HARD LUCK. 263 



and rocks, the fall of any one of which would have 

 betrayed me, required great caution to surmount. 

 Added to which the hill was very steep, and I had 

 only one hand to aid me, my rifle being unprovided with 

 a sling. The sun, too, had now gained its full strength, 

 and as I was quite shut off from the breeze, and 

 carrying a heavy rifle, it is small wonder the perspira- 

 tion was pouring off me long before I reached the top. 

 At last I did so, however, and sat down behind the 

 last crest to make my final preparations and get my 

 wind. 



In a few minutes I pushed my rifle on to the slab 

 rocks which formed the spur and crawled after it my- 

 self. Another minute and I was peering into the 

 upper part of the glen. Nothing to be seen. I 

 crawled further with the same result. At last I got 

 right out on the point of the rock nearest the plain. 

 Still nothing visible, but raising my eyes I saw the 

 shikari gesticulating violently. Evidently he had dis- 

 obeyed my instructions and moved the herd. I stood 

 up now and whistled, but with no result. So I 

 climbed down and walked down the valley where the 

 beasts had been. I had no doubt whatever in my 

 mind as to the cause of their absence. Curiosity or 

 sheer " cussedness " had caused the shikari to shift his 

 position, and by so doing he had given them his wind. 

 Once on their legs it is possible they may have looked 

 over into the next gorge and seen my innocent self 

 toiling up. Anyhow they had left the hills and re- 

 entered the big jungle. 



My first proceeding was to distribute a few well- 



