Jungle By- Ways in India 



being reached at 9 a.m. Finding we had some 

 two hours to spare two of us went to a neigh- 

 bouring tank where we were told duck were in 

 abundance. The duck proved to be cotton-teal, 

 and these and some green pigeon kept us at work 

 for an hour, and enabled us to provide a change 

 from the everlasting murghi of the khansammah. 

 We were recalled at the end of this period, 

 and started off on elephants for the hills to be 

 beaten, which were situated some 4 miles away. 



The scene round the tents, which was fuUy 

 displayed to my wondering and unaccustomed 

 eyes from .the top of the elephant, simply beggared 

 description. The three large tents, pitched under 

 the shade of the trees, looked white and cool 

 against the dark green. Near us the Raja, with 

 a son and nephew, each with a golden crown (of 

 tinselled paper !) on his head, were mounting 

 a female elephant, gorgeous in state trappings. 

 Round the old female a youngster, born in 

 captivity, was frisking and gambolling about 

 to the extreme discomfiture of the heir to the 

 State gadi, who was seated astride the buttcha, 

 his long legs dangling down below the youngster's 

 ears. There was no mahout, as the heir himself 

 occupied this position, and his attempts to keep 

 alike his dignity and his golden crown, whilst 

 every fresh gambol of the playful youngster 

 nearly lost him both, were ludicrous. 



From this amusing spectacle one's gaze wan- 



290. • 



