254 The Hunting Grounds 



with some of the tribe, whom he had left watching 

 the movements of the herd. They returned shortly, 

 accompanied by two other Mulchers, who informed 

 us that they had seen a herd, consisting of a tusker, 

 eight females, and some young ones, passing over one 

 of the lower spurs branching off the Neilgherries the 

 evening before ; and under their guidance we soon 

 came upon their trail, which consisted of several foot- 

 prints of all dimensions, from six to twelve or fourteen 

 inches in diameter. 



I held a brief consultation with the gang, and it 

 determined nem. con. to follow up the spoor as expe- 

 ditiously as possible ; so we continued on trail through 

 dense jungle, over hills, and almost impenetrable ra- 

 vines, until the sun had almost sunk below the 

 western horizon, when we collected some dry logs, 

 made a fire to keep off the tigers, &c., distributed 

 some provisions and tobacco, and turned in, two 

 keeping watch by turns whilst the others slept, until 

 the moon had risen high enough to enable us to see 

 the spoor, and continue the pursuit. 



A sloth bear (Prochilus labiatus) and a half-grown 

 cub were descried by the Gooroo as we went along, 

 and a bull-bison was heard bellowing in a thicket 

 close by; but we left them unmolested, continuing 

 our course by the track made by the herd bursting 

 through the jungle, and treading down the brushwood 

 otherwise impenetrable. Huge boughs and branches 



