FORESTS OF THE BHABAR AND FOOT-HILLS 20i 



food is placed and offerings to the deity. Very frequently 

 an iron model of a bow and arrow is seen placed by a 

 shikari to propitiate the devta, so that he may succeed 

 in bringing game to bag : otherwise, as he tells one, no 

 game will be shot. 



It is remarkable how suddenly the change comes, when 

 one reaches the foot-hills, from perfectly flat plains to 

 precipices and rocks and perpetual declivity, where a flat 

 place to pitch a tent is scarcely found. The forest which 

 clothes the spurs and valleys in the foot-hills is much less 

 injured by man, and as we get up into steeper and more 

 inaccessible places it is often quite natural and untouched. 

 We must climb on foot, and follow the natural paths where 

 wild animals travel from their pasture to water, mostly 

 along valleys by the clear green running water, or along 

 ridges, till we gain a higher standpoint, above which we 

 are sure to see another ridge or summit towering miles 

 ahead. It is sweltering hot, but there is shade abundant. 

 The air begins to move upwards as the sun warms it. 

 Early in the day there is no sound but the rustle of a 

 slight air through the leaves. There is no lack of wild 

 animals in these beautiful forests ; even elephant tracks 

 are sometimes met with, old ones made during the rains. 

 But there are fresh tracks, the khoj of a noble stag, the 

 jerow,* for this is the haunt of the great six-tined deer. In 

 these unfrequented foot-hills I have stalked him frequently, 

 and observed his habits during years. He has very big 

 ears and eyes and nostrils, and all his senses are highly 



* Rusa Aristotelis according to Jerdon ; called ' sambur ' in the 

 plains. Called by Aristotle, in his 'History of Animals,' the horse- 

 deer, because he may have been thought as big as a horse. His size, 

 according to Jerdon, is : length, 6 to 7 feet ; height, 13 to 14 hands. 

 Some give a larger size. The horns lack the beam or royal antler, 

 and seldom have more than six points. It is found in all India, and 

 up to 10,000 feet in the hills. 



