It was late, very late, when we awoke the next morning.
“The sun is already high in the heavens,” said Prabu. “Hasten; as it is we shall not reach the hunting-party in time to set out with them.”
“Bother, how we have slept! Why did you not arouse us earlier?” said Martin.
However, in a very short time we had finished our breakfast, and with our rifles (which, by the way, the chief of Mojopahit had thoughtfully provided for us) slung across our backs, and our creeses in our girdles, we were urging our slow but sure-footed ponies in the direction of Marang. But unfortunately the place of rendezvous was a full mile on the other side of the city. Thus, upon reaching it, we were mortified to find that the Pangeran and his party had started nearly two hours before. It was vexatious, for Prabu was ignorant of the route; fortunately, however, we procured a guide, and off we started. Our course lay through a country as wild as that through which we had traveled some days before; and never do I remember seeing so much game in so short a time: bustards, cranes, jackals, foxes, and even wild buffaloes, and pigs, were either in our path, or to be seen upon all sides.
“Far better remain here, and bag a few of these animals, Martin, than run the risk of getting our necks beneath a tiger’s claws.”
“Perhaps so,” he replied; “but I have long wished to see a tiger-hunt, and, therefore, I for one won’t lose so good an opportunity, but onward. Do urge on that worse than donkey of yours, old fellow!”
Onward we went; beating as we went the bushes, dank weeds, long grass, and jungle; at times trampling upon snakes—at another narrowly escaping being gored by a wild pig we startled out of a comfortable nap. Then, in some of the open places, near pools of standing water, we fell in at last with the footprints of tigers, by which we knew that we were on the right track. After a ride of ten miles, and as we were descending the slope of a hill, we caught sight of the hunting-party. They had halted in a plain covered with high jungle-grass and thick bushes.
“They have found the tigers,” cried Prabu. “Quick!” but greatly as we increased our speed, we were not in time for the beginning of the hunt. We saw, however, their plan of action. The spearmen, about a hundred in number, were distributed in a circle around an immense thicket, and, sprinkled among them, were men with drums, tom-toms, and many other unmusical instruments.
“Who are in those howdahs, Prabu?” I asked, pointing to three elephants, which stood in line with their tails toward us, and at intervals of a hundred yards each.
“That to the left,” he replied, “contains the Dutch envoy, the next holds the Pangeran, and the other, which is nearest those teak trees and with the spearmen-guard around, contains the chief ladies of his Highness’s household.”