THE HIGHER NARBADA. 333 



" We have them ! " he exclaimed ; " they are in the dewur, 

 and as good as killed." 



Dewur is the local name for a place where two or three 

 nal&s meet, and form a hollow in which water remains through- 

 out the hot weather ; if sufficiently shady and cool, it is a 

 favourite haunt of the tiger ; and it really seemed very likely 

 that the tigers, having gorged themselves at night, had pro- 

 ceeded to lie up in the dewur, as surmised by the Gond. To 

 make all sure, we described a circle round the place, carefully 

 examining all the nal^s that led from it, and finding no marks 

 to indicate their exit, returned to camp, pretty confident of 

 having "ringed" the family, and that we would find them 

 asleep about twelve o'clock. A scorching hot wind was 

 blowing fiercely across the plain when I left my tent after 

 breakfast, and mounted the howdah. It was fearfully hot, 

 and the flickering haze that plays over the bare ground at this 

 season, like an exhalation of gas from its surface, playing the 

 strangest pranks with houses, trees, and figures, was exceed- 

 ingly painful to the eyes. Never mind ! all the more chance 

 of finding the tigers at home, and we were soon under way 

 for the dewur. About 150 beaters had collected, for, the 

 whole wealth of these people lying in their herds, they were 

 naturally anxious for the destruction of the family of pests. 



On arriving at the scene of operations, they were told off 

 into four parties, each placed under charge of one of the more 

 respectable inhabitants ; and, after strict injunctions about 

 taking to trees, etc., were dispatched to their several posts. 

 There were only two places where the tigers were likely to 

 break, of which one led to the river, and the other, a dry 

 watercourse, towards the neighbouring hills. Some peculiari- 

 ties in the ground induced me to select the latter for my own 

 post, while I intrusted the former to the old shikari with his 



