Jungle By- Ways in India 



Our route led us over a low rocky ridge, from 

 whence we had dropped down through the forest 

 and emerged on to one of the beautiful grassy dells 

 or little tongue-like valleys which run up between 

 the hills. Moving down this we rounded a jutting- 

 out fringe of sal forest, and came suddenly upon a 

 lovely little tarn. A very jewel was this Httle pool, 

 the surface placid and unruffled reposing in a 

 setting of emerald-green and yellow grass with a 

 backing of the glorious vivid green sal forest, 

 the trees as straight as masts and densely set 

 together. 



But that which at once riveted the sportsman's 

 gaze and added a charm all its own to this lovely 

 sylvan scene, was a magnificent fourteen-pointer 

 barasingha stag quietly seated at the edge of the 

 tarn. We stood silently in our tracks and watched 

 him. Here, one thought, he had passed the day 

 sheltered from the blazing sun, peacefully dozing 

 through the long hot hours by the side of the 

 beautifully cool and limpid waters of the little 

 pool — now and then perhaps waking up to lazily 

 crop a mouthful or two of the short, sweet succu- 

 lent grass, or again to gaze into the dark depths of 

 the still surface of the water. 



He was engaged in this occupation when we 

 suddenly appeared on the scene, and it was some 

 seconds before that instinct which never sleeps in 

 the jungle denizens warned him that foes were near. 



His head swung round to us, one searching 



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