THE NILGIRI IBEX 



trip of a month's duration, and accompanied by 

 my wife and by my cousin R. 



Fond as I am of room and comfort in camp, 

 my trip with D. in the Christmas holidays of 1886 

 showed me that a hill tent was far too cumbersome 

 a piece of equipage for porterage in a country 

 where carts cannot be taken, and where pack ponies 

 and coolies must be solely relied upon for transport. 



We had therefore determined to do with as light 

 tents as possible, and so took only a field officer's 

 Cabul tent for my wife and myself, a ridge-pole tent 

 of slightly larger dimensions for my cousin, and 

 a rowtie for the servants. 



We left Ooty on the 3rd April, and intended 

 to spend the first night out at the Avalanche bun- 

 galow a traveller's bungalow in a picturesque spot 

 on the way to our first shooting ground which we 

 hoped to reach the next day. This bungalow 

 consisted of one centre dining-room, and two large 

 bedrooms with bathrooms attached. Off the front 

 verandah were two small pantry -rooms without 

 bathrooms. 



A month's trip away from civilisation necessarily 

 entails a good many preparations, and as we did 

 not wish to waste time in Ooty, ours were rather 

 hurried, and we did not leave that station until 

 somewhat late in the day. It was not until after 

 dark that we reached the Avalanche bungalow, but 

 as our servants and kit had long preceded us, we 

 hoped to find all ready, and to be able to have 

 dinner and go to bed in good time with a view to 

 an early start for our shooting grounds next morning. 



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