168 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SHIKAR 



sambur hind standing in one of the pools of water, 

 about knee deep, at the far side of the nullah. She 

 was stamping her foot and splashing, and a wild dog 

 was sitting on the sandy shore near her and watching 

 her. I had forgotten to take the rifle that day, 

 and if I had had it should probably have fired a shot 

 at the dog and seen no more ; but, as it was, we sat 

 down in the sand under the river bank so as to hide 

 ourselves and to watch. After a time the sambur 

 saw us and trotted off into the jungle opposite, 

 and away from the dog. As soon as she had dis- 

 appeared five more wild dogs came out of the jungle 

 on our side, they went across the sandy nullah 

 into the water and were following the hind, when 

 one of them caught sight of our young buffaloes. 

 They changed their minds and came up towards 

 them and very near to us. They sat about and 

 waited for some time and walked round one calf, 

 at a little distance, but as we were so near they seemed 

 to think it was no good, gave it up, and went off 

 into the opposite jungle, where the sambur had gone. 

 Very soon we heard some howling and screaming, 

 and some terrified sambur calls, and back rushed 

 the hind down the steep bank opposite, closely 

 followed by her fawn with several wild dogs at its 

 heels. The mother and fawn dashed into the pool 

 only just in time, where the dogs could not attack 

 them (the water being sufficiently deep) without 

 being at a great disadvantage. In the water the 

 sambur stopped suddenly, at once turned and stood 

 at bay, with the fawn beside her. Two dogs stayed 

 by the pool while the others went back to the top 



