216 GANJAM. 



and the fish-hawk at work. Jackals and 

 hyaenas occasionally lurked among the 

 pandanus thickets on the shore, and the 

 little lake had a sullen, dreary aspect, 

 quite in keeping with such company. 



Behind the house lay the cultivated 

 fields of the village, screened by dense 

 pandanus hedges from the southerly 

 winds, which were quite capable of 

 carrying away the surface soil bodily in 

 dry weather had ifc not been for this 

 protection. Still farther to the rear 

 were many miles of rolling plains, partly 

 sand strewn, partly covered with scrub ; 

 here there was excellent fox coursing, 

 and here I once or twice met and tried 

 to run down wolves, but without success, 

 as greyhounds very wisely shrink from 

 closing with so formidable a beast. 



