176 IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 



along. Unfortunately, a lot of natives were 

 scattered over the ground, shepherding or cutting 

 sticks, and this spoilt what little chance there 

 was. At the end of the beat a leveret drew the 

 fire of three or four guns, and departed rejoicing, 

 amidst much laughter. I had already started off, 

 when a lad near me, who had been attracted by 

 the firing, almost stepped on a fox lying behind 

 the line of guns. He nearly got away, but not 

 quite. Then we returned to our Han, where the 

 bag was laid out as follows : nine foxes, three 

 hares, a partridge, and a stone-hen. Of the latter 

 scores were seen, but as they invariably fly along 

 the hillsides, and as the guns were throughout 

 posted above the beaters, few were fired at. The 

 result was poor, for with better luck, and perhaps 

 management, we ought to have doubled our bag. 

 However, all hands were cheery enough at the 

 Han, where toasts and speeches were the order 

 of the day. Need I say that Ibrahim Beg was 

 in great form, and, among other healths, coupled 

 that of my Queen and country with my insig- 

 nificant personality. Unfortunately, as I did not 

 understand one word of his oration, I cannot 

 reproduce it, nor indeed my reply, for I made 

 none. 



I shall never forget the next occasion that I 

 went out with a gun, which was about ten days 

 later. One morning, being unable to sleep, I 



