HereeverythingseemedeasyenoughThesandhillsrandowntotheriveredge，itistrue，buttherewereplentyofshoalsandshallowsacrosswhichIcouldgallopPornic，andfindmywaybacktoterrafirmabyturningsharplytotherightorleftAsIledPornicoverthesandsIwasstartledbythefaintpopofarifleacrosstheriver；andatthesamemomentabulletdroppedwithasharp“whit“
　　closetoPornic’shead。
　　Therewasnomistakingthenatureofthemissile-aregulationMartini-Henry“picket。”Aboutfivehundredyardsawayacountry-boatwasanchoredinmidstream；andajetofsmokedriftingawayfromitsbowsinthestillmorningairshowedmewhencethedelicateattentionhadcomeWaseverarespectablegentlemaninsuchanimpasse？ThetreacheroussandslopeallowednoescapefromaspotwhichIhadvisitedmostinvoluntarily，andapromenadeontheriverfrontagewasthesignalforabombardmentfromsomeinsanenativeinaboatI’mafraidthatIlostmytemperverymuchindeed。
　　AnotherbulletremindedmethatIhadbettersavemybreathtocoolmyporridge；andIretreatedhastilyupthesandsandbacktothehorseshoe，whereIsawthatthenoiseoftheriflehaddrawnsixty-fivehumanbeingsfromthebadger-holeswhichIhaduptillthatpointsupposedtobeuntenantedIfoundmyselfinthemidstofacrowdofspectators-aboutfortymen，twentywomen，andonechildwhocouldnothavebeenmorethanfiveyearsoldTheywereallscantilyclothedinthatsalmon-coloredclothwhichoneassociateswithHindumendicants，and，atfirstsight，gavemetheimpressionofabandofloathsomefakirsThefilthandrepulsivenessoftheassemblywerebeyondalldescription，andI
　　shudderedtothinkwhattheirlifeinthebadger-holesmustbe。
　　Eveninthesedays，whenlocalselfgovernmenthasdestroyedthegreaterpartofanative’srespectforaSahib，Ihavebeenaccustomedtoacertainamountofcivilityfrommyinferiors，andonapproachingthecrowdnaturallyexpectedthattherewouldbesomerecognitionofmypresenceAsamatteroffacttherewas；
　　butitwasbynomeanswhatIhadlookedfor。
　　Theraggedcrewactuallylaughedatme-suchlaughterIhopeImayneverhearagainTheycackled，yelled，whistled，andhowledasIwalkedintotheirmidst；someofthemliterallythrowingthemselvesdownonthegroundinconvulsionsofunholymirthInamomentIhadletgoPornic’shead，andirritatedbeyondexpressionatthemorning’sadventure，commencedcuffingthosenearesttomewithalltheforceIcouldThewretchesdroppedundermyblowslikenine-pins，andthelaughtergaveplacetowailsformercy；whilethoseyetuntouchedclaspedmeroundtheknees，imploringmeinallsortsofuncouthtonguestosparethem。
　　Inthetumult，andjustwhenIwasfeelingverymuchashamedofmyselfforhavingthuseasilygivenwaytomytemper，athin，highvoicemurmuredinEnglishfrombehindmyshoulder：-“Sahib！
　　Sahib！Doyounotknowme？Sahib，itisGungaDass，thetelegraph-master。”
　　Ispunroundquicklyandfacedthespeaker。
　　GungaDass，Ihave，ofcourse，nohesitationinmentioningtheman’srealnameIhadknownfouryearsbeforeasaDeccaneeBrahminloanedbythePun-jabGovernmenttooneoftheKhalsiaStatesHewasinchargeofabranchtelegraph-officethere，andwhenIhadlastmethimwasajovial，full-stomached，portlyGovernmentservantwithamarvelouscapacityformakinghadpunsinEnglish-apeculiaritywhichmademerememberhimlongafterIhadforgottenhisservicestomeinhisofficialcapacity。
　　ItisseldomthataHindumakesEnglishpuns。
　　Now，however，themanwaschangedbeyondallrecognition。
　　Caste-mark，stomach，slate-coloredcontinuations，andunctuousspeechwereallgoneIlookedatawitheredskeleton，turban-lessandalmostnaked，withlongmattedhairanddeep-setcodfish-eyes。
　　Butforacrescent-shapedscarontheleftcheek-theresultofanaccidentforwhichIwasresponsibleIshouldneverhaveknownhimButitwasindubitablyGungaDass，and-forthisIwasthank-full-anEnglish-speakingnativewhomightatleasttellmethemeaningofallthatIhadgonethroughthatday。
