8 The Hunting Grounds 



on my spurs and examined my rifles, whilst my 

 servant poured out some hot coffee, flavoured with 

 but just a " threatening of cognac," and in a few 

 minutes we were joined by the Killadar, his son, 

 and three or four " juwans" (young men in atten- 

 dance), and, mounting our horses, we wound 

 round the scarped side of the hill-fort, and entered 

 a long narrow defile between two hills, by a 

 narrow path running along the banks of a moun- 

 tain stream then nearly dry. 



After a tedious ride of about two hours' dura- 

 tion, by torchlight, the gray dawn broke over the 

 mountain tops, and a gentle breeze arose, just 

 moving with its refreshing breath the leaves of 

 the loftier trees ; now and then a hare or a covey 

 of partridges sprang up on either side, and van- 

 ished amid the gloom of the surrounding thickets, 

 alarmed at the noise made by the feet of our 

 horses over the rocky path. 



At last the ravine opened into a beautiful glen, 

 in which there were small patches of cultivation, 

 and here the Killadar begged us to dismount and 

 keep quiet, as the dun tenants of the waste were 

 in the habit of quitting the dense jungle during 

 the night, and browsing upon the young cholum 

 (Indian corn) in the early morning. 



He sent two of his people that knew the ground, 

 to reconnoitre, who, after a few minutes, came 



