94 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



and a pack of wild-dogs and two hinds (female samburs) 

 passed venire a terre close past the door. It was a most 

 curious sight and one seldom seen. Accustomed as we 

 are to seize a rifle at a second's notice, I bounced up, 

 seized mine, and from the tent bang went one barrel at 

 a wild-dog ; missed him ; bang went the other at the 

 largest hind ; she flinched and staggered, but still held 

 on ; bang went Brine, and over she rolled, dead, with 

 a ball through the neck. It was exciting ; only I wish 

 I had bagged a wild-dog ; they are great curiosities now 

 and seldom seen. That evening we went up as usual, 

 climbed on to a crag, got well hid and watched all 

 round the edges of the small sholahs (woods), in hopes 

 of a pair of antlers making their appearance ; but no, we 

 sat till dark ; and though we commanded a vast extent 

 of wood and mountain, not even the youngest aspirant 

 to a pair of sticks made its appearance. Next morning 

 off two hours before light (all the time we were out 

 there, we were only four mornings we were not away at 

 4 A.M. or 4.30), and stumbled away to a rocky pass for 

 all kinds of animals ; we expected to see Mr. Bruin, but 

 saw nothing at all except a truly grand sunrise. We 

 now saw we had made a mistake in our camping-place, 

 so determined to have a drive (beat, you would say), 

 and then the day after leave for a place Brine had seen 

 during an expedition and always put it down as a sort 

 of heaven among shooting grounds. The drive took 

 place the next day, and I feel bound to give you an idea 

 of the difficulty in getting men you may pay what you 

 like but they won't come. Why? because they are 

 generally so badly treated. Not so with us ; I have seen 

 enough of different natives to know that kindness finds 

 its way to the hearts of all, especially the ladies ; get the 

 fair sex on your side, no matter where, Lapland or India, 

 and you may move the world. This Brine and I knew, 



