OF THE OLD WORLD. 261 



bility of being taken unawares by wild beasts ; and 

 a dry bed of sand, under a high shelving bank, from 

 which projected two high boulders of rock, about 

 ten feet apart, seemed to offer a natural fortress, as 

 by making a huge fire in front we were unassailable 

 from without. Chineah and Googooloo spread one 

 of the comblies over two bamboos, so as to form a 

 kind of awning to shelter us from the dew, whilst 

 the Carders collected heaps of dry leaves for our 

 beds, and a sufhcient stock of logs to keep a large 

 fire burning throughout the night. Our supper, 

 consisting of curry and rice, was soon ready, and 

 discussed ; a cheroot followed, after which the watch 

 was set, arms carefully examined, and we turned in 

 for the night, every one rolled up in a combley 

 blanket. 



I had slept for some hours, when suddenly I was 

 awakened by Chineah laying his hand on my 

 shoulder, with a significant low whistle, which 

 signal with the gang denoted that "something is 

 stirring." I immediately sprang to my feet on the 

 alert, and, after listening attentively for a moment, 

 heard a loud crackling of bamboos, as if some large 

 animals were forcing their way through the jungle, 

 accompanied by a curious blowing noise, which at 

 first I thought was the grunting of a bull-bison, 

 but shortly afterwards I distinctly recognised the 

 " trumpeting " of elephants, and the continual crash- 

 ing of trees at no great distance left no doubt on my 

 mind but that a herd was near at hand. I put fresh 



