72 INDIAN BIG GAME 



My bag for 1890 only comprised two four- 

 horned mountain antelope, although in May my 

 brother gave me an opportunity of seeing big 

 game in the Mysore Malay Kadu, where I wounded 

 my first bison. But alas ! that day proved that a 

 Winchester was not the rifle to use at bison, and 

 that no rifle is of any use in the hands of an untried 

 excited sportsman. Just as I commenced to 

 descend a grassy slope, I came suddenly on a 

 herd of gaur or bison, and then the fun began ; 

 to take aim never entered my head. I was 

 literally surrounded by these brutes, and learnt 

 in after years that bison often do this when they 

 are uncertain as to what they are dealing with. 

 My brother told me afterwards that he thought 

 the battle of Waterloo was on, and I reckon my 

 rifle repeated pretty often. When I had dis- 

 persed the herd my shikari cast round for tracks, 

 and found blood, strangely enough too, from a 

 big bull, but my brother who followed up later 

 did not come up to him. 



My first four-horned mountain antelope caused 

 me great joy. These little buck favour grassy 

 hills and are very keen of sight, necessitating a 

 long shot. There was a hill within a mile of the 

 bungalow named after these graceful animals. 

 Nearly every morning and evening found me on 

 this hill, often having a shot and always missing. 

 One evening I wandered off alone, as usual taking 

 the west side which sloped down right into the 

 Malay Kadu 1000 feet below us. When about 

 three parts down I espied an antelope and fired, 

 when it rushed helter-skelter almost to the level 

 of the plateau below. I felt I had hit at last, 



