62 THE HUNTING GEOUNDS 



bones. These immediately got wind of us, and slunk 

 away growling into the bush. After examining the 

 place thoroughly, to make sure that the object of our 

 search was not there, I gave a low whistle, which 

 brought up the rest. 



This was evidently the hecatomb of the man-eater, 

 for I counted, from skulls and remains of half-eaten 

 bodies, about twenty-three victims of both sexes, as 

 we could see, from the hair, clothes, broken bangles 

 (armlets,) and gold and silver ornaments belonging 

 to native women. 



We picked up two massive silver bracelets be- 

 lono-insf to his last victim, whose fresh remains ex- 

 hibited marks of tattooing, which were recognised 

 by one of the villagers who was with us. We also 

 found two gold teekas, or neck oraaments, which 

 mark the "married" woman, and a knife, which 

 the dhoby assured us he knew as having belonged 

 to a post-runner who had been killed about a month 

 before. 



The stench from the decayed animal matter was 

 almost insupportable, and we were glad to leave it 

 and breathe the fresh air once more. I gave orders 

 to the gang to collect the remains, but not to bury 

 them, until they had been seen by the village autho- 

 rities ; as I thought that some would be recognised, 

 and their friends might wish to inter them with their 

 " caste " ceremonies. 



"What a fearfully sickening sight it is!" said 



