of the Old World. 221 



of zone, which is worn loosely round the hips. The 

 Toda men call themselves the lords of the soil, and 

 look down with supreme contempt upon the Burghers, 

 another hill race, who are of inferior stature, and cul- 

 tivate the ground, for which they have to pay the 

 former a certain tribute. 



One morning as B and I were engaged in su- 

 perintending the laying out of a piece of ground as an 

 addition to our kitchen-garden ; a Toda, to whom I 

 had one day paid some slight attention, came to inform 

 us that he had seen a large herd of elk in a wooded 

 ravine about three miles distant. I immediately wrote 



off to Major S , who had a pack of dogs, and 



W- , K , C , and B , then staying at 



Dawson's, informing them of the news ; and in half 

 an hour they all assembled in their hunting-togs at 

 my crib, with two or three other fellows whom 

 they had picked up en route. In the meantime 

 Chineah, my head " shekarry " had mustered the 

 gang, with a dozen extra beaters; and after having 

 partaken of some refreshment we mounted our nags, 

 and, accompanied by horsekeepers and gunbearers, 

 set off for the cover under the guidance of the Toda. 

 An hour's ride brought us to the spot, and, dis- 

 mounting, we reconnoitred the ground, so as to make 

 sure the game had not stolen away. No slots were 

 seen to lead us to suppose this had been the case, so 

 we took post along the edges of the cover, whilst the 



