`` I left that boat and went up-stream , and , when I had reached Arrah and the back-waters behind it , there were no more dead English . The river was empty for a while . Then came one or two dead , in red coats , not English , but of one kind all -- Hindus and Purbeeahs -- then five and six abreast , and at last , from Arrah to the North beyond Agra , it was as though whole villages had walked into the water . They came out of little creeks one after another , as the logs come down in the Rains . When the river rose they rose also in companies from the shoals they had rested upon ; and the falling flood dragged them with it across the fields and through the Jungle by the long hair . All night , too , going North , I heard the guns , and by day the shod feet of men crossing fords , and that noise which a heavy cart-wheel makes on sand under water ; and every ripple brought more dead . 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 XXXXX , as my people saw .
Adjutant English Jackal Purbeeahs South burn cart-wheel cotton-boats day flood