104 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



both. We returned to the cantonment by moonlight, and as 

 we rode along, were favoured by some of the party with vocal 

 music of a high order. 



In some parts of the country round Vinjool, chinkara are 

 plentiful, and it was here I had my first day's shooting among 

 them. It was during the height of the rainy season, and I had 

 come to Ahmedabad to attend the races which were held that 

 year. Bowles of the Eevenue Survey had a good shooting-cart, 

 which we sent on with our rifles and lunch, and cantered out 

 after it on horseback. The millet and maize crops were high, 

 and we were not very sanguine, as, during the heat of the day, 

 the deer take much to the shelter of the tall crops. However, 

 after wandering about for some time, we spied a buck feeding 

 among some vetches, and succeeded in working the cart up to 

 within shooting distance. Bowles would not fire, as he wanted 

 me to have all the sport. I made a good shot, and dropped the 

 buck, but he rose at once and made off ; we could see, how- 

 ever, that he was badly hit, and he soon slackened his pace 

 and lay down among some low bushes. Had we attempted 

 to go up to him at once, he would probably have risen and 

 gone off, so we quietly sat down and watched him for nearly 

 an hour. By this time his wound began to distress him, and 

 when we again advanced he allowed us to approach suffi- 

 ciently near to give him a final shot. We then went on, but 

 saw nothing for some time, so sat down under a tree and 

 took our lunch. Again moving on, we started two bucks, 

 which were feeding in some high grain in our left, and they 

 ran out into the open ground. After going about seventy yards 

 they halted and stood head on ; I fired, and dropped one in 

 his tracks, shooting him through the chest ; and as the other 

 bolted off I gave him the second barrel, hitting him through 

 the body. He was completely doubled up, and soon after lay 

 down, when we captured him without another shot. 



