114 INDIAN BIG GAME 



Mr. L. had to represent the Madras Forest Depart- 

 ment at the Mysore kheddah operations, which 

 were taking place shortly in honour of the Prince 

 and Princess of Wales's visit to Mysore. I was 

 to go as Mr. L.'s guest. 



On the 3rd of February we made our way back 

 to Madras territory. 



My first destination was M , to which I 



had to transport myself and kit in a couple of 

 carts, arriving there on the morning of the 20th 

 of February. 



A planter, with proverbial hospitality, had 

 supplied me with a couple of shikaris. After a 

 light repast, I strolled out to explore the place, 

 but returned feeling rather disheartened, as only 

 a few old tracks were to be seen. Fortunately a 

 forest guard came to my rescue and sent for two 

 local men, who had been in at the death of several 

 bison. At 3 p.m. I again set out in an opposite 

 direction, and on reaching the top of a hill, one 

 of the shikaris turned to me saying, " This is the 

 only place where bison are to be found at this 

 season." We followed a path through some dense 

 jungle, crossed some grass land, and had just 

 entered another shola (wooded jungle) when we 

 heard some heavy beasts crash off. The men 

 hurried me forward to the open country on the 

 other side, with the evident hope of seeing the 

 bison emerge, but the herd must have turned and 

 kept to the forest, so we struck a path higher up 

 and made our way carefully back, hoping to hear 

 or cut them off. We finally reached the out- 

 skirts above the spot where we first entered, with- 

 out seeing or hearing them. While surveying 



