"GHOOMING" FOR BEARS 81 



name of Makla, and composed of low undulations, woody 

 terraces, and, below them, grassy glades intersected by 

 small jungle and cattle paths. The woods clothing the 

 sides of the winding terraces were fairly thick, and under 

 the moon they loomed dark and mysterious, with here and 

 there a suspicious crackle of leaf or stick. Far away a little 

 Korku village had long since sunk to rest, but some of its 

 wakeful curs bayed the moon at intervals, only adding to 

 the sense of sleep and rest. This sense, however, is only 

 partially correct during a moonlight night in India, for 

 a large number of the wild inhabitants are now not only 

 abroad, but extremely busy. The deep hum from a sweet- 

 flowered tree overhead tells one that the bees, who hate 

 the hot sun, are hard at work. Nightjars are incessantly 

 tapping out their rapid notes of the love-making season. 

 The owls are abroad. And from a deep glen that lies 

 sheer below the edge of the plateau we are traversing can 

 be heard the staccato note of a watchful sdmbar, which has 

 seen something suspicious while wandering in search of 

 food. 



The little path leads away along the plateau below the 

 terraced slope of jungle, dipping into a little nala, and 

 seems to continue its course beyond it, over a patch of 

 short dry white grass. On this clear-lit space stands a 

 black object ; which brings the shikari to a halt. Whatever 

 the creature may be, it seems to be listening intently. 

 Perhaps it has seen us ? But no ! It turns and moves in 

 our direction. Shikar kit of the proper kind is almost 

 invisible at night. As the black shape descends out of 

 sight into the little depression nearer us, we run forward 

 on tiptoe, and, just as it reappears, down we go, lying 

 prone on the ground. The creature approaches. Is it a 

 bear, or a pig ? Moving slowly onwards, it reaches a tiny 

 bush at which distance we have made up our mind to fire. 

 Turning sidewise, the creature lifts its head in the pale 

 light, and seems to be gently scratching its brawny throat 

 G 



