Teak and Bamboo. 27 



Into this I plunged and turned in time to meet the leader 

 of the pack, whom- I struck under the water, my sharp 

 fore foot cutting deep into his entrails : the rest surround- 

 ed me in an instant, finding their tongues for the first time, 

 and bursting into a chorus of savage, whining yelps. Twice 

 was I borne down, madly striking right and left with ant- 

 lers and feet, and rose again, my cruel tormentors literally 

 covering my bleeding form. The deepening, swirling pool 

 was churned into yellow foam, the sharp snouts of the dogs 

 sowing here and there as they swam ashore, and whined 

 from the rocks, leaping out again to seize or be struck under. 



At last down came the spate with a booming roar ; 

 and we were all caught up and hurried headlong down- 

 stream : my foes were swept away like corks, and I, with 

 difficulty feeling ground, breasted the raging torrent an 

 instant, and then dragged my harried body up the bank. 



Yes, they were all gone, save a few that had followed down 

 the opposite bank. Yet, what was this ? The drowned 

 and battered carcase of one of them yet hung from my 

 chest, his bared fangs closed in the grip of death ! Shaking 

 myself free, blind with a furious fear, I impaled the dead 

 body, and pinned it to the bank again and again then 

 I crawled under the lashing trees, and disappeared in 

 driving sheets of rain. 



* * * * * 



Seat yourself on that rock, Sahib, and let your gaze 

 wander over my forests spread out below. That distant 

 mist rising beyond those low grey-blue hills marks the 

 deep-sunk valley of the Tapti- ; before you the rolling sea of 

 jungle stretches unbroken to the horizon, and beyond it to 

 the sources of the Narbada ; while -at your feet the bamboc- 

 tangled mountain-side descends well-nigh sheer to that 

 broad shingly river-bed two thousand feet below, rising 



