Reminiscences of Jungly pur. 151 



through the neighbouring depressions on the west side 

 of the hill, and a couple of hinds, a fawn, and a brocket 

 passed below me all taking the same route down a long 

 spur to this khora. One of the men said he saw a big stag 

 as well, but no trace was found of him. Finally, we 

 descended and tried our luck just above the upper end of the 

 big khora. I was watching, with my glasses, the men in the 

 distance, when there was a sudden commotion, and a stag 

 burst out of a small ravine in front of them, and came 

 running along the slopes, about five hundred yards away, 

 taking a line which would lead him a long way below me. 

 There was nothing to do but to run for it, down a break- 

 neck three or four hundred yards of grassy stony hillside, 

 and cut him off; and I arrived, panting, just as he came 

 racing over a sharp spur through trees and long grass. 

 He swerved suddenly on noticing me, and I then noticed 

 that his horns were half grown and in " velvet," so 

 lowered the rifle, and he disappeared, crashing down 

 through thick jungle, in long heavy bounds. 



The men climbed down to me in time, and I then heard 

 that a very large stag, presumably my old friend of Jhakra, 

 had again broken back. He had then been seen slowly 

 making off, at his leisure, towards the spot where he had 

 originally been roused. The stag which I had just seen was 

 his companion, and had no doubt been made use of to cover 

 his retreat by this cunning old beast, who had then sneak- 

 ed off in the opposite direction. After resting by the 

 nearest pool in the ravine below, and sampling the contents 

 of the tiffin-basket, we returned to Jhakra and tried for 

 the old stag, but without success. The afternoon was now 

 wearing rapidly away, so, turning southwards, we left the 

 big hill, and worked through the cup-like hollows, nearer 

 Barhanpur, for about an hour. 



