THE INDIAN JUNGLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE INDIAN JUNGLE.

" THE BITER BITTEN." -

By 11. G. COLLETT. WELLINGTON.

Last time we visited that beautiful jungle spot together, you will remember the wolf had disappeared after the mother deer, and the scene had become lovely and peaceful again. Very soon a number of gorgeous peacocks came into the clearing and commenced to dance, with their magnificant tails spread out fanwise. Such a.wonderful, glorious dance, in and out like figures of an exquisite quadrille, now in a circle, now in a long jewelled line; showing off to the sedate brown peahens, wlio just pretended they did not even notice the display. But the jungle changes as by magic, it is hardly the same /or any length of time; quite, quiet and peaceful one moment, the /text filled with strife and dang°'"! There was a sound of grunting and squealing —a sow and her litter of young appeared as if. from nowhere- —a really happy family, with no worries, from"appearances; the mother contentedly rooting, her little ones tumbling, jumping, squealing noisily in play. A pair of pretty gray squirrels crept down a huge tree trunk and commenced to scold—l cannot tell you why unless it was just for the fun of doing so. or, because they cannot help it. A siaras—a giant crane, almost five feet tall, and with a burn-ished-ruby coloured head Jibovc a pale heliotrope plurnaged body—flapped down with a musical " j was an answering " ca-r-r-r-rank," as its life-mate aiighted a few feet away and the pair began feeding. Suddenly the male gave another " ca-r-r-r-rank; riot musical this time, time harsh and full of warning—in a jiffy both birds were on the wing! Then, the sow also gave a sharp grunt and faced towards a large cactus bush—her little ones were close beside her in a second. The peacocks, with discordant screams flew upwards—the squirrels raced up to the topmost tiee branches. Some forbidding presence was approaching! Then, round the cactus came a long, stealthy, tawny-yellow animal, with black rosettes all over its skin, and never a sound that human ears could catch to give warning of its arrival. The leopard —that is what it was!—crouched _ to the earth with yellow-green eyes showing two black slits as pupils; the tail waving jerkily to and fro like a great yellow and black snake; sharp, long and cruel teeth bared in a hideous grin—oh, but it was a beautiful, graceful animal yet horrid! The sow 'stood her ground bravely, between her little ones, and the terrible menace—the leopard with a roar charged —stopped suddenly—slank back, began working round in search of an opening. The mother faced him always—always between the lfeopard and her litter! Then, something very unexpected happened ! A big black wild boar, snorting in ■ rage crashed out of the« bushes —caught the leopard, who was intent on a lunch of sucking-pig, on the flank, gashing him deeply and painfully. The leopard must have .thought—if he had any time to think—a red hot iron had scorched him ■.is ho catapulted forwards! Before he could recover properly the boar had struck again—another burning iron had stabbed him! Snarling and spitting with rage and pain he evaded the next charge —was off bounding at top speed with the hoar close upon his heels. No longer was the leopard thinking of sucking-pig for lunch, his one, and only desire was to escape—he sprang into the friendly safety of a tree. For awhile there was quite a funny movie scene—the boar vainly trying to get at the leopard—the leopard, snarling and spitting his hate, keeping well out of reach of the sharp white tusks now dyed red with his blood! At last the boar returned to his sow and young—the leopard, as soon as the coast was clear sprang down to the ground and removed as speedily as possible—the jungle was peaceful and smiling once more!