A FAIR DATS BAG 159 



head. The palate was furrowed all along. I went a long 

 way, and seeing no signs of big game, I blazed at a pig and 

 fired over it on which up jumped a gaur and went off at his 

 best pace. I then came upon three buffaloes, and broke the 

 hind-leg of one, and put it up several times afterwards, but 

 did not get a shot at it again. I was at the edge of a small 

 but deep nullah with a heavy and dense forest beyond, when 

 there was a sudden roar, and the elephant bolted down the 

 nullah, and it was as much as the mahout could do to prevent 

 her running into the forest. I saw the tiger, and might have 

 had a good shot at him had my elephant only been steady, but 

 I could not risk the chances of a smash-up amongst the trees, 

 so refrained from firing. I told the men to make for home, 

 and in an hour I saw another gaur chewing the cud under 

 some trees. My first idea was to dismount and to stalk the 

 bull, but he very conveniently moved behind an immense 

 bush, and keeping this between us I advanced rapidly on him 

 and got within fifty yards, and moving a little on one side I 

 got two shots and did for him. He was a big brute, but not 

 as high as the former. I got back to camp at 7 p.m., after a 

 hard and unpleasant day's work. 



May 12. Persuaded Hill to go back with me for a few 

 days' sport. We determined to go via Thabew and Chowteah. 

 I tried short cuts, but did nothing but go astray, but at last 

 got to Thabew at 1.30 p.m. I had just time to get a lot of 

 people to repair the thatch, when a perfect deluge set in, so 

 we made ourselves comfortable, and read and lounged all the 

 afternoon. 



May 13. We agreed not to fire at deer to-day. If we 

 came across wild elephants, we were to dismount and shoot 

 them on foot. I saw a porcupine, and thinking it looked 

 different from those in India, I very foolishly broke through 

 our rule and shot it. Hill then fired at a stag and disturbed 

 a gaur, and whilst he took up the spoor I travelled alongside 

 about 50 yards off on his left. I had got ahead slightly, and 

 on looking back I saw a splendid tusker walking straight up 

 to Hill's elephant. As the ground was most favourable, I 

 jumped off, thinking my comrade would do the same ; but he 

 got so excited that he blazed into the cranium of the tusker 



