232 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



had no fault to find, and only my want of experi- 

 ence in woodcraft and my bad shooting were to 

 blame that I did not secure very handsome 

 trophies. 



On the morning in question, Juggoo and I had 

 started some two hours before dawn bent on 

 searching the Sewalik hills for sambur. We had 

 a tramp for about three miles along the road that 

 led from Hurdwar to Dehra Boon, arid then turn- 

 ing off at right angles commenced the ascent of 

 the Sewalik hills, which here were of no very great 

 height, though steep enough to try one's powers 

 of endurance. Numerous spurs jutted out into 

 the plain from the main hills. Up one of these 

 spurs we made the ascent, and gained the summit, 

 which consisted of a table-land, or slightly un- 

 dulating plateau, just as the sun rose, and a flood 

 of greenish yellow light streaked with crimson 

 and pearly -grey gradually melted away into all the 

 glories of an Eastern sunrise. Some rain had 

 fallen during the earlier part of the night, and 

 the smell of damp earth and the cooler air of the 

 elevated spot were most refreshing and delightful. 



The rain, too, had laid the dust, and so made 

 tracking easier, and every branch and blade of 

 grass glittered and twinkled as if 'tipped with 

 diamond dew.' We had proceeded some little 

 distance along the plateau, and had carefully 



