136 



which I thought was going to fall au easy prey, and which I had 

 wounded the day before, when my bullet, after having struck her, 

 killed another doe beyond. 



The one I fired at, however escaped. The following morning, I 

 came on her again ; so lame and crippled did she then appear, as 

 she got up out of a cotton field and slowly hobbled away, that I dis- 

 dained to fire at her and called for my horse and spear. The 

 wounded muscles must however have been set right as she warmed 

 with exercise, for although I got away on excellent terms with her 

 she improved the pace as she went until she fairly ran " Puzzle," 

 for so was the horse named, to a stand-still. The ground in this 

 instance was bad, but still had it not been so, I do not think I could 

 have speared her. 



If the suspicions of antelope are not roused by any unusual care 

 on the part of the stalker, they can generally, the bucks especially, 

 be approached without much difficulty on most ground. A good 

 plan is, to pretend to wish to pass them, as they are feeding in a 

 certain direction, when they will, of their own accord, often cross 

 the sportsman. If they once imagine that a man wants to conceal 

 himself, or if they lose sight of him for a time, it is most difficult 

 to get a shot. The does, as with all other females, are more sus- 

 picious and inquisitive withal than the males, and if a herd, without 

 being much alarmed, are on the move, they may be stopped for a 

 moment or two by the poacher's dodge of whistling to them. This, 

 which is, I have often heard, a certain mode of stopping a hare 

 when not much alarmed and making it " sit up," will often cause 

 some of the does to halt and listen, when the buck will come up to 

 make them move on. The trick is an unworthy one however, and 

 it is unfair to mention it. 



I have seen semi-wild bucks, in a paddock caught by nooses 

 attached to the horns of a tame one as mentioned at page 278 of 

 Jerdon, and I know that all over the Madras presidency, antelope 

 are often caught in this way. 



Since these notes were written, I have found the article in the 

 Indian Sporti?ig Review, which I have alluded to at page 134, 



