A COLD WEATHER TOUR 209 



fire. Soon we began to converse. The situation sug- 

 gested the subjects. We spoke of the inhabitants 

 of the forest, and also of those of the mountains. I 

 Hstened to tales of the elephants, the tigers, the bears, 

 and the other many wild beasts, also to those of evil 

 spirits and the fairies. The tales related were often 

 very marvellous ; but the time, the darkness, and the 

 surroundings imparted to them a reality. The forest was 

 in front, close behind us rose the mountains, and from 

 both forest and mountains sounds continually fell on 

 our ears which showed that the animals about which 

 we were conversing were not far distant, also that 

 they were awake and wandering around in search 

 of prey. 



Every now and then we heard the barking cry of 

 the deer, the melancholy wailing yelp of the troops 

 of jackals, and occasionally that most fear- inspiring 

 of all the forest sounds, the dull roar of the tiger ; 

 and once we all paused in our talk to listen to a 

 crashing among the trees that told us that a herd 

 of elephants were passing, and were not very far 

 distant. 



The stories of the supernatural beings were, perhaps, 

 the most exciting. To many of our assembly they 

 were also the most alarming, for in the reality of 

 their existence the natives are firm believers ; and 

 it is in the mountains that the fairies mostly reside. 

 The Indian fairy, I may explain, unlike our English 

 fairy, is of more than human stature, and though 

 marvellously beautiful, is yet perfectly malignant. 



We continued to chat till the fire sank low, and then 

 P 