　　ThecrowdretreatedtosomedistanceasIturnedtowardthemiserablefigure，andorderedhimtoshowmesomemethodofescapingfromthecrate？Heheldafreshlypluckedcrowinhishand，andinreplytomyquestionclimbedslowlyonaplatformofsandwhichraninfrontoftheholes，andcommencedlightingafirethereinsilenceDriedbents，sand-poppies，anddriftwoodburnquickly；andIderivedmuchconsolationfromthefactthathelitthemwithanordinarysulphur-matchWhentheywereinabrightglow，andthecrowwasnearlyspittedinfrontthereof，GungaDassbeganwithoutawordofpreamble：
　　“Thereareonlytwokindsofmen，SarThealiveandthedead。
　　Whenyouaredeadyouaredead，butwhenyouarealiveyoulive。”
　　Herethecrowdemandedhisattentionforaninstantasittwirledbeforethefireindangerofbeingburnedtoacinder。“Ifyoudieathomeanddonotdiewhenyoucometotheghattobeburnedyoucomehere。”
　　Thenatureofthereekingvillagewasmadeplainnow，andallthatIhadknownorreadofthegrotesqueandthehorriblepaledbeforethefactjustcommunicatedbytheex-BrabminSixteenyearsago，whenIfirstlandedinBombay，IhadbeentoldbyawanderingArmenianoftheexistence，somewhereinIndia，ofaplacetowhichsuchHindusashadthemisfortunetorecoverfromtranceorcatalepsywereconveyedandkept，andIrecollectlaughingheartilyatwhatIwasthenpleasedtoconsideratraveler’stale。
　　Sittingatthebottomofthesand-trap，thememoryofWatson’sHotel，withitsswingingpunkahs，white-robedattendants，andthesallow-facedArmenian，roseupinmymindasvividlyasaphotograph，andIburstintoaloudfitoflaughterThecontrastwastooabsurd！
　　GungaDass，ashebentovertheuncleanbird，watchedmecuriouslyHindusseldomlaugh，andhissurroundingswerenotsuchastomoveGungaDasstoanyundueexcessofhilarityHeremovedthecrowsolemnlyfromthewoodenspitandassolemnlydevoureditThenhecontinuedhisstory，whichIgiveinhisownwords：
　　“InepidemicsofthecholerayouarecarriedtobeburnedalmostbeforeyouaredeadWhenyoucometotheriversidethecoldair，perhaps，makesyoualive，andthen，ifyouareonlylittlealive，mudisputonyournoseandmouthandyoudieconclusivelyIfyouarerathermorealive，moremudisput；butifyouaretoolivelytheyletyougoandtakeyouawayIwastoolively，andmadeprotestationwithangeragainsttheindignitiesthattheyendeavoredtopressuponmeInthosedaysIwasBrahminandproudman。
　　NowIamdeadmanandeat“-hereheeyedthewell-gnawedbreastbonewiththefirstsignofemotionthatIhadseeninhimsincewemet-“crows，andotherthingsTheytookmefrommysheetswhentheysawthatIwastoolivelyandgavememedicinesforoneweek，andIsurvivedsuccessfullyThentheysentmebyrailfrommyplacetoOkaraStation，withamantotakecareofme；andatOkaraStationwemettwoothermen，andtheyconductedwethreeoncamels，inthenight，fromOkaraStationtothisplace，andtheypropelledmefromthetoptothebottom，andtheothertwosucceeded，andIhavebeenhereeversincetwoandahalfyears。
　　OnceIwasBrahminandproudman，andnowIeatcrows。”
　　“Thereisnowayofgettingout？”
　　“NoneofwhatkindatallWhenIfirstcameImadeexperimentsfrequentlyandalltheothersalso，butwehavealwayssuccumbedtothesandwhichisprecipitateduponourheads。”
　　“Butsurely。”Ibrokeinatthispoint，“theriver-frontisopen，anditisworthwhiledodgingthebullets；whileatnight“-IhadalreadymaturedaroughplanofescapewhichanaturalinstinctofselfishnessforbademesharingwithGungaDassHe，however，divinedmyunspokenthoughtalmostassoonasitwasformed；
　　and，tomyintenseastonishment，gaveventtoalonglowchuckleofderision-thelaughter，beitUnderstood，ofasuperiororatleastofanequal。
　　’~Youwillnot“-hehaddroppedtheSircompletelyafterhisopeningsentence-“makeanyescapethatwayButyoucantryI
　　havetriedOnceonly。”
