Book Title: Hunting In Shadows Of Raj Author(s): Philip Wollen Publisher: Philip Wollen View full book textPage 4
________________ with coir ropes in the upper branches of a tree on the edge of a creek bed was constructed by the villagers earlier in the day. They showed us the panther pug marks in the soft ground 20 metres below the machan. The little goat was firmly and unthinkingly tied on a 6-metre length of rope at the base of the tree. The reason was perfunctorily explained to me. The rope must be long enough to give the shooter a comfortable angle for the shot and not too short to require a steeply angled shot from directly above the target. In the early evening we climbed the ladder into the machan and waited for nightfall. I remember having to be hoistedonto the swinging rope ladder and scrambling onto the platform perched in the tree. Making sure we were concealed, fully covered with khaki clothingto avoid mosquito bites, two humans crouched uncomfortably in the hide, with the rifle, a sealed beam spotlight, and a canvas ground sheet. As night fell, I listened intently as the jungle came to life. Peacocks, jungle fowl, and the vast array of birds that had enchanted me during the day, sought refuge in the cool treetops or bushes for their nightly rest. Nocturnal animals, panthers, a tiger, and the occasional bear, gaur, elephant, wild boar crashed through bushes in the distance. Crouched high up in the crown of the tree in the machan, I heard thesoft terrified cries of the little kid-goat below, whimpering in fear at every sound in the encroaching jungle night. By midnight we had heard the sounds of the panther.... Odd grunts, more like a stifled cough. Sounds I had not heard before. Timidly, furtively, cautiously she approached. I could hear her, and could feel her presence. But I was unsure from which direction she would emerge. I raised the rifle stock to my shoulder, acclimatizing my eyesight to the moonlit darkness. I drew the gun-sight on the kid-goat, awaiting the imminent lunge of the panther, whose throaty grunts we could hear more distinctly. My heart raced. I smelled the machine oil from the gun-bolt close to my cheek and focussed the gun-sight on the goat. In the moonlight I saw her pleading face. She lookedPage Navigation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7