42 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



down towards us on three legs at a terrific pace. He passed 

 within a few feet of where we lay, and as he went by I gave 

 him another shot behind the shoulder, and he fell all in a 

 heap at the bottom of the watercourse, where another shot 

 finished him. 



The lake was a charming spot for resting during the heat 

 of the day, though its proportions were of course reduced by 

 the month of May. All round the edges might be seen the 

 tracks of deer, bison, and pigs, which evidently came down in 

 large numbers at night to the water. The reeds were filled 

 with large blue waterfowl of the coot and waterhen kind, 

 having long toes, which enabled them to run freely over the 

 network of weeds which covered the surface of the water. 

 Hayward killed one of these by a fine shot from the rifle at 

 about 150 yards. 



We had spent a pleasant day at this lake, and were pre- 

 pared for a start home, when we observed a heavy storm gather- 

 ing. The only shelter in the place was an old hut, about as 

 large as a carriage umbrella, which had been erected by cow- 

 herds. It was constructed of slips of bamboos and teak leaves, 

 and doubtless would have kept off a heavy shower twelve 

 months before. At this time, however, it was rent and torn 

 by the wind, and large patches of the thatch had been blown off. 

 Into it, however, we crept, and covering up the locks of 

 our guns, lit our pipes and waited for the storm to burst. We 

 chaffed Emaum a good deal, as, in reply to a remark from me 

 about mid-day, he assured me we should have no rain. We 

 did not wait long for it, and for over an hour the rain came 

 down in a perfect deluge. Our frail protection only seemed 

 to concentrate the heavy drops, which poured through in every 

 direction. The thunder was deafening, and the lightning ap- 

 peared to strike into the ground all round us. We were 



