142 EI80N. 



old tracks of a large herd of elephants, and many signs of 

 spotted deer and sambur. During the day the Mulsers 

 had constructed a bamboo raft, which was moored about a 

 mile down the river. We crossed here next morning, and 

 soon found tracks of a solitary tusker, which we followed 

 for about twelve miles, but even then the droppings were 

 several hours old, and the tracks led away from home, so 

 we relinquished the pursuit. During this unsuccessful day 

 we saw one large herd of bison and passed fresh tracks of 

 several others. 



A few days later we again crossed the Periar, and within 

 a mile hit off the fresh tracks of a herd which Atlay had 

 walked over without noticing ; these we followed to the 

 base of a small hill covered with long grass, both the 

 Carders being in front, when I saw what appeared to be a 

 bull, some forty yards ahead, and slightly to the right- 

 front, in the usual pointing attitude nose in the air and 

 horns almost touching the back. Directly Atlay cleared 

 my front I fired at the forehead ; he (Atlay) seemed to be 

 much more astonished than the bison, which, wheeling 

 round, bolted away, followed by the rest of the herd, which 

 we had not hitherto seen. Then ensued the usual scene of 

 finding blood on the leaves, coming on the wounded 

 animal, &c., until Atlay took up the trail, as the other 

 Carder was muffing it. He soon pointed out the wounded 

 bison, about ten yards distant, lying in wait under a thick 

 festoon of creepers, in which position I shot it, and was 

 disappointed to find it was a cow ; but the horns were very 

 large, being more than two feet from bend to bend. We 

 then took up the tracks of the big bull of the herd, there 

 was no mistaking them, and we knew by their size he was 

 an exceptionally heavy beast. After an hour we came 

 upon the herd in a thicket of bamboos, where it was very 



