306 The Hunting Grounds 



elephants as they crash through the underwood ; 

 at intervals the distant roar of a prowling tiger is 

 re-echoed among the hollow arches of the forest, as 

 he leaves his lair, in its inmost recesses, to search in 

 the plains for prey ; and great horned-owls flit past 

 on muffled wings with strange sepulchral cries, like 

 evil spirits of darkness. 



All these nocturnal animals return to their haunts 

 in the deep jungle on the first appearance of dawn, 

 when the jungle-cock sounds the " reveille," and pea- 

 fowl are heard in all directions calling to their mates. 

 Herds of bison and deer retire slowly from the open 

 glades where they have pastured during the night, 

 and again seek the shade of the thick cover. As 

 light increases, the notes of the earliest of the fea- 

 thered songsters are heard ; and herons, cranes, and 

 waders, may be seen on high, soaring away in the 

 direction of their feeding-grounds. 



At this early hour there is generally a cool breeze, 

 and the morning-air is fresh and bracing ; but very 

 shortly the whole of the eastern horizon glows with 

 ruddy lustre, and the sun bursts forth in a blaze of 

 living light, and seems to travel on his way in the 

 heavens with much more rapidity than in northern 

 climes. This is the moment for the lover of the 

 beautiful to see the forest, for the dew-drops on the 

 leaves and ground sparkle like brilliants, and at no 

 other time are the varied colours of the verdure so 



