394- THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



clearings in the low scrub-jungle, whicli at one time 

 liad evidently been fenced in and cultivated, having 

 perhaps served the garrison as pasture-lands and 

 corn-fields. As I was taking a sketch of the little 

 stronghold from one of these places, the " Hadjee '"' 

 informed me that he had seen several very large 

 birds go down in a patch of low jungle close at 

 hand. From his description, I imagined that they 

 were cranes, having seen several of a very large 

 species wading in a swamp en route, and being 

 desirous of obtaining a specimen, I loaded my gun 

 with a couple of Eley's green long-range cartridges, 

 and accompanied him to the spot where he had 

 marked the birds alight. I had beaten about the 

 place for some time without seeing anything, and 

 was about to give up the pursuit, when, as I was 

 turning round a low copse, a covey of bustard {Otis 

 tarda) suddenly got up from a small undulating 

 plain close to a watercourse, and I had the good 

 fortune to bring down a couple of them, right and 

 left, before they could get fairly upon the wing. 

 One, a hen, fell dead, the shot having taken effect 

 in the back part of the head and neck, but the 

 second, a fine old cock, was only winged, and ran 

 at an immense pace. Luckily " El Moro," my 

 pointer, attracted by the report of my gun, came 

 up and assisted me, otherwise I should have had no 

 chance of catchiug him, notwithstanding I was in 

 fair running condition. He proved to be a splendid 

 specimen, the wings measuring more than four feet 



