At last even I was afraid , for I said : ` If this thing happen to men , how shall the Mugger of Mugger-Ghaut escape ? ' There were boats , too , that came up behind me without sails , burning continually , as the cotton-boats sometimes burn , but never sinking . '' `` Ah ! '' said the Adjutant . `` Boats like those come to Calcutta of the South . They are tall and black , they beat up the water behind them with a tail , and they -- '' `` Are thrice as big as my village . MY boats were low and white ; they beat up the water on either side of them and were no larger than the boats of one who speaks truth should be . They made me very afraid , and I left water and went back to this my river , hiding by day and walking by night , when I could not find little streams to help me . I came to my village again , but I did not hope to see any of my people there . Yet they were ploughing and sowing and reaping , and going to and fro in their fields , as quietly as their own cattle . '' `` Was there still good food in the river ? '' said the Jackal . `` More than I had any desire for . Even I -- and I do not eat mud -- even I was tired , and , as I remember , a little frightened of this constant coming down of the silent ones . I heard my people say in my village that all the English were dead ; but those that came , face down , with the current were NOT English , as my people saw . Then my people said that it was best to say nothing at all , but to pay the tax and plough the land . After a long time the river cleared , and those that came down it had been clearly drowned by the floods , as I could well see ; and though it was not so easy then to get food , I was heartily glad of it . A little killing here and there is no bad thing -- but even the Mugger is sometimes satisfied , as the saying is . '' `` Marvellous ! Most truly marvellous ! ''
said the XXXXX .
Adjutant English Jackal Mugger South day drowned escape floods fro