TEAK AND BAMBOO 93 



little glade, dotted with the aola trees that bear our favourite 

 berries. A little farther down were the pools of " twelve- 

 month " water, and the lotdn, where the stags rolled nightly 

 in the mire ; while in many spots the numerous peeled trees 

 and trampled dusty earth betokened the akhdra, or arenas, 

 where they met on moonlight nights ; when their challeng- 

 ing roar echoed through the silent forest, and the hinds, 

 their feet crackling the great dry teak leaves, trooped out 

 like spectres to watch. 



Such was the Jdmgarh khdra in the old time, and there 

 I passed my uneventful youth, which period I will pass 

 over without comment, save that I twice experienced a 

 " beat," when the line of yelling Korkus passed along the 

 steep hillside, and I received my first sharp lessons in the 

 art of "breaking back" a highly simple and successful 

 operation when properly carried out. 



It takes us many long years to arrive at maturity and 

 our full strength of limb and antlers ; and six years passed 

 before I began to hold up my head with reason. 



My horns fell regularly every spring, until they ap- 

 proached their present proportions ; since then I have 

 noticed that I retain them unshed for longer periods. 



My present pair, of which I may remark there is reason 

 to be proud, have not fallen since they grew the summer 

 before last ; nor will they be shed this year if I am any 

 judge; however, all of us may not fare similarly. 



Our great size and the difficulty of concealing ourselves 

 when once we are noticed, added to the heat of the day, 

 have necessitated very nocturnal habits ; and wandering 

 all night in search of food as we do, it is needful for us to 

 hide and sleep when the sun is up. 



Our eyesight is very keen, even on dark nights, and, 

 combined with a highly developed sense of smell, serves to 

 protect us from such noxious animals as wander by night. 



By sundown we are on the move; it may be towards some 

 patch of ktitki) tilled on the level uplands by the Korkus 



