172 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



in a cornfield, and the Nawaub called up the other cheetah 

 with his attendants. The ground was very bare between us 

 and the deer, and before the cheetah had got within distance, 

 the herd saw him and bolted. The leopard, however, did his 

 best, and nearly had one antelope, but, finding himself foiled, 

 he gave in at once and was secured by his keeper. Mean- 

 while the deer went off to our left, where they were turned by 

 some horsemen ; on which they passed in rear of us at a dis- 

 tance of several hundred yards. A rapid file fire was opened, 

 but without effect, further than perhaps to cause the deer to 

 bound higher than usual. The last shot was fired by one of 

 the Nawaub's men, with one of his English rifles. The deer 

 must have been nearly 500 yards off at the time, and to our 

 astonishment one of them tumbled over. The shot was of 

 course a fluke, but the shooter was not the less the hero of 

 the hour. 



The Nawaub now suggested refreshments, and soon a 

 string of camels was seen coming up laden with tents, tables, 

 chairs, and all manner of kitchen arrangements. Breakfast 

 was at once ordered, and while the tents were being pitched 

 we went out after some quail which had been seen close by. 

 The Nawaub intimated his intention of shooting, and we had 

 no wish to interfere with his sport, which we watched with 

 great amusement. He was not a first-rate marksman, but one 

 of his men could shoot very fairly, and when the Nawaub 

 fired, he also loosed his piece, but of course took no credit for 

 any result. On breakfast being announced we returned to the 

 tents, where we found sundry and various cooling drinks, which 

 were gratefully swallowed. In the afternoon we rode back to 

 the cantonment, having spent a very pleasant day, although 

 the sporting was not of a high order. The Jowra Nawaub was 

 always most hospitable to all Europeans passing through his 



