Our brief glimpse of fine weather was soon gone. Then the clouds rolled up from the sea before the breath of the south-west Monsoons, the storms again assailed us, and the floodgates of the sky were opened once more. In England one complains of the dullness of a wet summer. Think of five months' incessant rain in a small Station that never boasted more than three European inhabitants, cut off from the world and thrown entirely on their own resources! Smith had long since left us and we had no doctor. In the middle of the Rains Creagh was ordered off to command the Trade Agent's escort in Gyantse in Tibet; and I was left the only white man in Buxa. Life was not gay. Even the relief of work was denied us; and sport was impossible, for malaria and blackwater fever hold possession of the jungles during the Monsoon. And even when the Rains moderated in September, we were not allowed to shoot until the close season ended in October. The wet season is not really over in India until near the beginning of November; and in Buxa we sometimes had rain in that month and in December. But still we managed to survive the trial by fire and by water; and the winter found us as ready for work and sport as ever. CHAPTER XI IN THE PALACE OF THE MAHARAJAH The Durbar--Outside the palace--The State elephants--The soldiery--The Durbar Hall--Officials and gentry of the State--The throne--Queen Victoria's banner--The hidden ladies--_Purdah nashin_--Arrival of the _Dewan_--The Maharajah's entry--The Sons' Salute--A chivalrous Indian custom--_Nuzzurs_--The Dewan's task--The Maharani--An Indian reformer--_Bramo Samaj_--Pretty princesses--An informal banquet--The _nautch_--A moonlight ride--The Maharajah--A soldier and a sportsman--Cooch Behar--The palace--A dinner-party--The heir's birthday celebrations--Schoolboys' sports--Indian amateur theatricals--An evening in the palace--A panther-drive--Exciting sport--Death of the panther--Partridge shooting on elephants--A stray rhinoceros--Prince Jit's luck--Friendly intercourse between Indians and Englishmen--An unjust complaint.