

Reminiscences of Jungly pur. 135 



difficult almost impossible to " drive," and, by reason of 

 their experiences with native professional netters and 

 snarers, exasperatingly shy of all efforts to guide them 

 towards any given spot, even up-wind, which is the usual 

 course they take in changing ground. 



One hears a geat deal about the " fatal curiosity " of all 

 deer. Is it not rather a desire to probe the quality of the 

 suspected danger and avoid imaginary alarms that prompts 

 this so-called inquisitiveness, especially when the object of 

 distrust resembles any of their possible animal foes ? 



Buck-stalking may not sound particularly interesting 1 

 to some seasoned shikaris but, after a long and difficult 

 approach, when at last one lies behind the sheltering 

 bush or mound of earth, one's efforts are surely amply 

 repaid by a close survey of the interestingly unconscious 

 game, especially when aided by a binocular glass. The 

 amusing antics of the young fawns, the ever suspicious and 

 wakeful mien of a sentinel doe, or the dignified behaviour 

 of the glossy black master of the herd, whom one may 

 even now spare unless the attractions of an unusually fine 

 pair of horns should overcome other promptings all form 

 a picture of engrossing interest to the man whose soul is 

 not too lofty to descend to such comparative trifles. 



A clear, sharp morning in the cold weather season, as the 

 dogcart bowls merrily along the hard white road, passing 

 a country cart or two that their muffled-up drivers turn 

 aside with jingling of bells swathes of white mist lying 

 along the yellow stubble and the fresh green of the rahi 

 crops, and mingling with the smoke of the early fires that 

 rises from the village by the ford a jackal slinking off 

 across the fallow the whirr of a startled partridge frcm 

 the roadside, the red ball of the sun rising through 

 the mists of dawn to his inexorable work of the day the 



