THE JUNGLES OF CHOTA NAGPUR 9 



minute I could see nothing. Then gradually four white 

 legs with black upper edges framed themselves on my vision 

 beneath a bamboo clump. The rest of the animal was 

 invisible. 



As soon as Bishu was satisfied that I had made out the 

 animal, he signified, by a movement of the arm, that we 

 would move to the left, at the same time indicating that 

 I should be ready to fire. Rightly or wrongly we started 

 to execute this flank movement. Bishu, with bare feet, 

 glided over the ground with ease and in absolute silence. 

 Not so myself, weighted down with a heavy rifle and heavy 

 boots, which I had not at that time learnt to discard for 

 light stalking shoes. To me the movement was a night- 

 mare. After twenty yards I looked up. There was Bishu, 

 the smile on his face and his fingers signalling frantically, 

 the arm held rigid to the side of the body. A hurried step 

 forward and the sharp snap of a twig sounded on the still 

 air, to be succeeded instantaneously by a short, sharp 

 bellow and a crash in the bamboo jungle, followed by a rush 

 I hurriedly glanced round. The white 

 stockings had disappeared. I dashed 

 forward, my noise more than drowned 

 in that made by the bison ; but within 

 forty yards I came to a standstill, 

 the bamboo clumps growing so thickly 

 together as to render further progress or 

 any chance of seeing the animal hopeless. 

 I could have cried with vexation. As a 

 matter of fact I swore. 



Bishu called a halt and we sat down, 

 one of us in no enviable frame of mind, 

 and for the first time for hours conversed 

 in a low voice. The shikari said that it 

 was probable that the bison was more 

 startled than frightened, and that he 

 would be unlikely to go far as he was 

 certain the animal was not aware of our 

 presence. We could rest for half an 

 hour and would then take up the tracks 

 again. 



I took advantage of the respite, though with very bad 

 grace, to have some lunch, as I had then been on the move 

 for six hours. It was a grateful rest in spite of my anxiety, 



