52 NIGHT IN A MACHAN. 



found, which was situated a short distance above the out- 

 skirts of an extensive oak-forest that spread itself over the 

 northern slope of an adjacent hill. Our way led up over 

 some broken ground, where I shot at and wounded a gooral 

 which I lost. 



We reached the har a little after sunset. As the spot 

 was unfavourable for firing from the ground, Jeetoo had 

 constructed a machan in a tree about twenty yards from 

 the har-holQ. From the fresh marks around this it was 

 evident the stag had paid it a visit the night before ; and as 

 there would be a bright moon, I thought matters looked 

 very promising. 



We had soon arranged our blankets in the machan, and 

 had settled ourselves there pretty comfortably — in fact so 

 much so on my part, that after watching for several hours 

 I fell fast asleep. Such was not the case, however, with 

 my trusty old companion, who had evidently been keeping 

 his eyes, and his ears also, notwithstanding their deafness. 

 wide open, for I was awakened by his giving me a gentle 

 shake. How long I had slept I had no idea, but when I 

 awoke the moon had risen high, and threw her broad tran- 

 quil light over the forest sloping away down below, and 

 into the deep, misty valleys that lay one beyond anothei 

 like mighty trenches between us and the distant rampar:. 

 of perpetual snow, rising dim and irregular along the liori, 

 zon. The night was bitterly cold, and so calm and stih 

 tliat one might have heard the fall of a leaf. I could bea- 

 my heart beating as I lay there, hardly daring to drav 

 breath lest it might disturb the silence. No one but •< 

 sportsman can appreciate the feelings of a moment like this 



Suddenly a loud sound broke the profound stillness, an( 

 was so startling from its unexpected proximity that i 

 almost brought my beating heart to my mouth. It wa 

 the short alarm - note ^ of the stag, and was followed b 



^ A totally Jiirerent sound from his prolonged bellow during tho rut tin 

 season. 



