208 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



circuit, and picking my way up the dry bed of a torrent I got 

 within seventy yards of a large blue bull He stood broad- 

 side on, gazing back, apparently on the watch against pursuit. 

 Catching sight of me he started off, and at that moment 

 I fired. The bull dashed wildly forward for fifty yards, and 

 fell dead. Startled by my shot, but uncertain whence it 

 came, the cows ran up from a hollow which had concealed 

 them from my view, and stood out on the hill-side ; but I 

 had already shot more than I could carry, and I allowed them 

 to escape. On the way back to my horse I blazed the trees 

 with my knife, and having collected a small pile of stones at 

 the side of the path, I resumed my journey. On ascending 

 the mountain I rode to some Bheel huts, and informed the 

 inhabitants where they would find the beast. Men, women, 

 and children at once turned out, furnished with knives, 

 hatchets, and baskets ; and I doubt not that before night the 

 flesh of the poor bull was frizzling over many a fire. 



From Maunpore I returned to the Nerbudda, having sent 

 on my tents and people to Khull, where I found them en- 

 camped on the south bank. A small flock of sheep, which I 

 kept for food, had been grazing that morning near the camp, 

 and were attacked in broad daylight by several wolves. One 

 sheep was killed before the shepherd could drive them off. 

 Near the spot were some deserted huts, which had been 

 occupied by a troop of irregular cavalry. I directed Munnoo 

 to tie the carcass to a tent-peg, and conceal himself at night- 

 fall in one of these huts. The wolves returned, as we had 

 expected. Munnoo shot one dead, and wounded another, 

 which got away. 



Next morning I was riding about two miles down the 

 Bombay road, when a troop of six or seven wolves crossed 

 the path 100 yards ahead of me. As was my custom, I 



