58 INDIAN BIG GAME 



This ghat road was a good piece of work of 

 the Forest Engineers. It was an excellent country 

 road that ran from civilization through ten miles 

 of risino^ and hillv forests, and then climbed to 

 the plateau up the side of a long wide valley 

 many hundred feet deep. This valley practically 

 separated all our part of the plateau from the 

 middle and lower jungles. It lay all along under- 

 neath the edge of the plateau, and made an un- 

 beatable and almost inaccessible sanctuary for 

 tiger, whence they could sally either up to the 

 plateau or down to the jungles at the foot of the 

 ghat. 



The plateau itself consisted of rolling downs, 

 woody hillocks, and grassy dales, with a stream 

 of water running through it. It is luckily too 

 low to make a hill-station, for which it would 

 otherwise be admirably suited. 



The jungle was of the usual Central Province 

 type, but looked very refreshing owing to the 

 sheeshums and other similar trees, which were 

 performing their annual miracle of putting out 

 their fresh green foliage at the driest season of 

 the year. 



and he stared at us for what seemed a long time. I'm sure I 

 should know him again ! 



We then tried to " shoo " him away by clapping our hands 

 and shouting, but he made no attempt to move, and sat regarding 

 us with slowly waving tail. Not being used to meeting wild 

 beasts at liberty — face to face in this manner — discretion seemed 

 the better part of valour, so we moved on. The panther remained 

 in the same place watching us till the curve of the road hid him 

 from view. 



Later it was reported that a panther with cubs had been seen 

 near this spot, so possibly ours was this female, and we may have 

 got between her and the cubs, which might account for her 

 curious behaviour. — ^A. C. VV. 



