1 62 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



Presently I heard the report of his gun. The 

 next thing I noticed was a string of wild geese coming 

 down the tank towards me. Before they could reach 

 me, however, MacB - tumbled one down with a 

 broken wing, and the rest rose out of shot. I 

 managed nevertheless to take toll of the skeins of 

 duck which swept round the tank. After a bit they 

 seemed to decide that as we were apparently not 

 going to quit the tank they must, and they dis- 

 appeared over the hills, heading north-west. Mean- 

 while, MacB had been firing " minute guns " at 



his goose, which had paddled out nearly into the 

 middle of the tank. I never saw a bird take so much 

 shot ; but at last the wind drifted it within range of 

 me, and two final barrels finished it. I really believe, 

 at the Indian price of powder and shot, it had cost 

 half-a-crown in cartridges, and, I may add, when it 

 came to table it wasn't worth eating. 



The day being still young and the duck all gone, 

 the question was what to do. I suggested that we 

 should follow the duck. We knew there was a tank 

 of unknown size at a place called Sirinagar, which lay 

 to the north-eastward. We did not know the exact 

 distance, but estimated it at about six miles. It 

 proved to be nearer eight. The road was a very 

 bad one, mostly deep sand, but at last we saw some 

 fine trees a sure sign of water in that thirsty land in 

 the distance ; and after a final bit of most villainous road 

 we reached the tank. It proved to be the shape of the 

 palm of the left hand, the road passing by the wrist. 

 The thumb, as it were, was a creek running up from 



