DIFFICULT TRACKING 361 



utter impossibility to attempt to stalk the gaur in grass of this 

 description, where the animal would most likely be lying 

 perfectly still and make off on hearing the least noise. I now 

 noticed that the animal had settled down from its recent alarm 

 and that its tracks crossed and re-crossed one another all over 

 the place ; tracking, consequently, became very perplexing work. 

 It showed me, however, that the gaur had stayed in the neigh- 

 bourhood for some hours, and would probably not be far off. 

 After warning my men to use the utmost caution in moving, 

 as the snapping of the smallest twig or grass stalk would have 

 been fatal, we moved along in single file through the various 

 narrow, lanes that intersected one another throughout the patch, 

 I led the way with the 8-bore, both hammers at full cock ready 

 for action. 



After travelling in this manner for about 50 yards or so, I 

 found it was hopeless work going any further, as there were 

 not only numerous gaur tracks all over the place, but it was 

 well-nigh impossible to distinguish from amongst these the 

 tracks of the animal we had been following. Numerous lanes 

 intersecting one another had been trodden down in the neigh- 

 bourhood recently. Whilst debating amongst ourselves as to 

 our next move and the advisability of making for camp, it 

 being then well on in the evening, and returning next day to 

 take on the tracks, I heard a low, deep " mooing " or breathing 

 sound, which seemed to emanate from an adjacent cover. 

 Moung Yauk at once said : " Thakin pyaung shu than ah nee 

 gale be " (It is the noise of the gaur breathing not far off). 

 After examining both chambers of my 8-bore to see that they 

 were loaded, and ordering my men to sit down on the ground 

 and wait for me, I worked my way out of the grass and moved 

 cautiously in the direction of the sound. 



I had not gone 100 yards before the deep breathing 

 sound of an old solitary bull gaur was wafted across to 

 my ears like music from a patch of jungle some 40 yards 

 ahead of me. On getting nearer, I could distinctly hear the 

 animal cropping the grass which was growing inside the 

 wood quite luxuriantly. The thrill of excitement which now 

 passed through me can only be realized by those who have 

 gone through the same experience. I had no time to 



