NIGHT CRIES IN THE FOREST. 73 



to work, and began to despoil the fallen, as the 

 day was far advanced, and, after the operation was 

 finished, we set out on our homeward journey. 



The sun had gone down some time before we 

 arrived at our hut, and as we went along, strange 

 wild cries appeared to rage through the forest, and 

 among the voices which resounded together we 

 could only distinguish those that were heard singly 

 during momentary pauses that from time to time 

 took place in the chorus. Elk were uttering their 

 loud cries of defiance, which were answered on all 

 sides until their hoarse bellowing became incessant, 

 when the deep hollow roar of a tiger re-echoed 

 through the arches of the forest, and for an interval 

 all was still save the noise of the great cicadae in 

 the trees. Then the howling of a troop of jackals, 

 or the melancholy cry of the hyena would pierce 

 the night air, and again the almost deafening 

 chorus would recommence. 



At last we reached our tent ; and, after the 

 luxury of a bath in a large square bowrie or well, 

 sat down to dinner with appetites well sharpened 

 by our first day's hunting in the Dehra Doon. 



