OF THE OLD WOULD. 127 



and here we saw two or three old trails. He also 

 showed me a rock from behind which the brute had 

 sprung on a post-runner some weeks before, but we 

 saw no signs of his having been there lately. 



It was, however, quite what an Indian sportsman 

 would have termed "a tigerish spot," for bold scarped 

 rocks and naked fantastic peaks rose in every direc- 

 tion from amongst the dense foliage of the surround- 

 ing jungle. Here and there noble forest trees 

 towered like giant patriarchs above the lower ver- 

 dure of every shade and colour. 



Not a breath of air was stirring, nor a leaf mov- 

 ing ; and as the sun was still high up, without a 

 cloud to be seen to intercept his rays, the heat was 

 most oppressive, and respiration even was becoming 

 difficult, on account of a peculiar closeness arising 

 from the decayed vegetation underfoot, and the 

 overpowering perfume of the blossoms of certain 

 jungle plants. 



After having reconnoitred the country I felt 

 rather overcome with lassitude, and returned to the 

 rest of the gang, whom I found sleeping in a clump 

 of deep jungle, a little oft" the roadside. Here I laid 

 dovra to rest, protected from the piercing rays of 

 the sun by the shade of a beautiful natural bower 

 formed by two trees, which were bent down with 

 the weight of an immense mass of various kinds of 

 parasitical plants, in addition to their own foliage. 



The mournful silence and strange stillness that 

 reigned was only broken at times by the distant 



