SPORTS AND REVIEWS 41 



by a gymkhana. I hate sports as much as reviews. 

 Why anyone should wish to put a ball in a particular 

 hole, or why a rational human being should wish 

 to get to the top of a greasy pole, I never could 

 understand; but sports in India are worth seeing 

 on account of the bright sun, the brilliant colours, 

 the graceful race, and the picturesque surround- 

 ings. After the usual tent-pegging, etc., we had a 

 grand sham-fight, which was extraordinarily funny. 

 The Indians are born actors, and the " wounded " 

 in their agony contortions were too comical for 

 words, as was the imitation of English officers. 

 The sports Wound up with a torchlight musical ride, 

 one of the most effective rides I have ever seen. 

 I had to give away the prizes and make an oration, 

 and crawled on to a sofa after standing from 3.30 

 till 7. The start for the shooting camp was at 

 5 a.m., and I could hardly see I was so tired. 

 The camp was pitched in a beautiful spot by a 

 swift, clear river, and the forest was a real forest 

 of deciduous trees just turning gold and red. But 

 it was in a fever-stricken spot, and down I went in 

 two hours. I dared not disappoint my host, who 

 had gone to much trouble and expense, but the 

 misery of jolting all day on an elephant when one 

 is racked by fever is beyond words. We saw no 

 game. Here also all seemed shot off. I was 

 really glad of it, for I could not have lifted my rifle. 

 I crawled into bed after two cups of boiling tea 

 and much aspirin, and shook till i a.m., when I 

 got to sleep. The second day I shot two wild-boar, 

 the third day a small-headed but large-bodied 

 sambhar stag, but on the fourth day I got a beauty, 

 a huge stag. The head is a very good one, and 



