92 THE HUNTING GEOUNDS 



way we walked carefully round, trying to discover 

 where the brute lay hid; but all was now still, and we 

 could see nothing from below. I got up one of the 

 many branches thrown out by the parent stem, and 

 looked carefully among the mass of vegetation which 

 rested on the fork of the tree, still I could perceive 

 nothing. I then got down and climbed upon the 

 shoulders of a stout cooly, with a couple of men 

 holding me by the calves of my legs, so as to keep 

 me steady, and rifle in hand I made them walk up 



close to the foot of the tree, M standing near 



ready to cover me with his fire should any beast 

 make a spring. Still I could see nothing. Bidding 

 one of the coolies hand me up some stones, I 

 threw them in the thickest parts of the masses of 

 creepers, when I distinctly heard a low grunting. 

 I desired the coolies to go to that part from whence 

 the noise appeared to proceed, and, after a careful 

 investigation, I thought I saw a pair of bright eyes 

 twinkle, and something black moving about, which 

 at first sight looked lilj;e the hair of a bear. I put up 

 my gun and covered the object, but did not like to 

 fire, as I was afraid of only slightly wounding the 



beast. M , who saw the motion I made with 



my gun, asked me what I saw. I told him I 

 thought a bear was concealed in the tree, as I could 

 distinctly see some long black hair. ' A bear,' said 

 he, ' perhaps it is ; these gentry often climb trees on 

 the look-out for honey, yet I think it is much more 

 likely to be a black monkey. Fire at it, however, 



