68 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



top of a high rocky hill, and at the edge of a small 

 wood my shikaree pointed out a sambur feeding. I 

 directed my glass in that direction, and made out the 

 horns of a very fine stag and another hind. I, of 

 course, wanted to stalk them, but the old man said 

 there was a large plain between the nearest shelter and 

 the deer, and that we should find it impossible to get 

 a shot ; I was not of this opinion, as I saw it was to 

 save himself the walk that made him hold back ; so 

 would stand no nonsense, and when he saw me set off 

 in real earnest he followed. It was a difficult stalk, 

 though not near so bad as it looked ; we crept through 

 the long grass like cats ; but alas ! just as we were 

 getting within shot an old hind put up her head and 

 saw us ; not a moment was to be lost, or else the three 

 sambur would have dashed into the jungle. I raised 

 my Purdey, carefully covered the old doe's shoulders ; 

 firing for the heart, I pulled and over she went, and I 

 then took a snapshot at another, as they disappeared 

 in the bushes, but missed. I was satisfied with the 

 thought of one, and ran on with eagerness to examine 

 my first sambur, but lo ! she was gone not a trace of 

 her could I see at first ; feeling sure I could not have 

 gone far astray in my shot, I looked for traces of her, 

 and found no difficulty in doing so. Little trees were 

 broken in a straight line ; this must have been the course 

 she took ; it was so, and with little trouble we tracked 

 by her blood, and found the huge beast lying quite 

 dead at the foot of a large forest tree ; I was very 

 much struck with her great size ; she was much bigger 

 than any Red-deer. The bullet had gone completely 

 through her, and must have touched either the lungs or 

 heart ; such is the strength of these splendid deer. I 

 returned well satisfied, though I could not help sighing 

 when I thought how near I was bagging the stag. I 



