NIGHT JOURNEYING THROUGH JUNGLE 



path with high jungle on each side of it, often meeting 

 overhead. Nevertheless, it was an interesting experience, 

 this night- journey ing through the heart of that dense 

 forest, and one I had ample opportunity of enjoying since 

 sleep was quite out of the question, and any attempt to 

 indulge in it must have ended in disaster. As the night 

 advanced the forest seemed to awaken into life and the 

 cries of various beasts were now frequently to be heard ; 

 particularly the bell-like notes of the sambhur calling to 

 each other, and the short sharp bark of the small red deer, 

 so curiously resembling the barking of a dog. Occasionally, 

 too, in the far distance would be heard the shrill trumpeting 

 of wild elephants, eliciting from their burdened brethren 

 those curious, rumbling sounds, emitted by all elephants 

 alike, when frightened or excited. These various cries 

 continued at intervals, throughout the night, and finally, 

 just as the dawn was breaking, a loud reverberating roar, as 

 of a sudden peal of thunder, arose from the jungle close 

 beside them. 



To my long-practised ear the sound was unmistakable. 

 It was a tiger calling to its mate. Snatching my rifle, 

 already loaded, from my orderly, I stood up in the 

 " howdah " and scanned the jungle carefully all round, but 

 nothing was to be seen nor was the roar repeated. Never- 

 theless, from the behaviour of the elephants, as, with trunks 

 uplifted, they sniffed the tainted air, it was evident the 

 animal was near, probably just within the jungle, watching 

 us or creeping stealthily along the edge. Presently, out 

 of the gloomy depth beyond there came the tigress's reply, 

 fainter because more distant, but none the less terrifying 

 in its tones. She continued calling for some time, wondering 

 doubtless at the silence of her mate, till, with the approach 

 of daylight, she, too, became silent. 



About au hour later, we had passed out of the forest and, 

 our route now lying through scrub and patches of grass 

 jungle, our progress was easier and more rapid. As we 

 were going through one of these grass jungles, some- 

 what more extensive than others we had passed, I, being 

 on the leading elephant, observed a slight movement 

 in the grass, as of some animal a yard or two ahead. 

 A small deer or perhaps a pigmy-hog, I concluded, and 



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