JUNGLES OF BENGAL DUARS AND ASSAM 131 



throughout the centuries by generations upon generations 

 of these great beasts, the track was an interesting and 

 stupendous sight. Usually following a steep gradient up 

 the hill-side the soil 

 pressed down into a 

 solid rock-like con- 

 sistency, the track 

 would on occasions 

 reach a steepish preci- 

 pice of solid rock. In 

 the face of this giant 

 footsteps appeared, to 

 all seeming hewn out 

 of the solid rock and 

 subsequently rubbed 

 smooth as pumice 

 stone. Perhaps at the 

 foot a beautifully clear 

 silent pool would be 

 situated, overarched 

 by clumps of feathery 

 bamboos with the 

 crowns of the great 

 forest trees far above 

 them. It was difficult 

 to conceive how the great beasts managed to climb this 

 precipice by way of the giant footsteps, and yet these latter 

 have been worn out by generations undertaking the summer 

 outing to the hills. There was no other road. They went 

 up and, more incredible and astonishing even they returned, 

 by the one track. 



Sambhar were abundant although the heads of this 

 animal ran much smaller in this part of the world than one 

 had been accustomed to in the Central Provinces and Chota 

 Nagpur, or in the jungles of North-West India. Whether 

 this fact has ever been authoritatively explained I am not 

 aware. A number of reasons have been stated from time 

 to time, but no proof appears to have substantiated them. 

 Perhaps the damper more tropic heat may have something 

 to do with the lessened growth of the horn structure of the 

 CervidcB and the greater weight the animals scale. 



I know that it is contended that the thicker growth of 

 the low jungle has resulted in the stags developing smaller 



