54 The Hunting Grounds 



effect, in your best Hindostani ' One glassful to 

 be taken every quarter of an hour, or oftener if 

 required.' Ugh! ugh! ugh! Let me see that'll 

 just allow sax glasses, by rule, for the hour and 

 a half, I shall be at my breakfast, and that's no 

 allowing for the little requirings. Ugh! ugh! 

 ugh!" 



I wrote the label as directed, and the draught 

 was despatched to the begum, with plenty of 

 salaam from the doctor, who grunted and purred 

 like an old torn cat, from extreme satisfaction, 

 until he fell asleep in his chair. 



Almost at this moment the Patel returned with 

 the two villagers, accompanied by Chineah, my 

 head shekarry or huntsman, with the rest of my 

 gang, which numbered about a dozen at that time. 



Chineah was quite a celebrated character in his 

 way, and merits description. He was middle-sized, 

 of dark olive colour, rather slightly made, with 

 small quick eyes, placed very much apart, a strag- 

 gling moustache, and an apology for a beard, in 

 the shape of a few stiff hairs, sticking out like 

 cat's whiskers, from the point of his chin, which he 

 pulled and twisted about most violently whenever 

 he got excited. 



He wore an old cast-off green shooting-coat, a 

 dirty brown langooty or waistcoat, untanned deer- 

 skin gaiters, and soldiers' ammunition boots, which 



