Horns 



to a fiery heat had caused the herbaceous seeds 

 to literally ' jump,' with the result that the grassy 

 glades in the forest and the open maidans and 

 savannahs gleamed like wonderful green emerald 

 jewels, with the briUiant tints of the young grass 

 shoots everywhere sprouting in the dank heat, 

 resulting from the sun and moisture combined. 



The rain had caused the animals to disperse 

 somewhat in the jungles, since water could now 

 be found everywhere. Tarns and lakes and tanks 

 and babbling brooks and dry, stony-bedded 

 nullahs had all filled up to an unusual height 

 for the season — the middle of the hot weather. 



Perhaps more curious still, heavy dews were 

 now experienced every night, where but a short 

 time previously one had gone out before dawn to 

 find every leaf and dry stick crackling under foot. 



So on the morning which I have in my mind 

 the atmosphere was as clear as crystal, and almost 

 was there a sharp touch in the air. As the level 

 rays of the sun shot over a low distant ridge, 

 plain and hill-top shimmered softly in the ambient 

 pink light, and the dew shone in sparkling drops 

 like miniature jewels on leaf and grass tip. A 

 shimmering yellow-pink haze hung over the 

 country, and out in the grass areas the dhak 

 (Butea frondosa) trees- — the flame of the forest — - 

 now in full flower, dashed vivid crimson patches 

 across the soft pinks and yellows and vivid greens 

 of the landscape. 



187 



