;8 THE GAUR. 



forest was thin and scattered, and wide tracts of jungle had been burned some time before, 

 so that there was little cover ; but it was evident, by numerous footmarks, that Gaur grazed 

 on the tender young grass during the night. 



Long before daylight the following morning I mounted an Elephant, and made my way 

 to a spot which the Shikaris said was a favorite feeding place. Leaving the Elephant at 

 dawn, we proceeded to search for fresh tracks, and had not gone very far before we came 

 across those of a small herd. There was little difficulty in following them across the burnt 

 plain, and we kept up the chase at a good pace, until we reached a dry river bed, on the 

 farther bank of which the forest became rather denser. Crossing this, we found that the 

 ground rose in a succession of terraces, so that it was impossible to see far ahead. The 

 cracking of branches, however, attracted my attention, and on hurrying forward I found 

 myself within seventy yards of about seven Gaur. I could not see a bull, but was looking 

 about for him, when I detected my Shikari in the act of raising the spare rifle that he was 

 carrying. I was obliged to rush at him and seize the rifle, and this movement frightened 

 the Gaur, which commenced to move away. I had to fire hurriedly at what seemed to be the 

 largest, and dropped it on the spot, but my second bullet was intercepted by a small tree 

 stem, and the rest of the herd went off unscathed. The one shot proved to be a cow. 



Moving camp the following day I found tracks of an old solitary bull, but after following 

 them for a long distance, they led us up into the hills where the long dry grass rendered 

 tracking impossible ; and even had it not been so, the crackling dead leaves, which strewed 

 the ground to the depth of several inches, would have effectually prevented us from approach- 

 ing our game in silence. 



Next day was also a blank one, so on the 18th it was determined to shift camp farther 

 to the west. I started before daylight and hunted through the forest to our destination, having 

 ordered my servants to follow me without delay. After a long march we reached the ' salt- 

 lick ' which was said to be a favorite resort of the Gaur, and as we saw a good many fresh 

 tracks, we had hopes of good sport. We had sat for about two hours before we heard a 

 man shout, and as we at once replied we expected every moment to see the Elephants 

 appear. Another hour, however, elapsed, and there were no further signs of them, so we 

 went back in search. To my disgust I found that although the servants had received minute 

 instructions as to where they were to encamp, they had turned off the road a few hundred 

 yards short of where we were awaiting them, and were then, doubtless, miles ahead. It 

 was now late in the afternoon, so we at once replaced the howdah on the Elephant, 

 and hurried in pursuit. Our progress soon became painfully slow : not only was there 

 hardly a vestige of a track, but the boughs overhead had never been cut away so as to allow 

 of the passage of a howdah, and consequently we had to make innumerable detours. As 

 long as daylight lasted, we were able to follow the tracks of our Elephants, but as it became 

 dark we had no guide whatever, and could only steer as nearly as possible due west. 



After a most tedious journey through the forest we at length reached the banks of 

 the Torsa river, and here we made sure that we should find our camp, but not a sign of it 

 was to be seen. It was now pitch dark, and I shouted and fired frequent shots, but without 



