Sambur. 245 



we came upon a most park-like scene. Right in front 

 of us, extending fully three-quarters of a mile, 

 there lay a broad expanse of country, relieved from 

 monotony by undulations, and with clumps of trees so 

 arranged, as to look as if artificially planted by some 

 landscape gardener. I have never seen a more 

 picturesque spot in my life, the further extremity 

 ending on almost a precipice, beneath which the deep 

 waters of the Godavery flowed along peacefully with- 

 out a ripple, exemplifying the old saying that " still 

 waters run deep," for just there the river is supposed to 

 be unfathomable. Steep as is the declivity, here and 

 there, narrow paths sloped downwards to the heavily 

 wooded country, in which the mighty stags repose 

 during the day. The formation of this succession of 

 hills is most peculiar. They are composed almost 

 entirely of laterite, and anything moving fast over 

 it, causes a reverberation which can be heard a long 

 way off. 'Moreover the sides are perpendicular, often 

 forty, fifty and more feet, over which nothing can 

 pass except at far apart places where there are 

 narrow shoulders sloping down to the valleys which 

 separate these tablelands, and along which various 

 animals travel. The general height of these hills is 

 about 2,300 to 2,500 feet. Where we were, the grass 

 was only about thirty-six inches high, over which we 

 made for the shelter of a clump of bamboos. When 

 peeping beyond them, I saw three or four hinds feed- 

 ing a little way off. Within thirty yards of them 

 was a huge prostrate tree, and creeping on hands and 

 knees we got under the shelter of its trunk not that 

 I intended to do the does any harm but to lie in 

 wait for a stag, which it was more than probable would 



