256 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



pitch by telling them that as I was passing an 

 aspen-leaved peepul (a sacred tree among the Hin- 

 doos) I heard a sweet voice, like that of a young 

 girl, exclaim, " Why, master ! do you hunt in 

 these jungles, when the elephants, bound by fate, 

 are waiting for you on the Annamullay Mountains, 

 where you can now follow them well, as there is no 

 fever?" And that, although I looked everywhere 

 to find whence the voice proceeded, I saw no one 

 except an old, queer-looking black monkey, which 

 hobbled away out of my sight in a moment. I 

 told this tale with the greatest gravity and com- 

 mand of countenance, and the effect was prodigious 

 — ^the whole gang instantaneously exclaiming, shak- 

 ing their heads, and nodding significantly at each 

 other, that the voice had only spoken truth, and 

 that we had better immediately prepare for an 

 expedition to that part of the country. This was 

 all I wanted ; for although at this season of the 

 year the jungle is said to be free from fever, such 

 was the dread of the deadly effect of the malaria of 

 those trackless and unknown forests, that up to this 

 I could never bribe or induce any gang to undertake 

 any very lengthened expedition in those parts, not- 

 withstanding it was known that elephants swarmed, 

 and large game of all kinds was abundant. Hav- 

 ing, therefore, attained my object by working upon 

 their credulity and superstitious fears, "I struck 

 whilst the iron was hot," and having consulted with 

 B , who proposed to accompany me, the mor- 



