TEAK AND BAMBOO 91 



ridiculous fashion as they darted in play behind the tree- 

 stems ; while the valley resounded at dawn and eve with 

 the shrill "Kuckkaa kiya kuck'm!" of our cheery friends, 

 the grey jungle-cocks. 



As time passed the rain ceased, and the sun began his 

 work on the jungles : the leaves fell, the salai trees stood 

 out gaunter and barer each day, and the fast-yellowing 

 grass seeded its vicious crop of tiny spears, which, strange 

 to say, are looked on as a tit-bit by the stags, who, about 

 this time, are beginning to feel the influence of the ap- 

 proaching rutting season. 



Early one morning, as we stood by the yet running 

 waters of our glen, we were startled by the sharp bark 

 of our neighbours, the khdkar. " Aaow aaow /" sounded 

 their little voices, as they rapidly threaded the well-known 

 thickets, and shortly there rang out the deep bell of a 

 sambar hind, as the whole ravine waked to sudden panic, 

 and the jungle crashed before the irresistible rush of the 

 large deer. Darting to my dam's side, with cocked tail, 

 I found her trembling, facing down the bed of the stream, 

 her large ears spread to catch the slightest sound, and 

 then, as some little reddish forms appeared slinking round 

 a far rock, we turned, and swiftly passed through a bamboo 

 coppice, up over a steep knoll, and suddenly stopped short 

 again. A pattering sound swept up the banks, and a 

 glimpse of our ruthless foes, the wild dogs, vanishing up- 

 stream, where the rest of the herd had pursued their mad 

 flight. Again we swiftly climbed, and at last stood, with 

 heaving flanks, to hear a faint, far-off yelp, before we 

 crossed the ridge and plunged into the jungle slopes 

 of another great khora ; nor did we stay our way till 

 yet another ridge and glen divided us from our erstwhile 

 home. 



Descending more leisurely at length, there suddenly 

 appeared before us the great head and neck of a large 

 stag, who regarded our advent with lordly surprise, his 



