36 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



An old piece of sacking, painted with green 

 daubs on one side to resemble shrubbery, on 

 the other side with bars of vivid red, was thrown 

 over Motee's back like a horse-cloth, and hanging 

 down to the ground effectually concealed the 

 crouching hunter. Did he wish to stalk antelope, 

 then the red bars were exposed, and Motee would 

 graze quietly in a direction oblique yet approaching 

 the herd. The bright bars would attract the 

 curiosity of the deer, and they would approach so 

 near as to allow of an unfailing shot from Pandu's 

 place of concealment under the stomach of the 

 bullock. Was it a flock of pea- fowl that was in 

 sight, then the green side of the sacking would be 

 turned towards the birds, and the same stealthy 

 approach made, the pea-fowl exhibiting no alarm, 

 as the village cattle commonly range the forests 

 in their neighbourhood. Motee evidently took a 

 delight in shikar, as he was on the alert and frisked 

 about immediately the old man shouldered his gun. 

 When the game was killed and Pandu seldom 

 missed the little bullock would come up for his 

 caress. If he missed, Motee would smell the gun, 

 as if he thought there was something wrong there. 

 On one occasion I had the bad taste to offer the 

 old man fifty rupees for his bullock. I was heartily 

 ashamed of myself immediately afterwards, for the 

 look of distress on Pandu's face I shall never forget. 

 " Sahib," said the old man, with tears in his eyes, 

 " if you knew all that Motee is to me, if you knew 

 that he has repeatedly saved my life, you would 

 not make me such an offer. What is money to me ? 





