78 DIARY OF A SPORTSMAN NATURALIST 



budda River, which has a perfectly straight east and west 

 course to its mouth in the Gulf of Cambay. This northern 

 part of the Central Provinces consists of a wild, picturesque, 

 chaotic mass of forest-covered hills drained by crystal 

 brawHng streams, and inhabited by jungle tribes such as 

 the Bhils and Gonds. Further south the country opens 

 out into more extensive flats and tablelands with a red 

 gravel soil and outcrops of laterite. The forest growth is 

 often more open and park-like in character, with areas of 

 dense grass, bamboo clumps and scattered trees. Still 

 further south the forest becomes poorer in character, with 

 wide areas of stunted and scorched vegetation stretching 

 across Eastern India from the Godaveri — to be mentioned 

 in a later chapter — to the Eastern Ghats. The Mahanadi 

 River already mentioned drains the eastern half of the 

 Provinces. The Nerbudda River and the valley of the Son 

 — the latter belonging to the Gangetic system — divide the 

 north of India from the south. The Nerbudda is one of the 

 most sacred rivers in India, and it is said is to displace the 

 Ganges itself in the rehgious estimation of the Hindus. 

 The Nerbudda is surrounded by more romance and mystic 

 interest than any other river in India, and its extraordinary 

 beauty is freely admitted by all. Tourists know the Marble 

 Rocks near Jubbalpur. But its course from its source at 

 Amarkantak in the Rewah State down to where it dashes 

 in rapids and whirlpools through the Vindhya and Satpura 

 Hills is everywhere beautiful. 



What magnificent game jungles existed in the old days 

 and up to quite recently in the Central Provinces ! Great 

 stretches of jungle-clad hills and valleys spread for mile 

 upon mile across the countryside. The villages were small 

 and scanty in number throughout much of the tract. 

 Great towns were practically absent, and railways few. 

 The tonga was still the conveyance for travelling long 

 distances in the Province ; or in default the palanquin, 

 bullock cart, or saddle pony. The animals and, in fact, 

 game of all kinds had this enormous area to themselves, 

 and the shikari, in the absence of the modern facilities for 

 getting about, and armed with the old muzzle-loader or 

 black powder rifle which followed it, could enjoy his fill of 

 sport whilst making little impression on the numbers of 

 the animal life which disported itself practically unchecked. 

 A tiger or more than one was no uncommon bag made close 



