BIG DAYS WITH BUSTARD JEDILLA. 47 



Bias led the file of horsemen towards the nearest band. 

 We were a part}^ of four, with a contingent of six mounted 

 hands under Bias' directions in the ticklish work of driving. 

 Presentl}^ the bustards are descried, their lavender heads 

 and lighter necks visible, through the glasses, above the 

 biznatias (visnaya of Linnaeus) on a hillside some 1,000 

 yards away. 



Their iwsition, on a hill of so gentle a slope as to com- 

 mand all the plain around, was most difficult to surround ; 

 however, as a forlorn hope, and rather with the object of 

 moving them to more favourable ground, we rode slowly 

 past them on the north, at about 300 yards, the birds 

 perking their heads and taking the most lively interest in 

 the string of horsemen. When the nature of the land 

 afforded a cover from the birds' view, we rode round to the 

 southern side, but always at too great a distance to pro- 

 mise anything like a fair chance of getting the birds over 

 us.* Our four guns, however, now spread out along the 

 slope, covering among them some quarter-mile of possible 

 flight. The men, riding round to the northern side again, 

 opened out in line, and slowly came in towards the com- 

 mon centre. At first the pack came straight for the guns ; 

 but the leader, flying higher than the rest, caught sight of 

 a foe — of No. 1 gun lying full length on the soil — swerved, 

 and took with him the whole pack, out of shot on the 

 extreme right. The latter fact our inexj^erienced friend in 

 that quarter did not comprehend, for he let drive a couple 

 of quick and useless barrels. Worse than useless ! for, as we 

 watched the splendid birds streaming away into space 

 across the valleys of spring corn, we knew that our chance 

 at that handada was gone — at least for the day. 



* The grand secret of success in this sport (as elsewhere remarked) 

 is to place the f^ins close wp to the game. The means by which the 

 primary object is attained can hardly be set down on paper — nothing 

 but practice, qviick and good judgment, and a sportsman's instinct 

 will effect it. In more than one instance we have found a deadly 

 line ambushed within 150 yards of the most watchful bustards, and 

 on gi'ound where, to a novice, the feat would certainly be set down as 

 impossible. 



