1 76 . The Book of the Horse. 



ones — in a 'grass beer 'known as the Kesmalla Beer, some eleven miles off. It appeared on 

 inquiry that the animals when chased would in all probability make for a hill called the Murdoch 

 Doongur, distant from Kesmalla Beer nine miles. This hill (a famous place of call for robbers 

 and dacoits) was not of very great extent, and was surrounded on all sides by the Runn. It 

 was then agreed that the best plan would be to send on a party of twenty to Murdoch Doongur, 

 there to lie in wait so as to take up the running in case the beasts tcok that way ; the other 

 party of thirty-one waited till midnight, so timing its departure to Kesmalla as to arrive near 

 the place before dawn. I sent on a fresh horse with the first party to Murdoch. At five A.M. 

 we were close to Kesmalla Beer, but it was still quite dark. The cold was intense on the 

 Runn at that early hour ; we all had to keep very quiet, and of course were unable to light 

 a fire. 



"The party generally was well-mounted, all on Kattywar horses and mares. The animal 

 I rode was a Katty galloway, that could do his half-mile under a minute at any time, and 

 had plenty of honest endurance. Some of the Meeanas' nags were very blood-looking, and as 

 fit as fiddles. At last it was time to tighten girths and mount. Moving quietly towards the 

 Beer, which in the subdued light looked very dark and mysterious, we were met by other 

 puggees, who had been watching ever since the tola was first discovered early the day before. 

 Our party of thirty-one was then broken up into three divisions ; and advancing direct from 

 the centre, with our outer divisions spreading to the right and left flanks, we embraced the 

 whole ground, and compelled the animals to break towards the Murdoch Doongur, which was 

 dimly visible in the extreme distance. On surmounting the grass ridge I perceived some little 

 dots, apparently a mile or so off on the Runn, and with the aid of glasses I found these dots 

 were, as the piiggee said, four big and four small animals — it was quite impossible to see 

 whether they were donkeys or not. They were moving quietly on, and did not apparently see 

 our party; so I thought it best to creep up as quickly as possible towards them without actually 

 breaking into a gallop and beginning the chase. In this way we managed to get rather nearer; 

 but very shortly after the alarm seemed to have been taken, as I saw them, after turning round two 

 or three times, begin to canter away. No time was then to be lost, so I at once gave the word, and 

 we all started off at a brisk pace in pursuit. I felt full of confidence, as my horse was in good 

 spirits; and as we went bounding along, every moment getting nearer to the little band in front, 

 visions of a speedy capture rose before me. My companions were wise ; they allowed me to make 

 all the running, whilst they themselves rode a waiting race, doubtless feeling sure that in due course 

 of time the quarry would come back to them. After covering about five miles, and finding the 

 donkeys still continuing the pace at which they started, I thought it high time to try the effect 

 of a spurt, and, my horse answering bravely, I found myself riding within pistol-shot of the tola. 

 I was then able to take a good look at them. Not having read Jerdon's description, I expected to 

 find them white, and was surprised and delighted to find that their colour was most peculiar — 

 to a certain extent like that of the ordinary jackass, but more defined — the belly very white, 

 the flanks a reddish chocolate, and a broad dark brown stripe extending along the spine from apex 

 of shoulder to tail, very marked ; the legs very fine, like those of a deer ; the tail furnished with 

 long hairs at the extremity only ; mane short and reddish brown ; light brown bars on hocks and 

 fore-arms; ears smaller than those of the domestic ass, and constantly pricked; eye of unusual 

 brightness; about the size of ordinary mules. They seemed to be going well within themselves — 

 in fact, from beginning to end of the chase I never noticed any of that extending or laying 

 themselves out which is so generally observed in the action of a hunted animal wiien hard pressed; 

 on the contrary, these donke)s did not seem to take the .slightest trouble to lunry themselves 



