THE TEAK EEGION. 255 



deligbted they both would be to be at close quarters 

 with a bison steak. AVe pitied the Skunk, and poiuted 

 out to the Shrimp a quarter of sambar venison lianoing 

 up from which he might satisfy his own cravings ; but 

 we had no idea of starting off after bison six miles away 

 in that country at three o'clock in the afternoon. 



It wanted a good deal of arrangement, in fact, to 

 hunt that country ; and we never found out the proper 

 way to do it till just as we were leaving it. As it 

 was, we sent round a tent and the needful supplies 

 by a very circuitous road, down our valley to the plain, 

 along the foot of the hills for a good many miles, and 

 then up another valley that was said to run into the 

 heart of the bison country. The people had directions 

 to go as far up the valley as they could find water, and 

 pitch there. We were to go straight across next day, 

 and, after hunting up the bison, come down the head 

 of the further valley to the camp ; and dearly we paid 

 for givins: such indefinite instructions before we were 

 done. 



Next morning we started under the guidance of 

 the Shrimp, and mounted on two redoubtable Deccanee 

 ponies, who we had found could go in these hills where- 

 ever we could, and saved us a good lot of hard work 

 in the sun. The way lay up a long burnt valley, in 

 which tracks of sambar, and the pug of a large tiger 

 who had been following them during the night, were 

 plainly visible. It was too late, however, to see any 

 game out in such open country ; and we wound up the 

 rugged pathway leading to the top of the hill without 

 having come across a single animal. 



We now came on to a tolerably level plateau, and 

 rode on for some miles, keeping a sharp look-out for 



