36 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



Shortly after leaving Vellore, and approaching what were 

 termed the Ghauts/* a range of hills covered with forests, the 

 country became far more picturesque and wooded, and abun- 

 dance of game was seen. A troop of antelopes would 

 frequently cross the road at a short distance, stop, gaze, 

 and bound away again in their rapid and graceful course ; 

 coveys of quails and partridges would suddenly rise from 

 the brushwood, and now and then a hare start from beneath 

 our feet ; bustards might be seen stalking in the plains, and 

 packs of rock-pigeon, of grouse-like plumage and appearance, 

 skimmed along the surface of the hills ; flocks of culms, a 

 very large bird resembling a heron, and scarlet flamingos 

 were wheeling their giddy flight high in mid-air, and amidst 

 trees and near the mud villages thousands of parroquets 

 were screaming out either their surprise or welcome, and 

 flashing in the sun like a shower of emeralds. At night, 

 when the bivouac fires were lighted, and the camp had 

 sunk into repose, commenced the continued and mournful 

 yells of multitudes of jackals, intermixed with those of the 

 wolf and hyena, with the occasional addition, when encamped 

 near jungle or forest, of the roar of the tiger or screams of 

 the chetah. 



The mornings before sunrise and during the period of our 

 march were sometimes very cold, but by the time we had 

 arrived at our ground, and breakfast was prepared, the sun had 

 attained its full power, and the heat was tremendous ; but 

 this did not prevent me, in spite of blistered hands and face 

 (the skin of which was continually peeling off and re-forming, 

 so that during the period of a month I underwent several 

 complete changes of complexion), immediately after the per- 

 formance of the morning's duties, from invariably sallying 

 forth with my gun and attendant in search of sport and 



* Gaujhts. 



