288 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



or up the valleys, were sent round to start the herd, coming 

 down wind on them in dense bamboo scrub. The guns 

 were placed at two ghats to command the most likely passes 

 down wind, so that the gaurs should not smell the danger 

 ahead. It was a long, silent tramp to reach our post, under 

 the guidance of old Boodoo, a typical Gond shikari, who 

 carried spare rifles. We wound our way by a mere track 

 among rocks and gnarled trees, with a burning sun over- 

 head and stifling heat all round, up to the edge of a ridge 

 where the jungle paths converged in a sort of a pass or 

 ghat. Here we remained concealed among rocks for a 

 considerable time, overlooking the dry bed of a stream. 

 The noise of some animal moving through the jungle was 

 heard not far off, and the voices of Gonds in the distance 

 coming nearer, and tappings of sticks against the trees. 

 Some sambur deer made their appearance, cautiously 

 stealing up to the ghat. These were let pass by, as bison 

 were certainly on foot. Presently was sighted the head 

 of a magnificent bull bison standing among thick bushes. 

 His eyes were fixed on our position, and whether he smelt 

 or sighted us crouched among the rocks, he evidently 

 suspected danger and turned some other way, for he did 

 not come on near enough for a shot. 



There was no survey or correct map of the very extensive 

 forests, comprising over 2,000 square miles, to be found 

 in the office, and no one knew exactly what they contained. 

 This deficiency I endeavoured to remedy from existing 

 revenue maps, as learning the geography by marching 

 twelve miles a day over a big country, though very in- 

 teresting, is not a very rapid method. 



These great ranges of rocky hills, all covered with sparse 

 tree-jungle, with long grass in the hollows and beds of 

 streams, extend from Mandla and Jabalpur to Bhusawal, 

 a distance of 300 miles by 200, of which 10,000 square 



