134 IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



It must not be supposed, however, that I devoted 

 the whole of this week to the unavailing search 

 described in the preceding chapter. After the 

 first two or three days, I turned my attention to 

 all-round sport, and particularly to the stone-hens, 

 having gained some experience as to their most 

 likely haunts. 



I consider that there is no small-game shoot- 

 ing so thoroughly sporting in its nature as the 

 pursuit of this noble bird, which may well be 

 called the typical sport of Dalmatia, and I 

 venture to think that an experience gained in 

 most European countries, besides Asia and Africa, 

 entitles me to express an opinion. Let me try 

 and bring before my reader a typical shot. 



You are descending — or perhaps climbing up, 

 which is easier — an almost precipitous hillside, 

 entirely covered with broken rock, between which 

 here and there a wind-stunted thorn-bush or a 

 little close-cropped herbage appears. Just as 

 you are wondering how you can manage the 

 next bit of rockwork, and whether you must 



