254 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



Whilst engaged in this alfresco meal, the harsh 

 roar of a karkur rang out close to us, and with 

 such suddenness that it made me jump up and 

 instinctively seize my rifle that was lying by me. 

 Looking in the direction from which the sound 

 emanated, I saw a fine buck standing staring at 

 us, not thirty yards off. He was end on by the 

 side of a clump of bamboos, and so presented a 

 somewhat difficult shot. Aiming at his chest, 

 however, I fired, and had the satisfaction to see 

 him tumble over. It was curious that such a shy 

 animal should have approached us so close, and 

 that, even after detecting our presence, he should 

 have remained long enough to afford me a shot. 

 I can only account for the fact of his having come 

 to drink at a little spring close to which I was 

 sitting, and then had become fascinated by the 

 sight that met his eyes. 



At the risk of posing as a gourmand, I cannot 

 refrain from giving the menu of one of my jungle 

 dinners during this trip, and it will thus be seen 

 that the Indian forests afford no contemptible 

 meal to the sportsman. My dinner on one occa- 

 sion I find, on referring to my old shikar diary, 

 consisted of hare soup, salmi of green pigeons, 

 roast jungle-fowl, deer's brain curry, cheetal kid- 

 neys on toast, and stewed fruit of the bher. A 

 dinner not to be despised, I think ! 



