ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 5 



from January 1. This might be done by a letter and a remittance 

 of two or three months' pay to the Commissioner of Minar, or 

 some local official. Before the arrival of the sportsman at 

 Asseerghur, from which place the party should start, the 

 shikarees should go over the ground and determine the best 

 line of country to be traversed. By this means much valuable 

 time would be saved. 



From the ravines on the Taptee Eiver the party might 

 cross to the Nerbudda ; and in the Hoosungabad and Baitool 

 countries, and thence down both banks of the river towards 

 Burwye, a good bag might be made. 



The best sport will always be got in the months of March, 

 April, and May, as the trees are then free from leaves, 

 and the scarcity of water drives all game to the immediate 

 proximity of the rivers. As a rule, I have found that more 

 tigers are shot in partially inhabited districts, and if a fair 

 amount of game can be found in these, they are always to be 

 preferred for many reasons. The cultivation attracts the deer 

 and pigs, which are the favourite food of the tigers. Failing 

 them, they have the cattle of the villagers to fall back upon. 

 Bears prefer less disturbed countries ; but these are generally 

 to be reached by a ride of a few miles, and the facilities in 

 obtaining beaters, carriage, and supplies, more than compen- 

 sate for the little extra trouble in reaching the ground. 



The trip that I have thus briefly sketched might be 

 thoroughly made out by the end of May. Soon after this the 

 rains may be expected, and by this time the hunters will 

 probably have had enough of it. Should they not care to 

 remain in the country till next cold season, two or three days 

 will bring them back to Bombay ; and at the end of the 

 three weeks' journey home they will arrive in town for the 

 best part of the season, and can have an opportunity of dis- 



