72 Leaves from an Indian Jungle. 



and my mother started up, with twitching nose and cocked 

 ears, as two lank grey forms halted suddenly, a field's 

 length away, in an open space in the low scrub. A mo- 

 ment later I was flying after her, as she leaped scud- 

 ding across the plain, bounding into the air at every few 

 strides. Oh ! the exhilaration of that first wild rush over 

 the flying brown earth ! We left the scrub jungle far 

 behind, and, crossing a wide dry ndla at reduced speed, 

 on a sudden wheeled and halted, and I trotted with dilated 

 nostrils and cocked tail to my mother's side. She bent a 

 swift look of pride on me. 



" Shabash, little one, the fleetest and sturdiest of all 

 I have borne ! Did skulking wolf delude himself with 

 thoughts of an easy prey?" So saying, she led the way 

 towards a large herd of our kind, who were scattered over 

 open ground, not far from a field of tall green cotton ; 

 some lying drowsily ruminating, others capriciously graz- 

 ing or moving slowly about, while one or two does gazed 

 penetratingly down wind. On the edge of the cotton field 

 stood one of whom I had not yet seen the like. Whereas we 

 were sombre yellow-brown creatures, this one was glossy 

 black black with pure white belly and throat. More- 

 over, long, gnarled, spiral horns sprung from his head, 

 and ended in sharp points, and, as he turned and paced with 

 lordly mien towards us, his horns laid back over his 

 haunches, nose disdainfully in air, and tail curled up over 

 his back in the arrogance of his pride, I knew that I looked 

 on the lord of the herd the finest of our race. 



As he passed us by superciliously, my mother whispered 

 " Your father, my dear, a fine fellow doubtless, but foolish, 

 headstrong, and reckless, as are most of his sex. What he 

 would do, or how he would fare without us, his wives, to 

 keep a watch on prowling enemies, I know not. Look at 



