64 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



night's work, and then went out and had a long hot 

 walk in the very warmest time of the day after ante- 

 lope ; but though I saw many does I only saw two 

 bucks, and these I could not get near. At 3.30 I 

 returned, had a good bath, and then dinner, after 

 which I set off for the mechaun, two coolies carrying 

 my camping bed, and the young Mussulman who first 

 saw the pug carrying my Moore, and another man my 

 Purdey rifle. All these, except the Mussulman, I 

 intended sending to the right about as soon as I 

 arrived at my place. Gough came a short way, but his 

 foot was so sore he could not go all the way ; he had 

 rubbed it badly the day before at Arsekiere. I found a 

 quantity of natives sitting in their white sheets waiting 

 for me. They certainly respect the proverb : ' There's 

 safety in numbers.' There was no time to lose, as it was 

 already growing dark, which it does very fast in India, 

 the twilight being exceedingly short. We took the 

 bullock and tied him up, climbed into the mechaun 

 the natives disappeared in the shortest time I have 

 ever yet seen them do anything, and all was quiet. 

 What a night it was ! still, silent, and lonely as a 

 churchyard. For a long time I lay looking at the 

 sandy river-bed, fully expecting to see the dull, dusky, 

 dark form of a tiger come creeping up towards the 

 trembling calf; but I looked in vain. Even had a 

 tiger come I doubt if I could have fired ; it being 

 so dark I could hardly see 10 yards before me. Of 

 course I had a bit of white cotton gummed on my 

 muzzle sight ; but even with that my aim must have 

 been uncertain in the extreme. Better chance pre- 

 sented itself as the moon rose, casting a gray ghostly 

 hue on everything; this it did about 11.30 o'clock. 

 About this time one of the big eagle owls common 

 in India began its mournful hooting, adding to the 



