ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 107 



among the irrigated fields, were in excellent condition. We 

 then put them into the cart, and returned to the tents just in 

 time to meet our host on his arrival. He gave us a good deal 

 of light and pleasant chaff, and abused us for disturbing the 

 game so near home. 



It turned out afterwards that, though chinkara were 

 plentiful, this was the only herd of antelope within some 

 distance, and it had been carefully preserved in anticipation 

 of our visit. During our stay we were joined by two 

 gentlemen of the Civil Service, and had two days' good hog- 

 hunting, killing several pigs on both occasions. We also 

 made some good bags of snipe and ducks. Bulkley and I 

 were employed together for some time at Meytal a village 

 about fifteen miles west of Dholka. This was an excellent 

 camp for game, and on all sides the Saiseen antelope swarmed. 

 I shot one very fine buck, with twenty-five inch horns. He 

 was feeding on the side of a rising ground, about a mile from 

 camp, and I was at once struck by the rich purple-black of 

 his skin and the great length of his horns. I made a 

 successful stalk, and put a ball in through the shoulders. 

 He went only a short distance, and then ran into some thorn 

 bushes, where he lay down and was easily captured. 



Close round our tents were some low sandy hills, slightly 

 rising above the plain, and covered with neem-trees and 

 thorny bushes. Hares were plentiful, and we shot them from 

 time to time, as required for the pot. The painted partridge 

 was also common, and shared the fate of the hares. In 

 Guzerat the shooting of peafowl was prohibited, in deference 

 to the prejudices of the natives, who encourage them in the 

 neighbourhood of the villages. They consume large quanti- 

 ties of grain especially of wheat, which is seldom cut, how- 

 ever ripe, until a certain date ; and in many parts scores of 



