THE BORI FOREST 311 



and fine young teak-trees alternate with bare grassy 

 patches. 



We cross the river, and meet at the three semal-trees 

 half a dozen Gonds and watchers, who have been sent on 

 by Boodoo. We begin to ascend the opposite hill now 

 on foot, as it is too steep for an elephant. Here are fine 

 trees of all sorts ; and, gaining the heights some 1,000 feet 

 above the valley along a regular bison track, we wind in and 

 out among ridges and rocky valleys. Boodoo is anxious 

 to procure a specimen of the great gaur or bison, and points 

 to the fresh tracks on the path of their great broad, 

 horny feet, and the top shoots of shrubs freshly nipped off 

 and thrown on the ground. They point towards the 

 ghat which leads to another watershed, with valleys 

 sloping away to the south. The sun's rays are now hot, 

 and the breeze comes up the valleys. I am placed on 

 the ghat concealed among rocks, while Boodoo takes his 

 men a circuit in the valley, hoping to head the herd of 

 bison and drive them back over the ghat. Alas for the 

 uncertainty of events ; there is with the bison an elephant 

 which has escaped from captivity ! The bison have good 

 noses but small ears. They cannot hear sounds so well 

 as an elephant. They keep together for mutual advan- 

 tage, and hati is breaking down bamboos with his trunk 

 for the gaurs to browse upon. I can hear the cracking 

 not far below the ghat. Presently there comes one of 

 those curling winds called ' devils,' moving against the 

 breeze down the ghat. There was a rush through the 

 brushwood, the rattling of stones, the noise of many hoofs 

 stampeding, and the trumpet of an elephant. The clever 

 big brutes had scented the presence of white men, and 

 were rushing, not up the ghat, but down and away. 

 Boodoo shortly returned, having seen ten fine gaurs and 

 a small elephant pass him within a few paces. The same 



