244 THE EASTERN HUNTERS. 



drove was pushing and scrambling about in the 

 jungle, most of them with their loads thrown off, or 

 in imminent danger of being so. 



The drovers were yelling and shouting, and dash- 

 ing about to try and stop the runaways ; and after 

 the hunters passed, were still heard bestowing on 

 their refractory animals the choicest epithets of 

 Hindoo objurgation. For, though all were soon 

 collected, it was a matter of some small time and 

 trouble to reload and resume the march. 



It was ten o'clock before the sportsmen reached 

 the Bheel village, most of the male population of 

 which had accompanied Rugonauth into the jungle 

 to look for game. An old man, however, the senior 

 of the community, was ready to receive them ; and 

 many a dusky matron and maid, from the doors of 

 their huts or other vantage-ground, examined the 

 hunters curiously as they passed to the shade of a 

 tree adjacent to the village the spot selected as 

 their present head-quarters. 



The only incident worth recording, before they 

 reached the village, was the death of a peacock, 

 through which Norman neatly drove a bullet at a 

 distance of sixty yards. 



The village of Bhilgaum was situated on a table- 

 land, a portion of which had been cleared ; but sur- 

 rounding and in many parts protruding on to it, 



