CHAPTER XXXII 



A RUSSIAN PRINCE 



THREE messengers, sent by the Tassildar, catch us 

 up. They bring rice, millet, flour, potatoes, and 

 several bits of news. 



"There is another white Sahib following behind 

 us. He can't be far off now. They say he is a 

 Russian Prince and that he has engaged a crowd of 

 bearers and pays enormously high wages. He is 

 also going to shoot markhor in the Numlah Nullah ! " 



Bazaar gossip, of course ! The Indian is always 

 eager to hear and to tell something new. 



Paul draws a long face, and the shikaris want to 

 press forward to the markhor gorge before the 

 Russian Prince can get there. 



" Ridiculous nonsense ! The times are long past 

 when white men ran races for the best game regions. 

 All shooting matters are now severely settled by rule- 

 of-three at the Srinagar Game Department. Each 

 aspirant receives a clearly defined district, and may 

 only shoot a certain number of heads of game. For 

 every sixty rupees one is entitled to shoot two 



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