76 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



ten points. Just as he reached some low bushes, we took 

 advantage of the slight undulation of the ground and ran 

 to within about a hundred and eighty yards of where he 

 stood, almost directly beneath us. Kahman did not think 

 we could get any closer, so I knelt down to take a steady 

 shot. The stag stood half behind a bush, his neck and 

 shoulders only showing, and I had just drawn a bead on 

 his shoulder and was almost pressing the trigger, when 

 Rahman touched me, and whispered ' Don't fire ; wait till 

 he comes out into the open.' It was most annoying, as 

 of course it put me off my shot, and I had covered him 

 steadily, and felt certain of hitting. Before I could get 

 on him again, whether they saw Rahman move, or from 

 some other cause, one of the hinds turned round and 

 trotted down the hill. The stag at once followed, keeping 

 behind the bushes and going straight away from us. At 

 last he appeared in the open, but fully two hundred and 

 fifty yards away. 



'■ I took a quick shot, missed him clean, and just 

 knocked the dust up under his forelegs with the second 

 barrel as he galloped up the opposite hill side. Rahman 

 was very subdued, and I gave him a lecture on the evils 

 ensuing from speaking when one is about to shoot. 



" We had hardly finished a hasty breakfast, which in 

 Rahman's case consisted of a lump of half-baked dough, 

 by courtesy called a chupattie, when Khaira came running 



