BISON. 129 



returned to camp, where we found everything in a 

 similar plight, as the tent was not waterproof. This 

 being a successful day, all hands received a double 

 allowance of arrack and tobacco, and were promised 

 a kid for curry on return to civilisation.* On these 

 occasions they invariably over-ate themselves, and were 

 unfit for work the following day,f but having been 

 once started, the custom could not be discontinued 

 without offending them, as they in common with all 

 jungle wallahs are particularly touchy and sensitive. It 

 rained heavily and steadily throughout the night, but 

 cleared for an hour about 5 a.m. next day, when, 

 dispatching Mulsers for the head and marrow-bones 

 of yesterday's bull, we started eastwards, up the rocky 

 slope aforementioned, which I nick-named " Desperation 

 Hill." 



When we arrived at the top, the rain again descended 

 in torrents, and kept steadily at it throughout the day, all 

 the nullahs were in spate, and we had much difficulty in 

 crossing the larger ones, once being very nearly swept away 

 by the torrent. For six long hours we toiled through the 

 forest, before sighting a fresh bison track, and even then 

 the hoof marks seemed rather stale, being dulled by 

 the rain. 



After half an hour's difficult tracking up a very steep 

 hill, covered with clumps of bamboo, we arrived at a spot 

 where the herd had bolted on hearing us approach, this 

 was plainly shown by the tracks, although we had not heard 

 them, owing to the roaring of a torrent close by, and the 



* The Carders are above serving for money all they will take 

 for their work being food, tobacco and liquor. 



t Not so much from the effects of arrack of which they 

 never got more than two glasses as from over-eating. 



K 



