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practised by the Bunjaras, or gipsies of Central India. They fairly run 
it to bay with dogs, and then spear it. I have given in ‘Seonee’ a 
description of the modus operandi, 
When wounded or brought to kay the sambar is no ignoble foe; 
even a female has an awkward way of rearing up and striking out with 
her fore-feet. A large hind in my collection at Seonee once seriously 
hurt the keeper in this manner. 
Those who have read ‘ The Old Forest Ranger,’ by Colonel Campbell, 
have read in it one of the finest descriptions of the stalking of this 
noble animal. I almost feel tempted to give it a place here; but it 
must give way to an extract from: a less widely known, though as 
graphic a writer, ‘‘ Hawkeye,” whose letters to the South of India 
Observer deserve a wider circulation. I cannot find space for more 
than a few paragraphs, but from them the reader may judge how 
interesting the whole article is :— 
“The hill-side we now are on rapidly falls towards the river below, 
where it rushes over a precipice, forming a grand waterfall, beautiful to 
behold. The hill-side is covered with a short, scrubby rough-leafed 
plant, about a foot and a-half high. Bending low, we circle round the 
shoulder of the slope, beyond the wood. ‘The quick eye of the stalker 
catches sight of a hind’s ears, at the very spot he hoped for. The stag 
must be nigh. 
“Down on all-fours we move carefully along, the stalker keenly 
watching the ears. A short distance gained, and the hind detects the 
movement of our heads. At the same moment the upper tines of the 
stag’s antlers are in sight; he lies to the right of the hind, about 
120 yards distant, hidden by an inequality of the ground. Be still, oh 
beating heart! Be quiet, oh throbbing pulse! Steady, oh shaky 
hand, or all your toil is vain! Onward, yet only a few paces! Be not 
alarmed, oh cautious hind! We care not for you. Crouching still 
lower, we gain ground ; the head and neck of our noble quarry are in 
sight ; the hind still gazes intensely. Presently she elongates her neck 
in a most marvellous manner. We still gain. On once more we move, 
when up starts the hind. We know that in another moment she will 
give the warning bell, and all will vanish. The time for action has 
arrived. We alter our position in a second, bring the deadly weapon 
to bear on the stag ; quickly draw a steady bead, hugging the rifle with 
all our might, and fire! The hinds flash across our vision like the 
figures in a magic lantern, and the stag lies weltering in his couch,” 
