TO WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



I dropped a ball into one barrel, over the shot, and, crouching 

 down, awaited their approach. They came on with the inten- 

 tion of alighting among the rushes, and had almost touched 

 the ground, when they saw the dogs, and turned upwards. 

 The male bird presented a large surface, and I fired, sending 

 the ball through his breast, and at the same time peppering 

 him with the small shot. He fell dead, and we secured and 

 carried him to camp, where I gave him to some of my men, 

 who declared that he would be as good as half a goat. He 

 was about six feet in length, from the toe to the extremity of 

 the beak. I have often thought that these birds would be 

 good for food, but I never heard of any European trying them ; 

 nor do I think that during all my residence in India I ever 

 fired at another. 



The road for the first few miles from Tunkaria is about the 

 worst in Guzerat, and consists simply of a number of parallel 

 ruts, so deep that the bottoms of the carts often scrape the 

 earth between them. In these ruts the dust accumulates to 

 the depth of many inches, and when raised by the march of a 

 body of men it becomes very distressing. 



We started one very cold morning at about 3 A.M., our 

 detachment being in front of the regiment. I was mounted 

 on a pugnacious pony, but I was too cold to attend to 

 him, and, having got him into a rut behind the band, I 

 lit my cigar and rolled myself up in my cloak. We had 

 thus advanced for some miles, when the march was checked 

 by some obstruction, and as we halted the dust rose thick and 

 white. Suddenly my pony gave a scream, and rose on his 

 hind legs, and I could just make out that he was in furious 

 combat with the major's horse, when we all seemed to tumble 

 over together. I thought I should be jammed against the 

 bank, but managed to kick myself clear. Some of the men 



