xm DEER AND ANTELOPE 155 



large camp of natives and followers, and in addi- 

 tion made excellent shooting with their straight 

 gallant rushes. 



Blackbuck. — I suppose the experience of every 

 big -game shot is the same, that when he is 

 beginning he shoots a certain number of black- 

 buck, and that gradually he reaches a stage when 

 only a particularly good head, or urgent need of 

 food, would tempt him to sacrifice another of 

 these graceful animals. 



More shooting accidents happen with blackbuck 

 than with any other game. In North India black- 

 buck frequent high crops and sugar-cane where 

 there are numerous cultivators at work, and the 

 use of a low-trajectory high- velocity rifle in their 

 pursuit requires the greatest care. I have luckily 

 never been present at any accident ; the nearest 

 approach to it being when F. and I went out and 

 separated. He had a horse and tied it up to the 

 well-run of a sugar-cane field. Somewhat later 

 he shot a buck on the near side of this field. The 

 bullet went across the field and then through 

 his horse's hock. The horse recovered. 



I have never shot in the big blackbuck 

 countries, and 22 inches is my biggest head. 



Chinkara. — This antelope is found nearly all 

 over India, frequently in the same ground as black- 

 buck, but more often in the vicinity of ravines 

 and broken ground. The finest heads I have 

 come from the Jumna Kadir near Agra, where 

 one Christmas after the war I had excellent 

 shooting. 



Four - horned Antelope and Barking Deer. — 

 These animals are met with in most big-game 



