278 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTEAL INDIA 



— a sure sign tliat our game had left tte immediate 

 neighbourliood. 



Taking up the tracks, we followed them for about 

 half a mile along the ravine towards the river. The 

 prints of the old lady and her daughters were nearly the 

 same in size, and scarcely distinguishable. The Gonds 

 who were tracking declared that they could tell that the 

 cubs were both females. This, I confess, I was somewhat 

 incredulous of, although I had frequently had occasion to 

 admire their extraordinary skill in tracking ; and I thought 

 they were merely trusting to the well-known preponderance 

 of female over male cubs,^ to get a little hudos in the event 

 of their prediction turning out true. This was subsequently 

 the case, but I have since learned that the footmarks are 

 really distinguishable. On inquiry, I found that while 

 the foot of the male leaves an impression nearly round, 

 that of the tigress is almost oval. On seeing them both 

 together the difference is at once perceived. This is like- 

 wise true of the male and female panther. With a single 

 exception, the footprints of all these great cats can be 

 distinguished with certainty after a little practice, which 

 is no small assistance to the hunter at times. The excep- 

 tion is, that a large male panther and a young male tiger 

 leave marks absolutely identical, and not to be distinguished 

 by the best native trackers. 



After following the easily read trail in the sandy bottom 

 of the ravine for some half-mile or so, the ravine branched 

 off into two ; the main branch leading straight down to 

 the river ; and the other a narrow, rock-bound gully, strik- 

 ing off almost at right angles to the left. The sturdy little 

 Gond who was then leading seemed to grow somewhat 

 anxious as we approached the junction, and his swarthy 

 countenance lighted up with a smile pleasant to see, when 

 he found that all three tigers had entered the gorge to the 

 left. 



^ Natives account for this by saying that the old male tiger kiUs 

 all the male cuhs he comes across when they are young; and they 

 describe so similarly, in different parts of the country, the manoeuvres 

 of mamma to protect her young " hopefuls " against their unnatural 

 papa, that I have little doubt of the truth of the story. 



