FORESTS OF THE BHABAR AND FOOT-HILLS 199 



The further one goes southward the more restricted 

 become the timber belts, and the open, grass-covered 

 plains of the Terai lie stretching to the horizon. In this 

 region is found the barasingha, or big ' twelve-tined ' 

 or swamp deer, but further east, in Nepal, he is more 

 common. He is as large as the sambur and much bigger 

 than a red deer.* 



There are several herds of wild elephants in these forests. 

 The great paths made through the long grass by these 

 beasts, lead for miles through the jungle, showing there 

 must be a considerable number. They are not allowed 

 to be shot, being too valuable and scarce. They used to 

 be captured by the Government kheda, but are now allowed 

 to roam in peace. They frequent only the Bhabar belt 

 and the lowest foot-hills, coming up into the narrow valleys 

 where water streams flow, and where there are no human 

 inhabitants, and where the jungle is dense and pipal-trees 

 are found, on which they feed. Coming out on the road 

 cut through the forest, leading southwards to Bareilly, as 

 the evening approaches, we follow it northward, returning 

 to Haldwani. 



The trees have been felled well back from the great wide 

 road, so as to afford no covert for wild animals too near 

 its course. It runs perfectly straight in both directions 

 as far as the horizon, going away in distant perspective. 

 As we get nearer to the hills the view is remarkable. The 

 forest opens out into a wide park, with occasional groups 

 of various trees, the yellow grass forming the foreground. 

 Beyond is the long line of dark sal forest, and above it 

 there rise in faint blue outlines the summits of many 

 forest-clad mountains, fading away into the dim distance. 

 Then comes, as it were, a sky of purply blue, the warmer 

 tints of orange and red pervading it when the evening 

 approaches. Suddenly, as if by magic, right above, 

 * Cervus Diivauceli. 



