BEATING FOR BEAR IN CHOTA NAGPUR 41 



Poor T., desperately gone on the aforesaid fair damsel, 

 was in No. 6, and his shooting was at first sadly affected 

 thereby. 



It was very hot — in fact appallingly so — though I cannot 

 say that I ever minded the heat very much. 



Watching the occupants of the machans to my left and 

 right settle down proved most interesting and entertaining. 



D. was a very good shot and a fine shikari. But he 

 always treated these picnics in a light-hearted fashion and 

 not as serious business ; and, moreover, he had had an 

 excellent lunch and a bottle or two of beer. Mrs. D. did 

 not shoot, but was always very alert and keen in a machan, 

 and not much escaped her gaze. The other lady evinced no 

 interest in shikar. The couple to my right had commenced 

 sparring before they got into their machan, and flippancy 

 was all that could be expected from them. That the match 

 continued after they were comfortably settled was evidenced 

 by the occasionally slightly raised voices and silvery laughter 

 followed by deeper guffaws. This annoyed me rather as I 

 feared it would frighten the bears from our line, and besides 

 it was directly against all the rules I was having inculcated 

 into me as to correct behaviour whilst engaged in beats and 

 sport generally. Also the spin had no business to be enjoy- 

 ing herself with the old bachelor. However, I knew allow- 

 ances had to be made when ladies were present, even 

 though I myself was desperately in earnest and out to kill. 

 But my anxiety and interest was mainly centred in D.'s 

 machan, which at the present moment did not seem to be 

 in much better case. 



D. was at the time my beau-ideal of the shikari, and I 

 was endeavouring to model myself on him. My faith 

 suffered a rude shock that afternoon ! 



The two ladies apparently found it difficult to settle 

 down in comfort. An awful row went on in their machan 

 for some little time in which the voice of the talkative one 

 predominated. 



Such fragments as — 



" What on earth you can find amusing ..." voice became 

 indistinct. 



" My dear, as I said, this machan . . . and that young 

 man ought ..." murmur, murmur — at which I blushed to 

 the ears at the apparent scornful reference to myself. Silence 

 for a space. 



