110 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



fleeted by the parched ground, objects appear 

 much closer than they really are. This causes 

 you to misjudge the distance between you and 

 your quarry, and, ergo ! the result is often amiss. 

 I am speaking of some years ago, when Express 

 rifles were not so much used as they are now. Of 

 course, with the low trajectory of an Express this 

 latter disadvantage is considerably reduced. 



If the suspicions of the antelope are not roused, 

 and there is any cover to be taken advantage of 

 in the shape of nullahs, patches of grass, or de- 

 tached bushes, they may be generally approached 

 without very much difficulty ; but given a bare, 

 open plain, without a scrap of cover to hide even 

 a hare, it is quite another thing, and on these 

 occasions man must match the intelligence and 

 inventive genius of the human brain against the 

 cunning of the animal. 



A good plan is to pretend to wish to pass on, 

 and on no account look at them, as they are feed- 

 ing in a certain direction, when they will of their 

 own accord often cross the sportsman. If once 

 they imagine a man wants to conceal himself, or 

 if they lose sight of him for a moment, it is most 

 difficult to obtain a shot. The does, as with most 

 other animals, are the most suspicious and inqui- 

 sitive, and if a herd is on the move it may be 

 stopped for a moment or two by a low whistle. 



