FISHING IN THE NERBUDDA. 77 



was the more favourable for the sportsman, 

 and I thus managed to kill a vast quantity of 

 spotted deer and hog, witli several tigers, a 

 large bear, and three clietahs ; but it was hard 

 work sitting up watching, night after night, in 

 a Muncliau, and I dare say that I missed many 

 shots from sheer drowsiness, though the Shikaree 

 and myself watched in turn. 



The Nerbudda, which when full is a fine body 

 of water at that place, was then for three-fourths 

 of its width a vast bed of sand, the stream being 

 only about a quarter its usual breadth ; but at the 

 turns in the river there were very extensive pools 

 of great depth, abounding with fish of all kinds, 

 especially that lordly fish the Mahseer, the sal- 

 mon of India, turtle of vast bulk, and the most 

 enormous alligators that I ever saw. With the 

 Mahseer I occasionally flirted by way of change, 

 and, being well provided with fishing tackle, had 

 good sport, but with a jungle at hand filled 

 with large game, I preferred the rifle to the 

 rod. My most favourite hiding-place was near 

 one of these pools, where the jungle extended 

 almost to the water-side, fi'om which pathways 

 led down to it, and those paths were well mark- 

 ed by the foot-prints of different animals. 



