A Night by a Jungle Pool. 89 



suspicious halt and backward stare all this in the efful- 

 gence of a full tropic moon. 



I took out my note-book, and pencilled little notes. 

 I smoked gently ; for I hold that except under certain cir- 

 cumstances of position and wind when tobacco smoke can 

 be detected, the natural perfume of he who smokes not 

 would be no less noticeable. 



Many a night had I passed in this alfresco manner ; but 

 never a one when all so combined to please, and when I 

 had such chances of observing unsuspicious wild creatures. 



I was lying back on the bed of boughs, grass, comfort- 

 able rug and cushion, when a long cold trailing thing 

 passed over my hand, and away from under my hips, leav- 

 ing the hairs of my head in a state of electric separation. 

 When the slight rustling had receded well into some rocks, 

 I again drew breath, and quickly removed my haversack of 

 cold roast fowl and other delicacies to another spot. 

 Whether of a deadly species or not, I object to snakes hunt- 

 ing for murghi in my pockets ! 



It was now well past 2 a.m. and I felt drowsy, especially 

 as the tuneful breathing of my faithless disciple sounded 

 like a lullaby in my ears. 



Perhaps an hour or so had passed in this borderland of 

 dreams, when a sound struck on my ears that instantly 

 roused us both ; it was the sudden, sharp, rending, trumpet 

 sound of a sambar's bell. Dhdnk ! There it came again, 

 from up the glen, and continued at intervals, apparently 

 retreating slowly for some minutes, when all was again 

 quiet ; then another bark, louder and much nearer, and 

 the crashing of leaves and jungle, as the sambar apparently 

 moved rapidly up-hill. 



Pulses beat quicker now in keen anticipation, for this kind 

 of thing has but one meaning. 



12 



