OUR SHOOTING GHOUND. 241 



"winds, and a closer inspection of the danger- 

 ous little rifle she carried made me form the 

 dastardly resolution, that let him who would 

 take care of her, I would put myself out of 

 range of any stray shots. It is no doubt 

 a stupid prejudice on my part, but I never 

 could get over the conviction that Venus 

 ought to let Cupid do all her shooting 

 for her. 



The ground to be shot over was a stretch 

 of low hills and shallow valleys, covered knee 

 deep in brown ferns, and frightfully thorny 

 briars. Here and there a clump of forest 

 intervened, and in these clumps the going was 

 simply impracticable without a free use of the 

 kinjal. 



One reckless dragoon attempted to ride 

 through the first tract of the kind, but a mesh 

 of wild vine had him under the chin before 

 he had gone many yards, and the horse grow- 

 ing restive the gallant warrior was as neatly 



VOL. II. R 



