CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 



PAGI 



Duties and pleasures of a Forest Officer — Vernaculars of Southern 

 India — Story about the ' boy ' — The cook — A new toast-rack — 

 The tunny-ketch and 'little Master Cyril' — Cook and the soup 

 — The cook's pulli — The durzai, 1 



CHAPTER II 



The cardamom forests — Hamadryads— An easy palanquin — Jail in- 

 dustries—Burmese dacoits— Mode of travelling — The Churmers 

 — Porters and their chants — Machans — Beauties of the forest 

 — Pishashas — A clever travelling cook — Ayah and bear — 

 Smallpox scare, 15 



CHAPTER III 



Elephants, and native methods of harnessing — F.'s reforms — Intel- 

 ligence of elephants — Rama — Lantana— Tree-felling — Toddy 

 and the toddy palm — 'Must' — Elephant and rice — The 

 elephant as nurse — Elephant and Mr. D. — The Doray to the 

 rescue, 27 



CHAPTER IV 



Fishing expedition — Herd of elephants — A ' rogue ' — Monkeys, . 38 



CHAPTER V 



Fishing-tour adventure — Temple in the forest — Coffee planter's pre- 

 dicament — Leeches — Ticks — Caterpillars — Green bugs — Pet 

 shrike — White ants — Praying mantis, 46 



CHAPTER VI 



Snakes, harmless and otherwise — Snakestone — Snake at dinner- 

 party — Snake charmer — Poison fangs — A cobra — Government 

 and cobra-culture — Sacred cobras of Calicut — Nondescript 



temple— Tanks and 'holy' water, 57 



vii 



