244 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



wildered by such a concourse of game that it was 

 some time before I could select the best stag as 

 the herd lay unconsciously below, some lying 

 down, some browsing, whilst others were licking 

 the salt-red soil. At last, selecting a stag, I fired, 

 and rolled him over. The rest of the herd sprang 

 to their feet, and huddling up bewildered, gazed 

 around to detect their hidden foe. Again I fired 

 right and left, knocking over a stag, and missing 

 another. The herd then dashed up towards the 

 sheet of rock I have described, which of course 

 arrested their progress, giving me time to put 

 in a couple more shots, this time resulting in the 

 death of two hinds. Then they turned back, and 

 scattering, came racing past below me, and whilst 

 some kept straight on, others, separating, climbed 

 the face of the opposite spur, affording me an- 

 other couple of shots. All my shots were at 

 distances varying from forty to sixty yards, and 

 the last one I got was also a stag. 



It is wonderful how hard they are to kill, and 

 what distances they will often travel after being 

 hit. I have put four twelve-bore bullets into a 

 cheetal besides breaking his fore-leg, and yet had 

 to follow him quite three miles ere I got him. I 

 should be ashamed almost to say how many I 

 have wounded and lost. I never had, however, 

 the advantage of using an Express rifle, and with 



