. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India. Hunting; Game protection. JUNGLES OF BENGAL DUARS AND ASSAM 131 throughout the centuries by generations upon generations of these great beasts, the track was an interesting and stupendous sight. Usually following a steep gradient up the hill-side the soil pressed down into a solid rock-like con- sistency, the track would on occasions reach a steepish preci- pice of solid rock. In the face of this giant footsteps appeared, to all seeming hewn out of the solid rock and subsequently rubbed smooth as pumice stone. Perhaps at the foot a beautifully cl
. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India. Hunting; Game protection. JUNGLES OF BENGAL DUARS AND ASSAM 131 throughout the centuries by generations upon generations of these great beasts, the track was an interesting and stupendous sight. Usually following a steep gradient up the hill-side the soil pressed down into a solid rock-like con- sistency, the track would on occasions reach a steepish preci- pice of solid rock. In the face of this giant footsteps appeared, to all seeming hewn out of the solid rock and subsequently rubbed smooth as pumice stone. Perhaps at the foot a beautifully clear silent pool would be situated, overarched by clumps of feathery bamboos with the crowns of the great forest trees far above them. It was difficult to conceive how the great beasts managed to climb this precipice by way of the giant footsteps, and yet these latter have been worn out by generations undertaking the summer outing to the hills. There was no other road. They went up and, more incredible and astonishing even they returned, by the one track. Sambhar were abundant although the heads of this animal ran much smaller in this part of the world than one had been accustomed to in the Central Provinces and Chota Nagpur, or in the jungles of North-West India. Whether this fact has ever been authoritatively explained I am not aware. A number of reasons have been stated from time to time, but no proof appears to have substantiated them. Perhaps the damper more tropic heat may have something to do with the lessened growth of the horn structure of the CervidcB and the greater weight the animals scale. I know that it is contended that the thicker growth of the low jungle has resulted in the stags developing smaller. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Stebbing, Edward Percy, 1870-1960. London, Joh
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjecthunting, bookyear1920
