134 CAMP IN THE EASTERN DOON. 



days are, I fear, numbered ; for its jungles are being slowly 

 but steadily cleared, and with them their wild denizens must 

 as surely decrease. Indeed it is by no means improbable 

 that ere very long the whistle of the "iron horse" may re- 

 place the " bell " of the deer and the " trumpet " of the wild 

 elephant — sounds which of yore were wont to be heard in 

 sylvan solitudes which are now replaced by extensive clear- 

 ings for the cultivation of tea. 



It was about the middle of March 1860, when Colonel 

 (now General Sir Charles) Eeid, commanding my regiment, 

 invited me to join his shooting-camp in the eastern part of 

 the Dehra Doon. He had " padded " tw^o fine tigers during 

 the few days he had been out before I joined him. This 

 was unusually good luck for the Doon jungles, where, 

 although tigers are pretty numerous, they are difficult to 

 find when beating for them with a line of elephants, from 

 their being so easily able to slink away unperceived in the 

 almost impenetrable thickets and swampy cane-brakes with 

 which the eastern Doon abounds. If, however, intelligence 

 can be got of a tiger's having just killed a buffalo or bullock, 

 and the carcass reached before the " choomars " (leather- 

 tanners), who are always on the look-out for such events, 

 have discovered it and stripped it of its hide and flesh, the 

 chances of finding the animal at or near the " kill " are then 

 pretty certain. 



A delightful ride of about fifteen miles, chiefly through 

 forest, brought me to an open spot where the jungle had 

 been cleared, a few grass-huts erected, and the ground cul- 

 tivated. Here I found the Colonel's camp pitched, and 

 fortunately reached it just in time to escape a thorough 

 drenching, as shortly after my arrival a terrific thunderstorm 

 burst overhead, accompanied by high wind, which levelled 

 one of the tents in no time. 



When we mounted our elephants next morning the atmos- 

 phere was clear and cool, and our jungle surroundings looked 

 beautifully bright and green after the storm. In front of 



