46 A CRUEL LESSON. 



half-way down, it was evident, from the increased uproar of 

 the beaters and the barking of the dogs near the centre of ' 

 the wood, that something was afoot there. On reaching the 

 spot, we found the wounded deer lying in a pool of water 

 in the steep rocky bed of a stream, with the curs baying 

 around it. The defenceless creature, a big milk-hind, was ' 

 unable to rise, for, in addition to a smashed leg from the 

 bullet, she had broken another among the slippery wet ' 

 rocks, in her endeavours to escape from the dogs. I was 

 stricken with remorse at seeing the poor animal lying help- ' 

 lessly there, with her large mild eyes turned reproachfully, 

 as it were, on her persecutors. It was a cruel lesson to me, 

 and never to be forgotten, and one from which much might i 

 be learnt in the cause of humanity. By this I do not mean ' 

 that even here, where the predatory animals keep them down 

 quite fast enough, hinds should never be shot — and good 

 yeld hinds killed in proper season are not the worst of 

 venison, — but I allude to the wanton, indiscriminate de- 

 struction of game at all seasons — an unsportsmanlike prac- 

 tice which, I regret to say, is by no means uncommon in a 

 country where there are no strict laws in force to prevent it, 

 and one which has ruined sport in many easily accessible and 

 mucli -frequented places, where game was formerly abundant. 

 With the smaller animals, such as gooral and kakur, it is 

 not always easy to discern the gender to which they belong ; 

 but with jurrow and suchlike large game this can seldom be 

 mistaken. 



After the deer had been put out of its misery, I left the 

 men to bring it down, and straightway returned to camp in a 

 mood that was more thoughtful than elated, although I must 

 confess to a pardonable amount of satisfaction at having 

 found the wounded hind. There was a good deal of wrang- 

 ling about the distribution of the spoil. But all was amical)ly 

 arranged by my two Goorkhas, who divided it witli their j 

 kookeries into small equal portions, and distributed it fairly 

 as far as it would go. 



