264 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



earned kicks between the two ''haughty Rajpoots" 

 who had spoilt my stalk. I then proceeded to inquire 

 as to the route the herd had taken. This is all I could 

 ascertain, as of course no one knew exactly where they 

 had gone to. 



The first two beats failed to move them, but in the 

 third one, or rather after it, some wood-cutters reported 

 they had seen the herd making off towards the west. I 

 followed them up, crossing the high-road which 

 connects Mhow with Ajmere. Here all trace seemed 

 to be lost, and some of the men who had been sent on 

 came back and said they could see nothing of them. 

 As it was obvious that they must be somewhere I did 

 not give it up, but sent my men to get some water, 

 which they wanted badly, while I sat down in the shade 

 of a great banyan, or wild fig, tree and ate my break- 

 fast. After an hour's rest we started again. A long 

 belt of jungle here ran along the base of a steep 

 mountain. For some time we saw nothing. At last 

 a hysena broke back. I was tired of not shooting, so 

 took a galloping shot at about a hundred yards and 

 missed. I regretted afterwards that I had done so. 



The jungle became thicker, and the ground was 

 very broken by ravines. The beaters were very tired 

 and would not keep line. I was moving on in front of 

 them rather on the outskirts of the belt. At the end 

 of about an hour I saw the coolie highest up the hill 

 signalling. I halted the line, and ordered the shikari 

 to make them beat it straight out. Meanwhile I 

 hurried on. Before I had got far I distinctly heard 

 the sound of galloping hoofs. I listened, but hearing 



