28 TJie Hunting Grounds 



evening breeze. A light and airy costume, con- 

 sisting of silk long drawers, shirt sleeves, and 

 slippers, was the order of the day ; some of the 

 dandies amongst us indulging their penchant by 

 " coming out " in gorgeous smoking caps, fancy 

 muslin shirts, gold or silver kinkob pajamas (loose 

 drawers), and embroidered papouches (slippers). 



We were a motley gathering of all arms. There 

 were Light Cavalry and Light Bobs, Queen's and 

 Company's, Kegulars and Irregulars, old weather- 

 beaten veterans, bearded like the Druids of old, 

 who had passed a quarter of a century in the 

 country; and smooth-faced youngsters, who had 

 not yet passed the first year of their yriffinage; yet 

 all were in the same state of excitement at the 

 thoughts of the morrow's sport. 



As we sat, waiting until dinner was announced, 

 enjoying the murmuring, gurgling melody of our 

 hookahs, or the fragrant weed in the shape of a 



Manilla or Trichinopoly cheroot, N , who was 



the originator of the expedition, proceeded to 

 unfold the programme of the morrow's sport. 



We were to partake of an early breakfast at 

 three A.M., and mounting our hacks, were to pro- 

 ceed to the scene of action, near Raneepet, a 

 village about twelve miles distant, where our 

 tents and best cross-country horses had been des- 

 patched the day previous. Our shekarries and 



