about nine o'clock
On again , after a brief halt for refreshment , and about an hour before midday advantage was taken of a great mango tope for another halt ; but as soon as the sun began to decline we were off again , with the track plain before us . Ah , it is slow work marching under a hot Indian sun ; but no one complained , tramping steadily on with scouts well out in front , till it was dark , when there was another rest till midnight ; and on again in the cool moonlight , with the men on the gun-limbers asleep , and those mounted nodding and swaying in their saddles , as if ready to come down . But no one fell , and the march seemed to me part of some strange dream , till the stars paled , and the orange sun came up , growing hotter and hotter , till we were all anxiously looking out for our next halting-place , and wondering how many more days must elapse before we should overtake Ny Deen . It was sooner than we expected , for somewhere about nine o'clock there was a little excitement on in front . There was a cloud of dust , and another , and a few minutes after we could see a native horseman , sword in hand , and with his round shield banging against his shoulders , where it was hung from his neck . He was splendidly mounted , and appeared to be galloping for his life to escape from half a dozen of our lancers , the scouts , who had evidently cut him off and turned him in our direction . He came straight for us , turning neither to the right nor the left , though there was plenty of room ; and as he came nearer , we could see that his horse was sadly blown , so that it appeared as if the rider would be overtaken , and run through by the men in chase .