Jungle By-Ways in India 



lower end. The chitul had moved away to the 

 left, but we could still see them in some longish 

 grass, and we managed to reach unseen the 

 narrow mud channel or nullah. It was much 

 narrower and tortuous than I had imagined, and 

 it proved most intricate work following the wind- 

 ings of this funny little drain. There was only 

 just room for me to cross one foot over the other, 

 and it wound about so continually at sharp 

 angles and was in places so shallow that there 

 was every likelihood of my back being seen above 

 its banks, however low I bent. 



However, calling up all the reserves of patience 

 I possessed, I followed the shikari, who, dressed 

 in a loin-cloth only, made light work of the 

 passage which I found so arduous. Every now 

 and then we took a cautious look. The deer 

 were still there, and with them some doe sambhar 

 apparently. Most of the chitul does were feeding, 

 but the stag and one or two of his harem were 

 on the qui vive, and an upward glance showed me 

 those confounded monkeys. 



Onward I toiled, pouring with perspiration. 

 It was the middle of April, and any one who has 

 endeavoured to walk several hundred yards 

 bent double, with scarce room to cross one's feet, 

 in the hot weather in the Central Provinces, 

 will have the liveliest recollections of what it 

 means, and of his own feelings during the per- 

 formance. 



9° 