　　ThesensationofnamelessterrorandabjectfearwhichIhadinvainattemptedtostriveagainstovermasteredmecompletelyMylongfast-itwasnowcloseuponteno’clock，andIhadeatennothingsincetiffinonthepreviousday-combinedwiththeviolentandunnaturalagitationoftheridehadexhaustedme，andIverilybelievethat，forafewminutes，IactedasonemadIhurledmyselfagainstthepitilesssand-slopeIranroundthebaseofthecrater，blasphemingandprayingbyturnsIcrawledoutamongthesedgesoftheriver-front，onlytobedrivenbackeachtimeinanagonyofnervousdreadbytherifle-bulletswhichcutupthesandroundme-forIdarednotfacethedeathofamaddogamongthathideouscrowd-andfinallyfell，spentandraving，atthecurbofthewellNoonebadtakentheslightestnotionofanexhibitionwhichmakesmeblushhotlyevenwhenIthinkofitnow。
　　Twoorthreementrodonmypantingbodyastheydrewwater，buttheywereevidentlyusedtothissortofthing，andhadnotimetowasteuponmeThesituationwashumiliatingGungaDass，indeed，whenhehadbankedtheembersofhisfirewithsand，wasatsomepainstothrowhalfacupfuloffetidwaterovermyhead，anattentionforwhichIcouldhavefallenonmykneesandthankedhim，buthewaslaughingallthewhileinthesamemirthless，wheezykeythatgreetedmeonmyfirstattempttoforcetheshoalsAndso，inasemi-comatosecondition，Ilaytillnoon。
　　Then，beingonlyamanafterall，Ifelthungry，andintimatedasmuchtoGungaDass，whomIhadbeguntoregardasmynaturalprotectorFollowingtheimpulseoftheouterworldwhendealingwithnatives，IputmyhandintomypocketanddrewoutfourannasTheabsurdityofthegiftstruckmeatonce，andIwasabouttoreplacethemoney。
　　GungaDass，however，wasofadifferentopinion“Givemethemoney。”saidhe；’~allyouhave，orIwillgethelp，andwewillkillyou！”Allthisasifitwerethemostnaturalthingintheworld！
　　ABriton’sfirstimpulse，Ibelieve，istoguardthecontentsofhispockets；butamoment’sreflectionconvincedmeofthefutilityofdifferingwiththeonemanwhohaditinhispowertomakemecomfortable；andwithwhosehelpitwaspossiblethatImighteventuallyescapefromthecraterIgavehimallthemoneyinmypossession，Rs9-8-5-ninerupeeseightannasandfivepie-forI
　　alwayskeepsmallchangeasbakshishwhenIamincampGungaDassclutchedthecoins，andhidthematonceinhisraggedloincloth，hisexpressionchangingtosomethingdiabolicalashelookedroundtoassurehimselfthatnoonehadobservedus。
　　“NowIwillgiveyousomethingtoeat。”saidhe。
　　WhatpleasurethepossessionofmymoneycouldhaveaffordedhimIamunabletosay；butinasmuchasitdidgivehimevidentdelightIwasnotsorrythatIhadpartedwithitsoreadily，forIhadnodoubtthathewouldhavehadmekilledifIhadrefusedOnedoesnotprotestagainstthevagariesofadenofwildbeasts；andmycompanionswerelowerthananybeastsWhileIdevouredwhatGungaDasshadprovided，acoarsechapattiandacupfulofthefoulwell-water，thepeopleshowednotthefaintestsignofcuriosity-thatcuriositywhichissorampant，asarule，inanIndianvillage。
　　IcouldevenfancythattheydespisedmeAtalleventstheytreatedmewiththemostchillingindifference，andGungaDasswasnearlyasbadIpliedhimwithquestionsabouttheterriblevillage，andreceivedextremelyunsatisfactoryanswersSofarasIcouldgather，ithadbeeninexistencefromtimeimmemorial-whenceI
　　concludedthatitwasatleastacenturyold-andduringthattimenoonehadeverbeenknowntiescapefromit[Ihadtocontrolmyselfherewithbothhands，lesttheblindterrorshouldlayholdofmeasecondtimeanddrivemeravingroundthecrater。]GungaDasstookamaliciouspleasureinemphasizingthispointandinwatchingmewinceNothingthatIcoulddowouldinducehimtotellmewhothemysterious“They“were。
　　“Itissoordered。”hewouldreply，“andIdonotyetknowanyonewhohasdisobeyedtheorders。”
　　“OnlywaittillmyservantsfindthatIammissing。”Iretorted，“andIpromiseyouthatthisplaceshallbeclearedoffthefaceoftheearth，andI’llgiveyoualessonincivility，too，myfriend。”
　　“Yourservantswouldbetorninpiecesbeforetheycamenearthisplace；and，besides，youaredead，mydearfriendItisnotyourfault，ofcourse，butnonethelessyouaredeadandburied。”