96 INDIAN BIG GAME 



One of the strangest things imaginable hap- 

 pened to me on the 9th of January 1898. As it 

 is quite cold at this time of the year even in 

 the low country, accompanied by very heavy 

 dews (which, with the long grass, add to the 

 chilliness after the rains), it is quite common 

 to find deer basking at sunrise, before they 

 retire to cover for the day. This Sunday, 

 the 9th, taking advantage of a moon, I made 

 such an early start for the Naad, that I 

 reached the low country, a good eight miles 

 off, by sunrise, and I left the bridle - track 

 to look for game. I had not proceeded far, 

 when my Sholaga, Kanni - Madha, pulled up, 

 pointing to one side, and I saw the antlers 

 and head of a stag sambhur lying down, sunning 

 himself. I was at the time using a D.B. 

 •450 Express of Francis F.'s. I took careful 

 aim and fired. Not knowing exactly what had 

 happened, owing to the smoke, I took a few 

 paces forward, when I saw, as I thought, the 

 sambhur in the same position, except that his 

 ears were pricked back, as if trying to catch 

 the direction of the sound ; so again taking aim, 

 I fired the left barrel. This time I distinctly 

 saw the head fall forward, so hastened to the 

 spot. Imagine my astonishment when I found 

 two stags stone dead, each with a hole in the head, 

 and lying so close that they were touching each 

 other. They had been facing different ways, 

 which, I suppose, accounts for the fact that when 

 the first one was killed, the other one did not 

 realize what had happened. Fortunately, it being 

 bazaar day, I was able to get any number of 



