CHAPTER VII. 



Sunday in the Jungles The new Camp An escape from a Cobra 

 Snakes Poison Mud dogs Anecdotes of both. 



THE next day was Sunday. Intimation was 

 accordingly given to the shikarees and people, that 

 the gentlemen would on that day take a rest ; and, 

 therefore, it was not necessary for the trackers and 

 markers to go out in the morning. 



Had a tiger been actually marked down, or had 

 any report reached the sportsmen of a bullock fresh 

 killed, I will not affirm that they would not have 

 immediately sallied forth. A tiger is not a beast to 

 have salt thrown on his tail. Here to-day, he is 

 miles away to-morrow ; and an opportunity of 

 meeting him, once lost, may not again occur. But, 

 imbued with the lessons of their childhood, they 

 were unwilling voluntarily to disturb the sanctity of 

 the day by any active initiatory efforts of their own. 



But though, in this respect, they adhered to tra- 

 ditionary custom, advantage was taken of the long 

 day of leisure to polish up the guns, give them a 

 slight oiling, cast bullets, cut patches, and make all 



