34 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



cart, I got him to drive towards the bird, but in 

 a circle, and, having covered myself with a native 

 blanket, walked on the far side of the cart as it 

 advanced. It was all useless ; let me get within 

 three hundred yards of him, he would not, and 

 at last, rising, he took a long flight, and disap- 

 peared over a low, sandy ridge beyond which lay 

 a small rumnah, or grass cover. 



Utterly disgusted at all niy futile endeavours, 

 I had exchanged my rifle for my shot-gun, and 

 strolled on in the direction of his flight, thinking 

 I might get a few painted partridge and quail 

 amongst the grass. No sooner had I entered it 

 than my sly friend rose with a tremendous flus- 

 ter, and met his fate. A very dainty dish he 

 afforded us, and his feathers gladdened the hearts 

 of several fishing friends at home. 



' Come, get on,' I hear some of my readers say ; 

 ' we don't want to hear so much about your old 

 bustard, tell us about the big game you got.' All 

 right, my friends, I will ; but let me tell you it 

 takes a lot of science to bag a bustard, and good 

 shooting, too, unless you have the luck to get 

 within gunshot of one as I did on this occasion. 



During a month we had every reason to be 

 satisfied with our sport, for during this time we 

 had bagged five tigers, a bear, several sambur, 

 cheetal, or spotted deer, and four-horned antelope, 



