196 DIARY OF A SPORTSMAN NATURALIST 



Sufficient meat for the camp was all that I intended to 

 obtain, and that would be an easy matter — so I thought ! 

 In the meantime I was exceedingly interested in the move- 

 ments of the animals in front of me. 



As we sat there the first deer seen gradually fed further 

 out into the plain. They were mostly does with one or 

 two small stags amongst them. Others meanwhile issued 

 from the tongue of forest, and it was in this direction that 

 we maintained our watch. Only once did we remove our 

 eyes, and then turned sharply to the left as a heavy animal 

 broke out from the forest in that direction, followed by 

 several others. 



They were doe sambhar with two young ones at heel, 

 and after satisfying ourselves that a stag was not with them, 

 which was unlikely at that season of the year, we again 

 turned our gaze to the right. 



Two of the youngsters were now engaged in a sparring 

 match, banging their foreheads together with a smack and 

 pushing against each other for all they were worth, occasion- 

 ally rearing up on their hind legs and sparring. I was 

 watching them amusedly, for they were so thoroughly in 

 earnest, when I heard a sHght hiss from the havildah, and 

 glanced quickly at him and then to the right. A bigger 

 stag than any we had yet seen had left the forest quite 

 quietly and was cropping the grass in short, quick mouthfuls. 

 Two good-looking young does were just in front of him. 

 As I looked a heavy rustle and clatter on the edge of the 

 forest took place and out stalked a lordly stag. Even a 

 cursory glance showed him to be of enormous size, and at a 

 low muttered exclamation from the havildah I glanced at 

 him. One look was enough. He was as excited as I was, 

 old hands as we were at the game. 



" Koup burra singh walla, sahib" (An enormous head, 

 sahib "), whispered the havildah. 



I nodded. " It is thirty-seven inches and perhaps more," 

 I thought. " What is to be done ? " 



And truly the stag was well worth the excitement he 

 created. The white spots glistened Hke satin on his beautiful 

 fawn-coloured coat, whilst the horns swept magnificently 

 upwards from the head, the brow antler long and sharp, 

 the lower part of the main shaft roughened, and the two 

 upper tines sharp and white. 



The position was, indeed, an anxious one. The sun was 



