CHONDO: A SAMBAR PARADISE 



A certain lucky intervals, few and far between in 

 these degenerate times, it is sometimes the 

 lot of the prowling shikdri to happen on a 

 secluded corner, some overlooked nook, whither 

 game, finding sanctuary, have retreated and live in peace, 

 their numbers steadily increasing until they recall the 

 memories of those good old times long ago, before the 

 present era of cheap guns and rapidly contracting hunting- 

 grounds. 



Not long ago it was the writer's fortune to find himself 

 by chance in such a favoured spot 



Setting out over the hills accompanied by one of my 

 own men and a couple of the aborigines carrying the day's 

 provender, I had set myself the task of exploring a certain 

 very remote hilltop rejoicing, together with its surrounding 

 forests, in the name of Ch6ndo. 



Long before, prior to the afforestation of these tracts 

 and the herding of the jungle men into certain fixed village 

 sites, Chondo had supported its little aboriginal hamlet a 

 rude collection of temporary huts hard by the little clear- 

 ing of nomad or dya cultivation that used to return such 

 rich crops of the hill grains known as ktitki, kodu, etc. 

 The water-supply was afforded by a tiny spring or jhira 

 as is so often seen in these mountains, where a rude sort 

 of well, crossed and recrossed by timbers driven into its 

 sides, gave the climber access to the scanty supply of the 

 precious fluid, the fluid itself being scooped up laboriously 

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