TIGER-HAUNTED JUNGLES 23 



very useful white and gray cattle with beautiful fine 

 shiny coats and humps on the withers, black noses, and 

 large black eyes. They are herded in the jungle by 

 gualas, who take the whole village stock out daily to 

 graze, and drive, or rather call, them home at night. 

 Many have bells made of hard wood tied to their necks, 

 which can be heard at some distance. Tigers know the 

 sound of the cattle bells far too well, but without bells 

 the cattle would be lost in the dense forest. 



The head-quarters of the lower section of the road 

 which ran through Motee's village were on his land, and 

 several acres of his terraced fields were occupied by tents 

 and chappars (grass huts) for the native staff. Yet 

 his temper was never disturbed by the devastation of 

 his land, for which an equitable compensation was given 

 him. And in his cleanest white, hand-woven cotton 

 chapkan, with a sheet for keeping himself warm, and a 

 neat skull-cap, Motee would often present himself at the 

 tent door to pay a friendly visit, bringing always a bunch 

 of ripe plantains or some very fine oranges or pommeloes.* 

 His greatest trouble was the constant terror of the tigers 

 which frequented the dense jungles all round his village. 

 His often repeated prayers to be delivered from their 

 ravages were most earnest. And no wonder. He had 

 seen, when a boy, his father struck down and carried off 

 by a tiger, and not long afterwards his mother was simi- 

 larly treated. Therefore the presence of a sahib with 

 guns, and a crowd of workers on the road and blasting 

 the rocks, was to him and his family and the other 

 villagers rather a source of relief and a protection. They 

 could now till their land with comparative safety, and 

 the cattle returned home to be milked with whole skins ; 



* Officials are permitted by Government order to accept an offering 

 of fruit from natives. 



