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CHAPTER IV 

 A hunter's paradise 



Chota Nagpur once more — The fascination of the study of the natural 

 history of the forest — -Malarious jungles — Extraordinary abundance 

 of the large game animals — Big herds of bison — Monsoon and hot 

 weather conditions — An animal census of the forests in the late nineties 

 — Arduous nature of bison tracking — Behaviour of wounded bison — 

 The commissariat question — Start off to fill the larder— A moonlight 

 ■ walk — The decision — A barking deer — Come upon the fresh tracks 

 of a herd of bison — The -450 express and temptation— Proceed to 

 track the bison — Hot weather conditions — Come up with the herd — 

 I follow the herd — Fire at a bull — Am charged by a young bull — I 

 fire at him — Search for the bison — Am charged again — An ineffective 

 rifle — A third charge — Treed by the bull — A long vigil and a vindictive 

 enemy — A rescue — -The dead bull — Carried back to camp. 



TWO years later I found myself back in, and now in 

 charge of, the division in which I had enjoyed 

 such fine sport as an Assistant. With a greater 

 knowledge of the jungles and Indian sporting 

 methods I promised myself a good time — hopes that were 

 to be fully realized. 



Already, however, my attention had been attracted to 

 the study of the fauna of the great jungles in which my 

 work lay, and I had begun to realize that there was a stage 

 beyond the mere sportsman's pleasure in stalking and 

 shooting and searching for record heads, fascinating as 

 these pursuits proved ; that the study of the fauna of the 

 jungles as a whole, and not of the game animals alone, was 

 a most enthralling pursuit before which the mere acquisition 

 of heads would occupy a secondary position. 



My work for the next year kept me out in the jungles 

 the year round. This was exceptional and a hardship in 

 its way. For owing to the deadly nature of the malaria 

 prevalent in these forests in the monsoon months, the 

 orders in force enacted that the whole of the forest staff 



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