66 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



following days I only came on one lot of bison. At one of 

 these I had a fair shot at about sixty yards, but wishing to 

 get nearer I was advancing through some thick bush, when I 

 alarmed another which I had not previously seen. He dashed 

 out of a mass of creepers, and I had a snap shot at him, but 

 he held on, and we could hear the herd crashing along the 

 side of the mountain, dislodging gravel and stones, which 

 rolled down with much clatter. We looked in vain for traces 

 of blood, and returned to camp empty-handed. 



Our leave being now nearly up, we had to move back 

 towards Kolapoor. 



My friend had been out some time previously in the 

 jungles along the Ghauts when on his way to the coast. At 

 one village where he was encamped he heard great stories of 

 numbers of sambur which frequented the spot, and how they 

 came out at night to graze about the cultivated lands. He 

 accordingly directed his servants to be on the look-out in the 

 neighbourhood of the tent, and, as the moonlight was bright, 

 he hoped to get a shot. Towards midnight a sambur was 

 said to have been seen in a field not far off, and, taking a rifle, 

 Pogson sallied forth. Seeing a dark object among some low 

 bushes, he made a successful stalk, and when sufficiently near 

 loosed his piece. The animal made off, but one of the servants, 

 on hearing the shot, came up with a dog, which was at once 

 put on the track. The dog went off, but, as he did not return 

 for some time, Pogson went back to the tent. At length the 

 dog appeared with much blood about his muzzle, and, making 

 up his rnind that he would find his game in the morning, my 

 friend went to bed again. 



At an early hour he was awoke by the sound of voices, 

 and on coming out he found the whole village community 

 assembled in front of his tent. The head men came forward 



