40 SPORTING AND 



our taking half-a-dozen soldiers with us as 

 beaters ; as they would have their muskets, 

 he thought, in case we came across any 

 hostile Nepaulese, and twelve of us could 

 make a good running fight back to camp. 

 He insisted also upon our observing the 

 strictest caution and prudence, and then 

 kindly wished us good sport. When it 

 was known that we required half-a-dozen 

 volunteers to accompany us, the whole de- 

 tachment said they were ready, and we had 

 much difficulty in making them understand 

 that we would only take six. We allowed 

 them to select the required number them- 

 selves, it was done, after a great deal of 

 discussion, as all wished to come, and the 

 lucky ones were told to be ready to accom- 

 pany us at sunrise the next morning. On 

 issuing from our tents we found them ready, 

 with their muskets and pouch belts filled 



