Ranching, Sport and Travel | Page 9

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 operate
this ideal location. More than that, I had learned the tea-growing
business, had devoted over three years to its careful study, felt myself
in every way competent, and had found a life in many ways suited to
my tastes. All this had to be abandoned. In India the white man lives in
great luxury. He has a great staff of servants, his every whim and wish

is anticipated and satisfied, his comfort watched over. To leave this, to
go straight out to the West, the wild and woolly West, where servants
were not! The very suggestion of such a thing to me on leaving India
would have received no consideration whatever. It would have seemed
utterly impossible, but "El Hombre propone y el Deos depone" as the
Mexicans say.
During the whole four years' stay in India I was practically barred from
ladies' society, nearly all the planters being unmarried men. Alas! for
twenty years longer of my life this very unfortunate and demoralizing
condition was to continue.
There were no railroads then to Cachar and no steamers, so I again
performed the journey to Calcutta in a native boat, and there,
by-the-bye, I witnessed the sight for the first time of an apparent lunatic
playing a game called Golf; a game which later was to be more familiar
to me, and myself to become one of the greatest lunatics of all. The run
home was in no way remarkable, except for the intense anticipated
pleasure of again seeing the old country.
CHAPTER II
CATTLE RANCHING IN ARIZONA
Leave for United States of America--Iowa--New Mexico--Real Estate
Speculation--Gambling--Billy the Kid--Start Ranching in
Arizona--Description of Country--Apache and other
Indians--Fauna--Branding Cattle--Ranch
Notes--Mexicans--Politics--Summer Camp--Winter Camp--Fishing and
Shooting--Indian Troubles.
My health seemed to have reached a more serious condition than
imagined; and so on the advice of my friends, but with much regret, I
decided to henceforth cast my lot in a more bracing climate. Having no
profession, and hating trade in any form, the choice was limited and
confined to live stock or crop farming of one kind or another.
Accordingly, after six months at home and on complete recovery of

health, I took my way to the United States of America, first to Lemars
in Iowa, where was a well-known colony of Britishers, said Britishers
consisting almost entirely of the gentlemen class, some with much
money, some with little, none of them with much knowledge of
practical business life or affairs, all of them with the