Looking Back Detail Page

02 Apr

- Shiavux Daver & Jal Desai
Class of '56 & '57

I cannot express how happy we all were when our Scout Master told us that we were to go on a trip to Matheran. We were a party of 28 - happy and anxious scouts with our perhaps worried Scout Master.
We left Victoria Terminus on Friday evening. We reached our destination at night putting up at a fine bungalow near the Catholic Church and just behind a hotel. Matheran affords a great deal of scope for hiking and we Scouts did not let this chance go to waste. In fact, early next morning we went for a long walk and visited a good number of points, where the view was excellent, and also visited Lake Charlotte, etc. That evening we tried to shoot a mon¬key and get its tail as a souvenir of our trip to Matheran, but we were successful in only getting host of monkeys to chase us and make us run for our lives. Later on, the Rev. Fr. J. Vic¬toria, in charge of the Catholic Church, took us round Matheran and we went to the most interesting view-points, passing through the Race Course, Sunset Point, etc., and later through the "Devil's Path" back to the Hotel. At night we had a fine camp fire with the Police Commissioner of Matheran pre¬siding. We had one lively hour full of gay songs, amusing plays by each Patrol and a fine troop item to give the finishing touches to this interesting camp fire.
On our second day, news came up to Matheran that a leopard had been killing several cows and the owner of the Hotel where we had our meals went down that night for a shoot. He was lucky for he came up early in the morning with a fine leopard. Crowds came over with cameras and photos were taken in plenty. Several of our boys brought in their cameras too and all posed for a photo with the leopard. In the afternoon we were busy pack¬ing for the return journey. We could hardly believe that the three enjoyable days at the Hill Station were over. Our one and only consolation was that the future holds in store for us many more enjoyable trips like this one.