AD VENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 13 



Some men in India insist on each shikaree always 

 carrying with him a supply of water in a leathern bottle. 

 With that and his pipe a native will sit in a tree, and keep 

 watch over a beast for a whole day. Without the water they 

 may be tempted to go in search of it, and the game may 

 move unobserved, to the eventual disappointment of the 

 hunters. If the party can command the services of more than 

 one really good shikaree, it is well to assign to each a line of 

 country, otherwise they are apt to be jealous, and sometimes 

 spoil sport. 



By this means I have been able to cover a considerable 

 district, and by having a horseman at the head-quarters of 

 each detachment ready to start off at once to the main camp 

 with intelligence from the shikarees, the prospect of the day's 

 sport may be known by 9 A.M., by which time the hunters 

 will have breakfasted comfortably, and the sun will be 

 sufficiently hot to prevent game from moving to any great 

 distance if disturbed. By following the above plan I have 

 received information from three places at once of tigers 

 marked during the morning. 



I had more men and horses at my disposal than a stranger 

 could expect, but even on a small scale the plan will be found 

 a good one ; and in many parts of the country a man on foot 

 will not take much longer than a horseman to run into camp 

 with intelligence. 



There are of course occasions when game has to be beaten 

 for " on spec," and I have frequently made a good bag though 

 leaving the camp with but slender expectations. 



On arriving on the ground selected for the day, the party 

 should quietly dismount and hold a long palaver with the 

 shikaree. This time is not thrown away. Then the ground 

 should be carefully but quietly examined, and the run of the 



