8 THE HUNTING GEOUNDS 



sprang np on either side, and vanished amid the 

 gloom of the surrounding thickets, alarmed at the 

 noise made by the feet of our horses over the rocky- 

 path. 



At last the ravine opened into a beautiful glen, in 

 which there were small patches of cultivation, and 

 here the Killadar begged us to dismount and keep 

 quiet, as the dun tenants of the waste were in the 

 habit of quitting the dense jungle during the night, 

 and browsing upon the young cholum (Indian corn) 

 in the early morning. 



He sent two of his people that knew the ground 

 to reconnoitre, who, after a few minutes, came back 

 with the information that they had seen a sounder 

 of hog, but that there were no sambur on the ground, 

 although there were several places covered over 

 with fresh slots (the marks of a deer's tread.) showing 

 that they had been there during the night. 



The Killadar gave vent to his disappointment by 

 a volley of strange oaths, and was for returning 

 home, but Walter begged him to remain and enjoy 

 a quiet smoke under the shade of a tree, whilst we 

 followed up tracks and attempted to stalk them. 

 This he was delighted to do, as he did not like the 

 thoughts of following up the game through the 

 thick jungle, being a stout, thick-set, phlegmatic 

 individual, hardly fit for such work. 



Walter divested himself of his extraneous cloth- 

 ing, substituting a pair of thin elk-skin shoes for his 

 ordinary riding-boots, and I followed his example ; 



