SYMPTOMS OF THE PRESENCE OF THE EXEMY. 321 



over, and furnished no cover for an abiding resting- 

 place. 



The hunters had advanced some distance on their 

 way along the village cart track which passed near 

 the place dedicated to the jungle deities and were 

 quietly jogging along with the beaters, when the 

 whirr of a black partridge from the bed of the river, 

 along the bank of which the road lay, attracted the 

 attention of the two seniors. They watched the 

 bird, thinking what a pretty shot it was, as it came 

 flying past ; but it had hardly flown by, when a 

 peacock also rose hurriedly a short distance further 

 on, and with evident symptoms of having been sud- 

 denly disturbed. This was succeeded by a great 

 noise from several other birds of the same species. 

 Mackenzie and Norman looked at the peacock, then 

 at each other, and pulled up their ponies, as the cries 

 of those most unmusical birds sounded harsh and 

 shrill in the jow-grown river bed. 



Hawkes was riding a short distance a-head ; but 

 a quiet whistle of warning from Mackenzie caused 

 him to turn in his saddle, and, seeing his companions 

 hurriedly dismounting, he quickly joined them. 



In reply to his inquiries, they told him there was 

 evidently something moving in the river ; and, from 

 the noise made by the pea-fowl (who have, like 

 the monkeys, for some reason or other a strange 



