Antlers 



the ways of the jungle beasts in their own homes. 

 In one of them excitement runs high, for a panther 

 was reported in the beat, and ' spots ' is ever 

 fondly looked out for, the more so that he is so 

 terribly difficult to mark down. He can lie up 

 under a stone or leaf almost, so wonderfully does 

 his colouring and the peculiar manner he crouches 

 when lying low assimilate to his environment. 

 ' Spots ' broke back this time, several excited 

 beaters saying that they had witnessed the 

 manoeuvre — whether true or no, it is impossible 

 to say, since the men imagine all sorts of things 

 when they are told that there is a tiger or leopard 

 in the beat. 



Detailing our experiences, we make for the 

 luncheon rendezvous, where we find our lunch- 

 basket carrier, who has also brought out a lady or 

 two from the camp without any extra incon- 

 venience, standing beneath a shady pipal tree, 

 keeping off the flies by flicking himself with a 

 branch torn from the tree ; a branch the weight 

 of which any one of us would have been sorry to 

 have had to lift even. He and his mahout are the 

 picture of somnolent ease — both absolutely typical 

 of the East ! 



We throw ourselves down, and the glint and 

 gleam of foam-topped glasses calls forth sighs of 

 general content with life under these conditions ! 



