A MOONLIGHT SHOT. 7 



grains of sand, of which it was mainly composed, 

 sparkle and shimmer like crystals. In the back- 

 ground the depths of the jungle lay in dense, dark 

 shade, whilst the trunks and foliage of the trees 

 on the opposite bank were mirrored life-like in 

 the pool at our feet. 



A hushed silence prevailed, only broken now 

 and then by the loud bell of a sambur, the curious 

 cry of the cheetal, or spotted deer, the fierce, short 

 bark of the muntjak, or barking deer (and what a 

 terrifying sound it is to be produced from so small 

 an animal), the loud ' Mi-a-u, mi-a-u, pa-oo, pa-oo,' 

 of a peacock, or the irritating cry of c Did-he-do- 

 it, did-did-did-he-do-it,' of the Indian plover; 

 the melancholy note of the wood-owl floated 

 on the still, night air, as he flitted backwards and 

 forwards, ghost-like, in the moonlight ; occasion- 

 ally, too, might be heard the loud ' whoop-whoop ' 

 of the c lungoor ' or c Entellus monkey,' the crash 

 in a distant tree-top denoting the spot where, 

 doubtless, some monkey midnight revels were 

 being carried on ; whilst once our nerves were 

 quickened and our pulses beat higher by hearing 

 the distant c Aa-ooungh ' of a prowling tiger, a 

 sound seldom heard, though once heard never to 

 be forgotten. He, however, was a long way off, and, 

 to our disappointment, did not favour us with a 

 visit. These noises would at times be varied by 



