HAPPY DAYS AS AN ASSISTANT 



25 



walking up the fire-line, come across numbers of sambhar, 

 and with moderate luck bag a good stag. 



In March and April — the period varies with the differ- 

 ences in climate throughout India — the mhowa tree comes 

 into flower. Like other deer the sambhar are very fond 

 of these flowers and collect in the jungles in which the tree 

 is abundant. A knowledge of this fact will enable the 

 sportsman to pick up many a good head and will save him 

 many weary hours' search in areas in which at other periods 

 of the year he may confidently expect to find the deer, but 

 from which they will have migrated to the tracts in which 

 they know they will find this favourite food. It furnishes 

 a good illustration of the paramount necessity, if he 

 wishes to enjoy successful sport, that the shikari should 

 make himself acquainted with the jungle lore of the district 

 in which his operations are carried out. 



After the rains had broken and we were all back in the 

 Head-quarters Station again, Bishu would now and then 

 come in or send word that he had marked down a good 

 sambhar. At this season when rice crops were coming up, 

 the sambhar used to come out from the recesses of the great 

 forests and take up their quarters for the time in the outer 

 fringe of the jungles. From the position so chosen they 

 would issue forth at night and walk down into the 

 fields and take toll of the crops. By careful watching 

 it was possible to mark down a particular stag, who 

 might have a doe or two with him, and with luck get 

 a shot at him. 



I remember an occasion of this kind, one of many similar 

 incidents. Having received word from Bishu I sent off a 

 breakfast-basket with a couple of men and rode out after 

 dinner about eight miles from the Station. Arriving at a 

 small bungalow I rolled up 

 in a thin blanket on a camp 

 bed to sleep for four hours. 

 Bishu awakened me almost 

 to the minute with that 

 wonderful sense or instinct, 

 or whatever it is, for time 

 possessed by the jungle man. 

 After a cup of tea and some toast we set off. Luckily the 

 rain had ceased about six o'clock the previous evening, and 

 the night, though dark, was not distressingly so. The noise 



- ^\,,^^^1 



