204 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA 



moving very little out of tlie limited area where they find 

 food and water. There is scarcely a water-hole in all these 

 regions which is not frequented by one or more, and they 

 are nearly certain to be found during the day lying in the 

 nearest patch of grass. They make little forms like those 

 of the sambar, and allow themselves almost to be trodden 

 on before they start. They run for a short distance at an 

 incredible velocity, with their necks low, and making them- 

 selves as small as possible, till they suddenly stop, but 

 always with such art that a tree stump, or moimd, or thick 

 bush shall screen them from the observer; then another 

 short dash, and another halt, and so on till out of sight. 

 They are nearly sure to be found in the same place next 

 day, however. When seen walking about undisturbed 

 in the jungle their pace is most curious, raising their feet 

 absurdly high as if stepping over large stones, and putting 

 them down with a fastidious delicacy and softness as if 

 they were walking on eggs — a simultaneous " bobbing " 

 action of the head and neck giving them altogether very 

 much the gait of " that generous bird the hen." They 

 live on the green shoots of bushes, young grass, and 

 fallen jungle fruits; and their venison is coarse and 

 tasteless. 



The same afternoon two of the BheeLs, who had been 

 out scouting in a very solitary part of the hills to the east 

 of the valley, came in and reported a large herd of bison 

 as always to be found where they had been. , Nothing is 

 more difi&cult than to get really reliable news about the 

 haunts of animals, until you can get the few jungle people 

 who do know thoroughly enlisted in your interests. If 

 you ask any one else, or even them when they don't care 

 to tell you, ten to one they will charge their faces with a 

 stare of utter vacuity, and ask you " if it is not a jungle," 

 impljdng that, if you allow so much, of course you must 

 know where to find beasts. The little block of hiUs we 

 were going to visit is quite shut in from aU the ordinary 

 hues of travelling in these parts. There is no road into 

 it by which carts can be taken ; cattle are never sent to 

 graze there by the neighbouring villagers; and thus no 

 one ever goes into it, excepting a single family of Bheels, 



