elephant was not to be compared
as fatigue producer. We entered the
dandy with certain feeling of dread, sat
down on our piles of cushions, had our
rugs tucked carefully around us and were
raised slowly to the shoulders of the men,
LIE Bong is many feet lower than DARRELL
ing, and consequently the road goes rather
violently down hill" and we being light
weights our dandy wallahs sped along the
whole distance at a dog trot and even at
times took short cuts in the form of steps,
and very slippery-looking ones at that
The motion was an agreeable surprise to
us, as the long, swinging trot rocked the
dandy slightly and was entirely free from
the horrid jolt and churn of a camel or even
the slow, grinding motion of an elephant.
We sped along at a rapid pace past the
small white temple in the shape of a pyra-
mid, with two large eyes painted in front
and forest of bamboo poles around it, hung
with prayer flags: past the small village,
with it's street of shops with open fronts, in
which the merchants We're squatting smok-
ing hukahs; through a thicket of slim bam-
boo and on into thick forest of huge
trees covered with big-leaved creepers ami
orchids. We had beautiful distant views Of
snow mountains for the greater part of the
way, and either side deep ravines and
gorgeS with mountain streams in their
depths. The dandy wallahs were cheerful
looking beings and evidently interested in
their fares" Each time they shifted
shoulders" so to speak, changed the pole
from one shoulder to the other, they passed
few remarks upon US, much to our
amusement. la
looking man. with a beautifully faded red
flannel coat, almost in tatters. When he
looked at me to see how was getting on
his broad face lit with a radiant smile, and
once L heard him say, "Chota Qittle) Miss
Sahib weighs half seer Gwo pounds, and
he started off on his swinging trot. Ny
always sweet-natured and sympathetic
travelling companion was greatly exercised
over the four dandy wallahs of Mr.. c.. who
was tall man and stout withal, and who
insisted on his human Steeds keeping UP
with His cries of "Jeldi chul1O!'
Quick, go onD rang out through the BAN
boo and clashed with, our Asst. asti,"
(slow, slOw1, and instime I'VE succeeded in
getting and keeping 'inra line of four. My
dandy wallahS : are and, away the best
looking" shouted to merry little Mrs.
C. coming In the rear. Not a bit OF
it, she called back. look at my third one,
nothing could exceed the fairness of his
face nor the length of his pig tall ''Oh,
OH" 1 called, Mr.. c., do tell them not 10
taly Staan I
as so afraid they will fall.
Rather Uncertain Helps.
A peremptory order was given at which
the red coated one cast a reproachful
glance at me and they swung off down the
main road. 'Of course there is very little
danger" said our clergyman, though Mrs
M, the wife of the major, did tell me
that her men fell down three times last
Monday on her way up to the bazar!"
How HORRIBLE l exclaimed. looking an
xiously at my sturdy steeds. They Were
all drunk, to be sure he added Sun
day being a holiday they all get drunk, as
you may have observed by the noises
ing up the hill side on that day. Il
thought they did not drink wines and spir-
it's" l said. Don't they" was the re-
Spouse, but they only get silly and maud
lin. never dangerous or quarrelsome.' LAS
soon one aS~the other if they are dandy
wallahs.'' I said, feelings of chilly horror
coursing up and down my back Do you
think mine could be drunk? They do look
so very cheerful and content Mr.. c.
burst into shout of laughter and told me
to have no fear on that score, as. this being
Friday. they were busily engaged in saving
every piece for big carouse on the follow
ing Sunday We reached our friends
house in safety and. found it in the beauti-
full woods at the edge of the cantonment
a broad, low bungalow with yeranda and
many doors. from each of which issued a
and finally our friend, herself, a plump and
rosy little lady, who looked as If life were
to her very pleasant holiday. She BAN
ished as well as she could her brood of ma
tive dogs and told us that she couldn't re-
sist a dog of any kind and consequently
their house was absolutely dog-rldden; that
about once month she hardened her heart
toward them and had her servants drive
them off and out of the cantonments. but
that they know her well, the pests! and
after a days absence came sneaking back
from all sides.
A Dogs Paradise.
There were certainly thirty or more dogs
to be seen about, rather foxy looking brin-
died creatures, with gentle eyes we we
were ushered into the artistic drawing
room. hung in cashmere shawls and full OF
lovely pictures of the SHOWS of Darjeeling
and the mountains of Kashmir, we found
onsr Of dog aSd hrs Of sR
three others lay onaa fursrug by the char
coal fire, and, Ia faei;s.the room was evi-
IDENTIFY a dogs paradiseis Nice Mrs M
sighed but left them inspeace ana pusled
herself pouring out tea4 from Almost lovely
Kashmir silver tea set spread on peautl-
full little painted pa4ier iB,ache table from
the same place, anduwe drank very strong.
green tea. with inwa rft ianaking as TO It's
future effect, but i atrus& outward cam.
The journey back WIS ksss terrifying. as
the cheerful four could NOT carry even my
slight weight very Rapidly up SUCH steep
hills, and we passed the little Hinooo tenn
pie as the setting sun was turning IL PINK,
and the priests were banging ,their weird
bell and blowing their hong horn Ior the
evening prayers, oDtfwhateVer thei e'eh-
ing worship may be,lealled
On Saturday, as Mr.. G. had 10 take d
thirty-mile ride to the bungalow OF one .,
his pensioners, a .stea planter, ana naa
suggested my going part fof the way WIN
Inn, took ride of twenty-five miles on
very small and sturdy hill pony. Wmch
proved to have an equally easy canter anu
trot / was followed, of course, by sais'
who, when the canter continued ior very
long, dropped behind and took snort cut
to the turning of the road. Ii was a most
perfect ride. with at first lovely views OF
snow mountains on all sides, and later On
the delicious gloom of a read jungle, where
the trees were clothed from top TO bottom
and each branch and tw.g with long, -Dfisht.
green moss, and where orchids ran riot. II