ment. A woman had
been carried off some hours before as she was filling her water jar,
and the monster was now reposing at the bottom of the tank digesting
his horrible meal. The tank was covered with crimson water-lilies in
full bloom, their broad brown and green leaves showing off the crimson
beauty of the open flower. At the north corner some wild rose bushes
dropped over the water, casting a dense matted shade. Here was the
haunt of the _mugger_. He had excavated a huge gloomy-looking hole,
into which he retired when gorged with prey. My first care was to cut
away some of these bushes, and then, finding he was not at home, we
drove some bamboo stakes through the bank to prevent him getting into
his _manu_, which is what the natives term the den or hole. I then sat
down under a _goolar_ tree, to wait for his appearance. The _goolar_ is
a species of fig, and the leaves are much relished by cattle and goats.
Gradually the village boys and young men went off to their ploughing,
or grass cutting for the cows' evening meal. A woman came down
occasionally to fill her waterpot in evident fear and trembling. A
swarm of _minas_ (the Indian starling) hopped and twittered round my
feet. The cooing of a pair of amatory pigeons overhead nearly lulled me
to slumber. A flock of green parrots came swiftly circling overhead,
making for the fig-tree at the south end of the tank. An occasional
_raho_ lazily rose among the water-lilies, and disappeared with an
indolent flap of his tail. The brilliant kingfisher, resplendent in
crimson and emerald, sat on the withered branch of a prostrate
mango-tree close by, pluming his feathers and doubtless meditating on
the vanity of life. Suddenly, close by the massive post which marks the
centre of every Hindoo tank, a huge scaly snout slowly and almost
imperceptibly rose to the surface, then a broad, flat, forbidding
forehead, topped by two grey fishy eyes with warty-looking callosities
for eyebrows. Just then an eager urchin who had been squatted by me for
hours, pointed to the brute. It was enough. Down sank the loathsome
creature, and we had to resume our attitude of expectation and patient
waiting. Another hour passed slowly. It was the middle of the
afternoon, and very hot. I had sent my _tokedar_ off for a 'peg' to the
factory, and was beginning to get very drowsy, when, right in the same
spot, the repulsive head again rose slowly to the surface. I had my
trusty No. 12 to my shoulder on the