84 THE MARKHOR 



crowds of monkeys, that with their children and 

 grandchildren accompany us like so many rope- 

 dancers from bough to bough and from tree to tree, 

 only to turn back suddenly and hide themselves in 

 the thick foliage. 



At last the shikaris come across some fresh bear 

 tracks, with some overturned stones near them a 

 promising sign. Samdu and Sultana regard each 

 overturned pebble with solemn attention, and at last 

 come to the conclusion that the tracks are those of a 

 bara balu, a male bara balu. 



" It is white ants that they hunt for under the 

 stones," and the shikaris poke out a few of these 

 insects with their sticks. 



"They are the same beastly creatures as those 

 that flew into the Count Sahib's soup last night, 

 only that these have not yet got any wings." 



I heartily praise the bear's industry, and wish that 

 he would eat them all up, skin and bones and wings, 

 these nasty, unappetising, pestilent insects ! 



" But what a lot of stones poor old Bruin would 

 have to turn over to fulfil this inhuman wish of 

 mine ! And how often would he draw a blank ! " 



" No, Sahib ; the bear can scent them out from 

 beneath the biggest rocks, and he never turns over a 

 stone in vain." 



Several times we thought we had sighted the ant- 

 hunter ; but each time it was only a wild boar. And 

 precious little notice they took of us ! 



