18 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



sent on, and all necessary arrangements made. 

 If there were less than three names down, there 

 was no meet. 



A dear old friend, now, alas! gone to the 

 * happy hunting grounds,' had, in recognition of 

 the hospitality shown him at the c gunners' ' mess, 

 presented them with a very handsome cup, on 

 the condition that at the end of each season the 

 name of the member of the Hunt getting the 

 most i first spears ' should be inscribed on it, and 

 this gave rise to much emulation and generous 

 rivalry, not to say hard riding among us, and 

 some of the races for the coveted honour of c first 

 spear ' were often worth going a long way to see. 



The incident which I now propose relating oc- 

 curred one 12th of August, a day when brother 

 sportsmen were busy with the grouse on many 

 a wide expanse of moorland and purple heather. 

 The previous day the Hunt had met at a place 

 called Karlee, only four of us being present. We 

 had beaten a big hill all day in pouring rain (such 

 rain, too, as one only sees during the monsoon in 

 India's sunny clime) unsuccessfully, as the pig 

 would not break, do what we would ; so about four 

 o'clock we gave it up as a bad job, and returned 

 to camp to change our soaking garments, and 

 while away the time till dinner. Two of our 

 party had to return to cantonments that evening, 



