The Maral Stag 2 1 7 



remarks, and so we would get our way, the middle 

 of the day being spent in that exasperating form 

 of shikar known as " still-hunting." This first 

 day, however, Mahommed had his way. No, I 

 will confess I did not love my hunter Mahommed, 

 and I may say this much, that he was the first 

 of his trade that I have met whose good points 

 did not much more than counterbalance the bad. 



In five minutes Mahommed was in the land 

 of Nod, whither Ibrahim reluctantly followed 

 him. What a wonderful faculty is this of sleep- 

 ing dog - like at any moment ! Possessed by 

 very few Europeans the great Duke formed a 

 notable exception it is the common property 

 of most oriental peoples, and in the wear and 

 tear of life it must be a valuable asset. 



As they lay, I was listlessly watching the 

 opposite side of dingle we were in, an almost 

 unbroken bank of tree -tops, when in the open- 

 ing in the foliage I saw a slight movement. 

 The animal was gone before I could turn my 

 glasses that way, but I awoke the sleepers, and 

 half an hour later, in another place, a hind 

 showed, then another. There should be a stag 

 with them at this season; but if there was, he 

 did not betray himself then. After watching 

 for some time, we walked cautiously through 

 for a long time without seeing anything track- 



