274 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



mortem examination being made, in each of their stomachs 

 was found a ball of hair as large as a tennis-ball — their own 

 hair, which they had licked off and swallowed. Cats do 

 this sometimes, bringing it up, and so relieving themselves ; 

 but we never knew any animal but our little ibex kids to 

 die from this cause. 



Having secured as many half -grown ibex as were required 

 for the purpose already stated, F.'s attention was concen- 

 trated upon a bull bison, which, as I have said, was one 

 reason for the tiger's being let off scot-free. We had come 

 up with him a few days previously, but it was nearly a fort- 

 night before his head and hide were to grace the camp. 

 That following up of the quarry, with the turnings and 

 doublings of craft versus craft, was the element in this sport 

 which held such a special charm for F. — not the shooting ; 

 that he liked least. Experiences many and varied can crowd 

 themselves into a moment, yet take long a-telling, but the 

 story of what F. suffered at the horns of that bison, who 

 cost him his pet rifle into the bargain (a piece of mischief 

 not forgotten or forgiven), was after another sort, so here I 

 ' cry pause.' 



