26 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



we were gliding down the stream, which in many- 

 parts was fringed by dense jungle, the howling 

 of my dogs repeatedly attracted my attention to 

 the numerous alligators that were swimming with 

 only just their noses above water on the look out 

 for prey ; and I had some very pretty rifle practice, 

 turning several of them over with a conical ball 

 between the eyes, when they would show their 

 dark yellow throats, lash the water with their tails 

 for a moment, and sink to the bottom. 



By ten p.m. we arrived at the junction of the two 

 rivers, where we disembarked, striking into the 

 belt of thick jungle that lies between the Mooyaar 

 and the north side of the Hills just below Runga- 

 sawmy's peak, which, being over seven thousand 

 feet above the level of the sea, is a conspicuous 

 landmark. Here we fell in with another party of 

 Mulchers, whom we induced to accompany us for a 

 bribe of some tobacco, and forming a kind of 

 irregular line, we proceeded to hunt for tracks. 

 We came across several old spoor of elephant, 

 numerous fresh slots of deer and pig, and the pu^s 

 of a tiger that had passed by early in the morning, 



