408 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



Neither spare gun, gun-bearer, nor dog-boy was within sight, 

 as I dashed about, looking for the wherewithal to finish the 

 struggling bull. At last I saw them, shrunk into nothing, in 

 a shallow hollow in the black soil, and, seizing a couple of the 

 guns, was hurrying up to the scene of action, when I met B., 

 safe and sound, though rather pale, and at the same time 

 heard the report of a rifle, and saw the bull fall over dead. 

 My Mahomedan shikari, a man accustomed to shoot, had for- 

 tunately ensconced himself with my spare rifle close to where 

 the bull stopped after knocking B. over; aud putting the 

 muzzle to his head had pulled the triggers of both barrels at 

 once ! Tinker was covered with mire and blood from the 

 bull, but otherwise uninjured, while the nose of the buffalo 

 showed how determined had been his grip. B. had been 

 caught fortunately with the outside edge of his horns, and but 

 slightly, in the arms and ribs, and was not hurt beyond loss of 

 wind and the shock of his fall. 



The next day B. had fever, and was so shaken as to require 

 a rest, and I went out alone in another direction. I came on a 

 herd of about forty, grazing in an open plain some two miles 

 south of the camp, and proceeded to stalk them. I had an 

 elephant with me, and sent him round a long circuit to at- 

 tract their attention while I crept in. Getting within about 

 a hundred yards I saw that the buffaloes had a bull nilgai 

 along with them, which maintained a sharp outlook all round, 

 while the buffaloes gazed stupidly at the elephant* I was 

 crouched in grass about three feet high, and could not get 

 any nearer for this singular sentinel. So I remained still, and 

 presently the elephant disappeared in some low jungle, and 

 the herd began again to graze. They fed down towards me, 

 and when about seventy yards off* I fired at the leader, who 

 was standing end on to me, and was raked fore and aft by 



