Rem in iscences of Jungly pur. 153 



And now the declining sun gave warning that the return 

 journey should be begun. Without a moon it is awkward 

 to be overtaken by night on those rough hillsides, so with a 

 parting injunction against my next visit, and the stag's 

 severed head being borne by one of the men, we hastened 

 towards home along the precipitous, wall-like saddle-backs 

 which separate the Belkhera and Barhanpur valleys, 

 descended in twilight a narrow rocky path that falls, 

 turning and twisting, down their rugged sides, and at 

 7 p.m. found the ponies at the village. Four miles or so 

 over a stony cart track by starlight brought us to Can- 

 tonments. 



In common with most wild tribes the Korku is a timid 

 creature before a stranger, and, on meeting the sahib on 

 shikar intent, often becomes so secretive that neither wild 

 horses nor even the almighty rupee would drag from him 

 any local knowledge of which he may be possessed. The 

 sportsman will find this secretiveness very baffling ; and 

 to what lengths the jungle man is capable of extending it 

 the following narrative will reveal : 



One hot morning in May the writer and a companion 

 had entered the jungle to investigate certain rumours that 

 we had heard as to the presence of a tiger in the Ambadoh 

 ravine. Ambadoh, the ' pool by the Mango tree, ' is a 

 delightful little spot in the Junglypur hills and its ex- 

 tremely picturesque glen goes twisting and winding down 

 between steep hillsides to join a large tributary of the 

 distant TaptL These jungles are, during the summer 

 droughts, very bare, and the white and shrivelled grass 

 exceedingly hot and choking ; but here and there a pipal 

 or banyan casts its grateful shade, and, in combination 

 with certain charmingly secluded pools, serves to offer 

 sufficient attraction to wandering felines. 



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