300 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



river, about two miles below the town, stands a hill of coarse free- 

 stone rock, the whole face of which, for several hundred yards, 

 has been deeply excavated. But time and the action of the 

 weather has brought down a large portion of the face of the cliff, 

 and the entrances to most of the caves are choked up with debris 

 and jungle, openings here and there being kept clear by the bears, 

 panthers, and hyaenas, who are now the principal occupants. 

 The northernmost cave is still in good order. The entrance 

 is approached from the bed of the river by rude steps, and 

 passing in by a small gateway, a spacious hall is discovered, 

 excavated entirely from the solid rock, and having its roof 

 supported by huge pillars hewn out in the natural stone. At 

 the innermost end of the cave are gigantic stone figures, three 

 in number, carved on the face of the rock. The effect, when 

 viewed by torchlight, is very grand. With the exception of 

 numerous bats which cling to the roof, the sole occupant of 

 this cave was a weird-looking Hindoo recluse, who, when not 

 begging about the surrounding country, spent his time sitting or 

 sleeping among the ashes of his fire. This was his home day and 

 night ; and as he sat with his body covered only with white 

 wood ashes, and his long hair matted and browned by sun and 

 rain, he seemed a fit companion for his neighbours in the 

 adjoining caves. Truly the religious feelings must be strong 

 which induce a man to adopt such a life. 



I had sent out my men at an early hour to mark game, 

 and had gone out for a ride with Captain Bannerman. When 

 crossing the river a short distance above the town, I came on 

 the fresh footprints of four tigers which had passed in the 

 early morning. The troop consisted of a large tiger, tigress, 

 and two three -parts -grown cubs. My men came in about 

 9 A.M., having found nothing, and looked rather ashamed of 

 themselves when I told them what I had seen. They at once 



