The first thing, sir, that
the young man did was to call for fire, take a cigar from his
waistcoat pocket, and begin to smoke, while we went to the assistance
of the panic-struck travellers, many of whom were still lying
senseless on the ground. We got water, and threw it in their faces;
and when they were able to sit up, we mounted the young man upon one
of our horses, and took him back slowly to Lucknow. He told me that
it was so very cold above, that it gave him a severe headache, and
that he found a cigar a good thing to remove it. The King was very
glad when we brought him back, and he gave him several thousand
rupees over and above the cost of making the balloon, and providing
him and his uncle during their stay. They soon after left Lucknow for
Lahore, and what became of them I know not."
Passing a Mahommedan village, I asked some of the landholders, who
walked along by the side of my elephant, to talk of their grievances,
whether they ever used pigs' dung for manure. They seemed very much
surprised and shocked, and asked how I could suppose that Mahommedans
could use such a thing. "Come," said Bukhtawar Sing, "do not attempt
to deceive the Resident. He has been all over India, and knows very
well that Mahommedans do not keep or eat pigs; but he knows, also,
that there is no good cultivator in Oude who does not use the dung of
pigs for manure; and you know that there is no other manure, save'
pigeons' dung, that is so good.
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