AFTER BISON IN CHOTA NAGPORE. 249 



washed out by the streams of water running down 

 the hillside. Close search was made next day, but 

 they were unable to find any trace of the bison and 

 thought it lost for ever. P - returned to Cal- 

 cutta ; but two days later the body of the bull was 

 recovered miles away from the spot where he was 

 last seen. The skin was quite spoilt ; but the 

 head was cut off and sent to P , who was strongly 

 enjoined not to tell where he had bagged the brute, 

 or the whole of Saranda would be overrun with 

 sportsmen from Fort William and the State Forest 

 would no longer be the preserve it is. 



The best places for shikar are to the south and 

 east of the Manharpore railway station, and some 

 eight miles away among the Ankua range of hills, 

 for twenty miles south. At Thamsi, Phoolbari, and 

 Hundagudi the country abounds with large game. 

 There is not the slightest difficulty about trackers 

 and shikarees ; they can be had at all the native vil- 

 lages near the forest, while the railway stations make 

 capital rest-camps. Provisions can be had from 

 Chakardarpore daily if necessary, so that the 

 usual discomforts of a long shooting trip and the 

 heavy expenses of transport are not incurred if 

 Saranda be the scene of the excursion. The jungles 

 are not unhealthy during the wet months, and if 

 one is provided with stout boots and a good water- 

 proof there need be feared nothing beyond a good 

 wetting now and again. The damp ground makes 

 tracking simple work and game can be followed up 

 more easily than in the dry weather. During the 

 hot months it is more difficult to obtain a permit, 



