CHAPTER XV 



BACK IN THE JUNGLES AGAIN 



Back from furlough The jungles again The great grass jungle at the 

 end of the rains The animal inhabitants Insect life On foot in 

 the grass A moonlight ramble on an elephant An early morning 

 start A fishing expedition Forest spiders Sambhar, hogdeer, 

 and pig Chital A tiger episode in the Dun Sitting up on a tiger 

 "run" Jungle denizens in the evening Hear a tiger The tiger 

 approaches Anxious moments Fire at the tiger The tiger drops 

 Gets up and disappears Return to camp The Raja Sahib 

 Appears next morning Go in search of tiger Death of tiger The 

 Dehra Dun Fishing Club Glorious days Disappearance of game in 

 the Dun Closure and game protection needed. 



T 



*P ^HOSE of us who have fallen under the glamour 

 of the jungles of India will understand the 

 feeling with which I left the Station one afternoon 

 in late September for the high-grass jungles and 

 the glorious rivers of the United Province Terai. 



Well over a year and a half had elapsed since I had last 

 seen them. It was in February of the previous year that 

 I left the beautiful Dun and the Mussoorie Hills, a transfer 

 taking me to Calcutta. After nearly a year in the City of 

 Palaces, I applied for furlough and had a spell of leave at 

 home. I rejoined at Dehra early in September and a few 

 days' holiday occurring towards the end of the month saw 

 me eagerly setting out for the jungles accompanied by a 

 friend. We had two elephants and I had a modified 

 cordite -500 Holland and Holland rifle and a new gun, both 

 of which I was thirsting to try. We arrived soon after 

 four o'clock at a small bungalow in the heart of the forest 

 and never shall I forget the thrill with which I sniffed again 

 the odours of the great jungles. 



The rains were over and we could count on fine weather. 

 Already there was a touch of the glorious winter cold in the 

 early morning and evening air, and for the midday heat we 



178 



