336 THE HUNTING GEOUNDS 



" cooked its goose," and was in great glee at having 

 killed his first " large game!' He, however, forbore 

 going into the tank to fetch them out, as he said 

 " he felt a bit scared-like for fear there might be 

 any more o' the craturs at the bottom of the wather," 

 so he called upon some villagers to help him. "When 

 he had pointed out his game, to his great surprise 

 they began a series of vociferations and lamentations, 

 beating their breasts, and howling in a most frantic 

 manner. " By the Powers ! " says Pat, " sure it 's 

 one of their sacred alligators I 've been shooting V 

 So, mounting his horse, he set off at full speed to 

 Poonamallee, where he arrived just as they were 

 sitting down to breakfast. He immediately told his 

 adventure. The grififins listened with wonder, but 

 a cloud passed over the face of the officer in charge, 

 who, turning round in a very grave manner to Pat, 

 said, " Mr Lynch, I am afraid you have killed a brace 

 of niggers, and got yourself into a mess." Pat de- 

 clared he had not, but remained very glum all the 

 rest of the time at breakfast, when suddenly a row 

 was heard outside. Pat recognised his horsekeeper's 

 voice, flew out of the door, and in a moment re- 

 turned shouting, " Sure, Captain, they am't niggers 

 at all, but just a fine brace of sea-cows I 've bagged, 

 for they 're being brought in slung on poles." Need 

 I say that Pat had killed a couple of tame buffaloes 

 as they were swimming in the tank with their noses 

 just above water, and he only got out of his mess by 

 the prompt payment of some forty rupees, and a 



