ELLORA SHOOTING. 8 1 



before the beaters, or an antelope, lynx, or hare darted across 

 our path ; emerging from the deep shade, and getting into 

 comparatively open ground, intersected by ravines full of 

 scrub and low jungle, the solitary florikan and coveys of 

 black partridge afforded us ample sport. Now and then 

 the ominous print of a tiger's or chetah's foot on the sandy 

 bed of a nullah * proclaimed the presence of these marauders 

 at no very great distance ; but we only obtained the sight of 

 one tiger during this visit we made to Ellora, and that was 

 when returning late one evening through a glade of the 

 forest we distinctly observed a magnificent royal tiger stalk 

 majestically across the same opening we were pursuing, 

 about two hundred yards in advance, but without taking the 

 slightest notice of us. The following night, Johnson, having 

 selected a tree to suit his purpose, adopted his usual method 

 of obtaining a shot at the animal, and having fastened a 

 goat to the trunk of a large tamarind-tree, established him- 

 self in a fork of the branches some thirty or forty feet 

 above, with his two rifles conveniently placed to his hand. 

 I mounted a banyan-tree close by, with my double gun 

 loaded with ball. Several hours of the early part of the 

 moonlight night were most uncomfortably spent (by me at 

 least), undisturbed by any sound save the cries of wild 

 animals in the distance, and the bleatings of the kid beneath 

 us. At length, when nearly wearied out, and very much 

 disposed to descend from my elevated position, and return to 

 my couch amongst the gods, I espied a large grey wolf 

 issue from the forest, and make his way in a slow, clumsy 

 canter towards our place of concealment. He had no sooner 

 made a short, ravenous snap at the poor goat, than I heard 

 the sharp crack of Johnson's rifle, and observed the wolf 

 totter and fall on his side, make one or two convulsive con- 



* Dry water-course. 

 G 



