298 The Hunting Grounds 



boulders of granite, ledges of rock, and loose shingle, 

 we came to a bed of sand, where we recognised the 

 pugs of two full-grown tigers, and innumerable slots 

 of deer, hog, and jungle-sheep. Here, from a small 

 open glade in the forest, I got a glimpse of our route, 

 and found that we were approaching an apparently 

 insurmountable barrier of mountains by a ravine so 

 deep that nothing but the cloudless blue sky was to 

 be seen overhead ; whilst on each side frowned per- 

 pendicular cliffs and stupendous peaks, so high that 

 it strained the eye to look upwards to their summits. 

 Whilst we were admiring the impressive grandeur of 

 the scenery, a dull roaring, like distant thunder, 

 caught my ear, and on inquiry Chineah informed me 

 that the sound proceeded from a cascade near which 

 we were to bivouac. 



Having rested for a few minutes, we again pushed 

 on, and shortly afterwards fell in with the rest of the 

 gang and a party of Mulchers, who were busily 

 engaged in the construction of a bamboo hut under an 

 overhanging rock, which formed an impervious shelter 

 against the piercing beams of the sun. 



Feeling exhausted with our fag, after having paid 



a visit to B 's investment in the cowry-boxes, and 



partaken of sundry refreshing drinks, we resolved to 

 look out for a suitable place for a bathe, and strolled 

 along the tortuous and winding bed of the watercourse 

 for a short distance, until we came to a huge plateau 



