CHASING THE GAZELLE. 127 



with its eyes sewn up ; and if the hawk strike 

 it clown, she is allowed to gorge her prey. 

 The second haiiU is a bird with open eyes, 

 but its wings cut, which is cast into the air 

 at a distance. The third hauU is a bird which 

 has been somewhat weakened by confinement. 

 The fourth is a bird in full strength.* The 

 exhibitions that I saw at Dejee were the first 

 bauli only, but the Meer showed by his coun- 

 tenance in explaining the practice how fully 

 he understood and entered into the spirit of 

 the sport. '' Ah," said he, '' you should see 

 my ShaJibaz flown at an Ohara or Gazelle, my 

 horsemen gradually closing in around her, 

 till at length the game starts, the Bhalibaz 

 is thrown up in the direction of the Ohara 

 as it passes, and a brace of fleet greyhounds 

 are slipt in pursuit; but the antelope soon 

 leaves them behind, for so speedily does she 

 fly, that her feet twinkle in the distance like 

 flashes of lightning. However the speed of 

 the Shahhaz outstrips her ; now she swoops 

 upon her back, deeply scoring it at every 

 stroke of her claws, — anon descending on the 

 head of the Gazelle, she tries to tear out its 



* Burton, 



