BEARS & WATER-HOLE SHOOTING 



Arrived at the Alut Oya, we went down stream about 

 100 yards from the road, and my men showed me the 

 drinking place, a sandy hollow (described in my chapter on 

 leopards), ploughed up with animal tracks of all sorts and 

 exhibiting many unmistakable bear tracks, which resemble 

 the footprint of a very flat-footed child or small man. We 

 then built a stage on the right bank, supported on some 

 trees, fully commanding the hollow, and after a feed at 

 about 5 P.M. took our places for the watch. These stages 

 are formed of some main supports consisting of jungle 

 sticks about ij inches to 2 inches thick, lashed in con- 

 venient positions from branch to branch or fork to fork of 

 a tree or trees at any convenient height from the ground, 

 depending entirely on circumstances or position. 



Across these are lashed, with any handy jungle creeper, 

 a number of sticks as thick as a walking-stick or less, 

 about 2 or 3 inches apart, and across the front of the stage 

 are tied two or three sticks to the height of about a foot ; 

 green twigs, with leaves on, are spread over the stage and 

 hung on the front cross-pieces to form a screen, and your 

 stage is complete. The jungle village men are most expert 

 at this work, and it is a treat to watch them. You take 

 your place on it with a good blanket to sit on, an air 

 pillow, some food to your taste, and lots of drink in the 

 shape of cold tea or lime-juice, or even cold coffee. You 

 settle yourself comfortably in good position for the shot, 

 place your gun conveniently to hand, and then silence, with 

 eyes and ears ever on the alert. Before proceeding to an 

 account of a night-watch, it is advisable for me to say some- 

 thing about the time for watching, weapons, and night- 

 sights. The months in which night-watching may be in- 

 dulged in are June, July, August, and September, and 

 occasionally even October all depending on the weather. 



275 



