120 TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE. 



bear, many squirrels, and black monkeys by the hundred. A glance 

 at my list of Indian mammals * wiU enable the reader to gauge the 

 accuracy of the above statements. 



The Animallai Hills belong to the great range known as the 

 Western Ghauts, and extend generally east and west along the 

 south side of the great break known as the Coimbatore gap. 

 Through this wide pass runs the Madras and Calicut railway, with 

 the Neilgherries looming up close along the north and the Animal- 

 lais from twenty to thirty miles farther south. The city of Coim- 

 batore is the point of departure for the latter range, which must be 

 reached by travelling across country. My fiiend in the hills, Mr, 

 Theobald, had advised me to bring a full stock of provisions, since 

 nothing was obtainable in or near the jungles, except the flesh of 

 wild animals. Accordingly, when I and my new servant, Michael, 

 reached Coimbatore on our way from the Neilghenies, we spent a 

 very busy day in the crowded, hot, and dusty bazaar, buying pro- 

 visions for our campaign in the jungles. 



Oui' purchases were about as follows : For my native hunting 

 gang, 2 bags of coarse rice, sundiy bottles of ari'ack (native li- 

 quor of the fiery sort), several bundles of tobacco, salt, and chillies 

 (red pepper). For myself, 20 loaves of fresh bread, flour, Eng- 

 lish jams and jellies, sausage, herrings, sardines, butter, and " bis- 

 cuits " (crackers) — all in tins ; rice, potatoes, " curry stuff," cocoa- 

 nuts, and brandy ; and for preserving skins of large animals, 96 lbs. 

 salt and 96 lbs. alum ; also, a new lantern, candles, cocoanut-oil, 

 rope, nails, etc. We expected to remain in the jungles not less than 

 two months, to prepare one large elephant skin and two skeletons, 

 several ditto of bison, and every other species of mammal we could 

 secure. We fuUy expected to have jungle-fever, for no stranger, 

 white or black, can escape it long in the Animallais, so we took a 

 good supply of quinine and chlorodine, the two great remedies of 

 India, and other medicines for cholera and dysentery, the twin 

 curses of jungle life, worse dreaded by Eui'opeans than any number 

 of savage animals. 



Travelling in India is usually done at night, in order to go fas- 

 ter and farther, and to avoid the oppressive heat of the day. The 

 commonest means of conveyance is the covered bandy (cart) drawn 

 by two white bullocks. This ancient vehicle is simply a broad 

 platform on very high wheels, completely covered with mats which 



* See page 216. 



