two well substantiated cases. The poorer classes are
the most frequent victims. Their universal habit of walking about
unshod, and sleeping on the ground, penetrating into the grasses
or jungles in pursuit of their daily avocations, no doubt conduces
much to the frequency of such accidents. A good plan to keep
snakes out of the bungalow is to leave a space all round the
rooms, of about four inches, between the walls and the edge of the
mats. Have this washed over about once a week with a strong
solution of carbolic acid and water. The smell may be unpleasant
for a short time, but it proves equally so to the snakes; and I
have proved by experience that it keeps them out of the rooms.
Mats should also be all firmly fastened down to the floor with
bamboo battens, and furniture should be often moved, and kept
raised a little from the ground, and the space below carefully
swept every day. At night a light should always be kept burning in
occupied bedrooms, and on no account should one get out of bed in
the dark, or walk about the rooms at night without slippers or
shoes.

[3] Somewhat analogous to this is the custom which used to be a
common one in some parts of Behar. _Koombars_ and _Grannes_, that
is, tile-makers and thatchers, when trade was dull or rain
impending, would scatter peas and grain in the interstices of the
tiles on the houses of the well-to-do. The pigeons and crows, in
their efforts to get at the peas, would loosen and perhaps
overturn a few of the tiles. The grannes would be sent for to
replace these, would condemn the whole roof as leaky, and the
tiles as old and unfit for use, and would provide a job for
himself and the tile-maker, the nefarious profits of which they
would share together.

Cultivators of thatching-grass have been known deliberately and
wantonly to set fire to villages simply to raise the price of
thatch and bamboo.

CHAPTER VIII.

Our annual race meet.--The arrivals.--The camps.--The 'ordinary.'--The
course.--'They're off.'--The race.--The steeple-chase.--Incidents of
the meet.--The ball.

Our annual Race Meet is the one great occasion of the year when all the
dwellers in the district meet. Our races in Chumparun generally took
place some time about Christmas. Long before the date fixed on,
arrangements would be made for the exercise of hearty hospitality.