114 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



versally allowed that it was fortunate that he charged at the 

 strongest point of attack, as, had he made his rush at one of 

 the sides of the living wedge, he would probably have left his 

 mark on somebody. The hunt had taken place in full view 

 of the spot where I lay, and my friends now came up, calling 

 loudly for cooling beverages. I at once proceeded to make a 

 beer-mug, and having prepared the correct quantity of sugar 

 and spices in a large jug, I poured in two bottles of beer and 

 what I supposed to be a bottle of water. My servant poured 

 out the compound into quart pewters, and the sportsmen 

 tossed off the grateful fluid at a draught. As he put down 

 the measure, one of them asked if I had " laced " the mug with 

 whisky ; and on my replying in the negative, he said he was sure 

 the drink had some taste of spirit. The other man being of the 

 same opinion, I examined the supposed water bottle, and found 

 I had in mistake given them whisky with their beer, and be- 

 tween them they had swallowed the best part of a quart bottle. 



Luncheon was at once prescribed as an antidote, and it 

 succeeded so far that no evil effects were visible beyond exces- 

 sive hilarity and a slight tendency on the part of my friends 

 to roll in their saddles as we rode home. On the way we 

 came across three bustard feeding in the open plain. They 

 allowed us to approach within a few paces, and when they did 

 take flight, they lit again within two hundred yards. We had, 

 however, no guns, all our people being behind. 



Thirty miles south-west of Ahmedabad is a large sheet of 

 water called the Nul, covering many square miles. It is very 

 shallow throughout, and in most places is only six or eight 

 feet deep. During the cold season the entire surface of it is 

 covered with waterfowl of every kind geese, ducks of many 

 sorts, teal in great variety, and coots in myriads. Snipe are 

 found in scores all along the swampy borders. 



