44 THE IMAGE OF WAE 



supply of drink, to tramp fifteen miles across a 

 roadless plain of deep sand intersected by count- 

 less nullahs. The memory of that walk is still to 

 me as a hideous nightmare. After several miles of 

 plodding through the hot sand, with parched throats 

 and aching heads, we arrived at a well. Regardless 

 of the obvious dangers of such water, we drank freely 

 and sluiced our heads and shoulders ; but for this I 

 doubt if we should ever have reached, as we did, a 

 large native town some miles further on. Here we 

 obtained a native vehicle, which conveyed us to a 

 dawk-bungalow some eight miles off. At last we 

 were able to drink and sleep, for eating was out of 

 the question. We rested till towards evening, when, 

 having had some food, we started for home — still 

 nearly a score of miles away — in a pair-horse con- 

 veyance we had hired. 



Fate had hitherto done her worst by us, but 

 apparently she now relented. About five miles from 

 home we had to ascend a steepish pass, and got 

 out to stretch our legs. Seeing a large number 

 of partridges about, we got our guns and commenced 

 shooting as we walked. 



Presently I shot one, which towered, and topping 

 a low hillock fifty yards from the road fell among 

 some jungle beyond. The shikain went to fetch it, 

 but to my surprise on gaining the crest of the hillock 

 he dropped down and crept stealthily back to. us. 



^^ Sahib ^ sahih, hyle hai" (sir, sir, there are cattle — 

 i.e., nylghai — there). 



My plan of attack was soon made. The wind 

 blew from our right, so I ordered the shikari and 



P 's gun-bearer to go to that end of the jungle 



as soon as we had placed ourselves quietly at the 



