SHOT AT A BHEEL. 91 



permit us to enjoy, in which attempt he succeeded better 

 than myself. I was aroused from a sort of dreamy abstraction 

 by a slight rustling, and at a glance perceived a dark object 

 gradually insinuating itself beneath the folds of the tent. I 

 well knew that the slightest movement on my part would be 

 fatal to me, as these thieves always carry formidable daggers, 

 or creeses, with them, which they use with deadly effect on 

 the first chance of detection. 



I always kept a loaded pistol under the pillow or cushion 

 of my couch on retiring at night, so as to be ready to my 

 hand on any emergency, and our guns loaded with ball were 

 concealed in some convenient part of the tent. In this 

 instance I remained perfectly motionless, and feigned to be 

 asleep, until I could distinguish a slight rattling of plates, 

 and knives, and forks, that convinced me the thief was 

 rummaging the contents of our cowry baskets, which con- 

 tained all we possessed in the shape of a breakfast and 

 dinner service, and were carried slung on the shoulders of a 

 coolie from place to place. 



A glance satisfied me that this was the case, and that his 

 back was turned towards me. He was a muscular black 

 savage, perfectly naked, and evidently greased all over, and 

 had placed his curved-bladed knife, or creese, on the ground, 

 whilst he was silently and cautiously making up a bundle of 

 articles he was selecting from the cowry baskets. Aided by 

 the light of the moon, which was shining through the doors 

 of the tent, I grasped my pistol, gently raised myself, and 



taking steady aim just below the ribs, fired. D n and 



the servants were almost instantly aroused by the report, but 

 on looking around us we could perceive nothing of the bheel, 

 except a few drops of blood, and a track through the long 

 dry grass in the direction of the village ; nor indeed did we 

 see or hear more of him. He had even taken his creese with 

 him. 



