BLACK-BUCK SHOOTING. 119 



large one, and, as is their custom, the oldest buck 

 brought up the rear ; so, showing myself as much 

 as possible, as if either ignorant or careless of 

 their presence, and marking the spot where they 

 seemed likely to leave the scant cover afforded by 

 the bushes, I walked along parallel with their 

 course, keeping a keen watch on the buck, who 

 seemed much disgusted at being disturbed at the 

 commencement of his evening meal, and followed 

 his consorts with sulky reluctance. I tried all the 

 old dodges, but could not take them in, even by 

 pretending to be a grass-cutter or an old woman 

 gathering sticks, etc., etc. They had evidently 

 been shot at before, and were up to all such tricks. 



Suddenly a happy thought struck me. I turn- 

 ed away from them, and, walking back towards 

 my horse, shouted some directions to the horse- 

 keeper. 



The ruse had a magical effect, for the leaders 

 of the herd stopped on hearing the shouting, and, 

 seeing only a noisy man walking apparently away 

 from them, took it for granted he was not ani- 

 mated with any evil intent towards them. The 

 head of the column having halted, the rest of the 

 herd followed their example, the master buck tak- 

 ing advantage of this stoppage to administer pun- 

 ishment to some of the younger bucks, who, to 

 his mind, had been guilty of some breach of 



