42 
SCENES IN INDIA* 
.to meet the native sportsmen who were to join iis 
was extremely pleasant. The morning was fresh, and 
the face of the country beautiful, rising gradually as 
we advanced, and at every turn of the road opening 
before us into an extensive view of the distant plains 
which sloped towards the coast, and then swelled 
into lofty hills towards Cape Comorin. The ele- 
phants moved on at a brisk pace, and we were at 
the ground before the sun was much above the ho- 
rizon. At first we found the jungles so inconveni- 
ently thick, that I began to fear we should lose all 
chance of obtaining a haunch of venison or the chine 
of a wild hog, both of which we expected to secure, 
as there were several of our party who were reputed 
excellent shots. 
We threaded the forest for some time, but neither 
hog nor deer was roused. As we advanced, and the 
elephant on which I rode was making its way through 
a thick tuft of jungle-grass, out started seven or eight 
little pigs, squeaking and running in all directions be- 
tween the elephant’s legs, preceded by the mother, 
which escaped into the thicket before any of the par- 
ty had time to take a deliberate aim at her. Her 
little family expeditiously followed her, except one, 
upon which the elephant had trodden in their first 
unexpected eruption, and crushed every bone in its 
skin. The underwood was too close and tangled to 
attempt pursuing the mother of the brood ; we there- 
fore took the more practicable part of the jungle, 
which soon opened into a large space comparatively 
clear of wood. Upon one side there was an abrupt 
ascent thinly scattered with trees, and on the top 
