74 THE EASTERN HUNTEBS. 



own use. These consisted of some chops aiid a 

 haunch of the eheetul, and a steak or two cut from 

 the samber hind, together with the tongues and 

 marrow-bones of both. 



Cheetul venison is good, that of the samber 

 coarse ; but the marrow bones of the latter are in- 

 comparable. The meat, too, was most welcome as 

 a change from a diet of the tough goat and half-fed 

 fowls which usually form the principal part of the 

 bill of fare of the Indian sportsman or traveller. 

 " Sudden death " is the term by which the spatch- 

 cock of the traveller is known, and not inappro- 

 priately ; for within the space of an hour the weary 

 man may see his dinner walking about, as well as 

 served broiled before him. 



After the choice pieces had been cut from the 

 carcases and laid aside, the latter were carried away 

 to the village, there to be cut into shares and dis- 

 tributed. Nor was this operation effected in a noise- 

 less manner. An incessant sound of many tongues 

 had, from the first, accompanied the important 

 business of division and allotment. The distant 

 murmur, however, after a time swelled into such 

 a Babel of noise as to indicate, the hunters thought, 

 a disposition to strife. Fearing lest some of their 

 own servants or followers might be attempting to 

 exercise an undue influence in the distribution, or 



