1S8 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



vixen was close to her cave, and gave us the slip, 

 to D 's intense disgust. 



On arrival at Combei, which we found to be a 

 small deserted viHage, abandoned by its original 

 inhabitants on account of fever, and occupied only 

 by four families of the Mulcher caste, (a jungle 

 tribe,) things did not appear very promising, so we 

 pitched our camj) under a large peepul-tree by a 

 beautifully clear stream full of fish. 



When all was arranged to our satisfaction, we 

 strolled out in different directions to look out for 



bison. D and B came across fresh trails, 



but returned immediately, as it was too late to 

 follow them up. I was not so fortunate, although 

 I killed a young spotted-deer, and found, out a salt- 

 lick, where there were innumerable fresh marks of 

 elk, spotted-deer, jungle-sheep, and some old ones 

 of bison. These animals come for miles round 

 about to eat the earth which they find here and 

 there in the jungle, strongly impregnated with salt, 

 of which they are extremely fond. 



At dinner I mentioned the salt-lick I had dis- 

 covered, and, as it was not more than half a mile 

 from our tents, we resolved to try the Burmese 

 experiment of shooting deer by aid of an artificial 

 light, as the moon did not favour us. Accordingly, 

 Chineah made a lamp with pieces of rag, and a 

 quantity of fat, oil, and tar, which he got from the 

 cook, and fastened it to a bamboo pole about fif- 

 teen feet in height ; then, providing ourselves with 



