314 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



sambur stag, loud and sonorous, from the hill above the 

 valley, answered by other calls ; then the dismal howling 

 of the gidar log (jackals). Boodoo, with ears on the 

 strain, sat smoking his hubble-bubble (a cocoa-nut with a 

 bamboo mouthpiece), wrapped in his only garment, a 

 black blanket. Among the many animals there was 

 khahar (news) going round, ' Sone kutte ai giaP (' the jungle 

 dogs are here!'). The old jungle man could read and 

 interpret what each warning note signified. Peacocks 

 roosting in the tall trees craned their necks and could not 

 sleep, uttering a sharp ' Ping !' and occasionally changing 

 their position to a higher perch. There is a hollow 

 vibrating sound in the air, coming first from one direction, 

 then from the opposite side. Boodoo pointed to great 

 rocks cut sharp against the sky : ' Bagheera ' is there 

 watching, the skulking panther ; ' Baghi ' the tigress is 

 calling to her cubs to hasten — ' a — i — a — o — u ' (with 

 the accent on the a) is her hollow, deep drawn-out cry. 

 ' So7ie kutte ai gia P it all means — ' the plaguy red dogs 

 are on the trail hunting. It is time to clear out of the 

 Bori jungle.' There are noises of the rush of a herd of 

 frightened sambur on the hill high up, and the rattling 

 of stones. Even the big heavy bison are on the move 

 for quieter quarters. 



We are wakened several times in the night by splashing 

 in the river bed or the snarl of our dogs tied in the porch 

 of the tent. The morning star, by which Boodoo tells 

 the hour, has risen over the hill, and is now fading in the 

 dawn of approaching day. His shiny face, with its black, 

 snake-like locks, round which a scanty dirty rag is wound 

 for the sake of manners, is put in at the tent door : ' Sahib, 

 sahib ! sone kutte ai gia /' At the same moment the rush 

 of an animal is heard at the river bank, and the air is filled 

 by the most unearthly shrill squeals, piercing, and followed 



