126 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



off in a tonga, or Indian dog-cart. We had some 

 greyhounds with us, but our route soon lay among 

 rocky valleys where there was no chance of sport, as, 

 though we found several times, the dogs soon lost 

 sight of their game. Towards sunset we reached 

 the bungalow and found everything ready for our 

 reception. To be sure there were some things to 

 remind us that we were not at home, as, for instance, 

 the relics of a bird's nest on the bar of a decayed 

 punkah. But as it was not very hot that did not 

 matter. When we had doffed our riding things and 

 reappeared in clean white, dinner was ready. The 

 meal over, we sat for a long time in the open air, 

 watching the moon and the stars reflected in the 

 lake-like waters of the tank, and discussing the 

 chances of sport next day. At last we turned in. 



Next day we were up betimes, but not very early, 

 as there was no need for hurry. After our tea had 

 been disposed of we mounted and started for the 

 rendezvous. Passing the village and the castle, a 

 couple of hundred yards through the jungle brought 

 us to another old gateway, which completed the circle 

 of the old defences. Going through this we shortly 

 emerged on a plain. Our way, however, led round 

 the outskirts of the hill till we came to another native 

 village, called Nayagaon. Here we found the shikari 

 with a couple of forest constables and the beaters, 

 about sixty in number. After a preliminary confer- 

 ence we dismounted and followed the shikari, while 

 the beaters took a path up the hillside. The shikari 

 posted two of the guns in a broad valley separated from 



