Jungle By-Ways in India 



mound or cumulus of stones, embedded in which 

 is a barked tree-trunk. The father of all the 

 monkeys, a venerable and hoary old sinner who 

 subsequently gave me back stare for stare and 

 waxed most profane on my interrupting his pro- 

 ceedings, was perched on top of the post with his 

 chief secretary to government, a long, spare 

 monkey, squatting up behind him in a most 

 uncomfortable position. For the head of the 

 administration occupied most of the top of the 

 post, and there was precious little room for the 

 chief secretary. However, this occurs in the case 

 of other beings of a more exalted rank in the 

 animal kingdom. The more lowly members of 

 the panchayit were grouped about in various 

 elegant positions on the stones at the foot of the 

 post. I took the whole thing in at a glance as I 

 quietly rounded the corner, and the impression 

 left on my mind was that the chief secretary and 

 members were having an uncommonly poor time 

 of it, and that the Old Man was walking into them 

 over something in no measured manner. Perhaps 

 he had been getting an urgent reminder from some 

 one even bigger than himself, or perhaps his better 

 half had been dressing him down. It is curious 

 how oftfen these strong men (and monkeys) are 

 held in subjection by, and tremble before, their 

 sweeter halves. 



Whatever the reason, he was passing it on, 

 and the chief secretary looked supremely un- 



94 



