SECURE A PEACOCK'S TAIL. 6 1 



across and settle on the bare branch of a high tree that rose 

 out of the centre of a very tigerish looking ravine. It was a 

 long shot, but I could not resist having a crack at it with 

 the rifle, when to my surprise down it went to the bottom of 

 the ravine like a fallinof comet. I hesitated at first to enter 

 such a place, but after a minute or two decided on going 

 down. The jungle became thicker and thicker, I was at last 

 obliged to crawl on my hands and knees ; I had got down 

 some distance when I distinctly heard some animal stealthily 

 moving ahead of me. Reader, have you ever felt the 

 "creepy creepy?" It comes up the calves of the legs, into 

 the back, plays round the throat with a choky gulpy sensation 

 and finishes off on the top of the head. I felt it in full force 

 when I heard that movement, and I paused and listened 

 most intently. To retreat was more dangerous than to push 

 on, so on I went. The jungle was rather more open 

 when I got under the big tree, but for the life of me I could 

 not find the peacock. Darkness was setting in and I 

 was in despair, and just as I was on the point of giving 

 it up, I spied the bird lying dead. I lost no time in docking 

 him of his splendid tail and scrambled up out of the ugly 

 ravine as quickly as I could, and a comfortable feeling of 

 relief came over me when I found myself on safe ground 

 again. 



I went out several mornings to look for deer, but the 

 grass was so high that though mounted on ponies we could 

 scarcely see above it. I got one or two unsatisfactory shots, 

 having to scramble off the pony and fire, the high grass and 

 other things being against a correct aim ; how we like to 

 make excuses when we fail to bag, as was often the case on 

 these occasions. My greatest regret was losing a lovely 



