8o RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



await the approach of certain black bears which were 

 reported to visit the tree nightly for the sake of the ripe 

 red figs then yielded by it so profusely. The moon was at 

 about her full, and the light she shed most brilliant ; the 

 night soft and still, when the slightest sound may be clearly 

 heard an ideal chance for an easy shot at any black Bhalu 

 who might come my way attracted by the long-range scent 

 of the gular figs. 



My hiding-place was not uncomfortable, but as the 

 night rolled on and the Great Bear revolved slowly round 

 the pole star, it became borne in on me that this was an 

 unprofitable form of amusement, this passive waiting on 

 the capricious wanderings of the earthly prototypes of the 

 great constellation above my head. The position of its 

 pointers gave the hour as past midnight. I sat on awhile 

 immersed in further thought. Thus it came to me that 

 why should I too not be a wanderer through the moonlight, 

 a night bird, a beast of prey seeking its quarry through the 

 silent jungle? The chances of meeting with something 

 worth shooting would be multiplied manifold by exchanging 

 my fixed position for one of changeful activity. 



I was alone, so had to lower my rifle to the ground by 

 an improvised rope; then descended myself by the aid 

 of the gnarled processes on the trunk of the big fig tree. 

 Just as I put foot to terra firma, some creature rushed off 

 suddenly through the crackling leaves ; and every whit as 

 precipitately did my involuntary muscles shoot me a full 

 six feet upwards, to cling awhile in safety. However, 'twas 

 but a mongoose, or some such insignificant janwar. Once 

 more, therefore, I set foot to earth ; picked up the rifle ; 

 looked right and left ; and chose a path which would bring 

 the moon rather behind me. Thus I began to ghoom. 



There were no tigers to alarm by casual shooting in that 

 part of the country, so it was permissible to fire at anything 

 one deemed worth the trouble or the practice. The locality 

 was an elevated plateau of considerable size, rejoicing in the 



