Not Being Very Sanguine, I Had Accordingly
Taken No Trouble About My Gun-Bearers, And I Saw Several Of My
Rifles in the bands of the villagers, and only one of my regular
gun-bearers had followed me; the rest,
Having already had a
morning's march, were glad of an excuse to remain behind.
Our rate lay for about a quarter of a mile through deserted
paddy-land and low jungle, after which we entered fine open
jungle and forest. Unfortunately, the recent heavy rains bad
filled the tank, which had overflowed the broken dam and
partially flooded the forest. This was in all parts within two
hundred yards from the dam a couple of feet deep in water, with a
proportionate amount of sticky mud beneath, and through this we
splashed until the dam appeared about fifty yards on our right.
It was a simple earthen mound, which rose about ten feet from the
level of the forest, and was studded with immense trees,
apparently the growth of ages. We knew that the tank lay on the
opposite side, but we continued our course parallel with the dam
until we bad ridden about a mile from the village, the natives,
for a wonder, having truly described the distance.
Here our guide, having motioned us to stop, ran quickly up the
dam to take a look out on the opposite side. He almost
immediately beckoned us to come up. This we did without loss of
time, and knowing that the game was in view, I ordered the horses
to retire for about a quarter of a mile.
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