144 Leaves from an Indian Jungle. 



down to him ; and, luckily, his skin had not been damaged in 

 the fall. Sunset was now glowing behind the black cliffs, 

 and the Dhar khora lay already shrouded in cold shadow. 

 After a refresher from the well-worn old tiffin-basket, we 

 walked homewards through the darkening woods, night 

 suddenly casting her star-pricked mantle over the hills as 

 the roosting cries of pea-fowl echoed mournfully abroad. 

 As we passed ihsgaolfs encampment further down the glen, 

 a shout brought the sturdy herdsman from among the 

 already zariba'd kine to view his defunct enemy. Wah ! He 

 would trouble the cattle no more, and high time too. But 

 others would take his place. " Achchha, Sahib! Roru shall 

 be sent with news if more gdras occur which Bhagwfat 

 avert!" he mutters to himself and we pass on. At length 

 the roadside is reached near little Barhanpur, the 

 panther is stowed under the seat, and the good mare, 

 seeming to care nothing for her unwonted passenger, 

 swings us swiftly away down the straight homeward 

 stretch. 



At present Junglypur is looking its very best. There 

 has been a good rainfall this year, and there is pro- 

 mise of a splendid cold weather. The wide plains, 

 right up to the base of the hills, are waving with plenteous 

 crops. There is an unusual abundance of animal and bird 

 life. Black buck and chinkara are to be seen within 

 the Station boundaries ; pig appear to be plentiful in the 

 sendhi nalas, where we hope they will stay after the crops 

 are cut ; and all night long, with wakeful shout, the watch- 

 ers guard their fields from tall machans. Up in the hills, 

 six miles away, it is lovely. As you canter towards them 

 at daybreak, the red rim of the sun, rising over the morn- 

 ing ground mists, throws their sharply chiselled features 

 into strong relief against the deep shadow of their glens 



