94 The Hunting Grounds 



ciliated, " you must give us the history of the 

 gang." 



"Yes, yes !" vociferated the rest, " let us have it." 



" Very well, gentlemen," said I, drawing in a long 

 pull at my hookah ; " I shall begin with Chineah, 

 my head shekarry. He is the son of my old water- 

 man, and has been in my service since he was quite 

 a boy, when he used to carry my powder and shot, 

 and act as a beater when I went after snipe. I found 

 him very clever in marking down birds, and he 

 seemed to take such an intense delight in going out 

 with me that I bred him up to the work, and taught 

 him to clean and look after my guns, which you 

 know he does now to perfection. This is seven years 

 ago, and now I should hardly know what to do with- 

 out him. 



" He is devoted to my interests, very cool and 

 steady in time of danger, a first-rate hand in picking 

 up news of game, and never so happy as when out 

 in the deep jungle. His only fault is, that he is at 

 times too fond of rackee (spirits), and has too large 

 an establishment of the fair sex, who are always 

 squabbling and fighting for him in the servants' 

 outhouses." 



" Oh, yes," said W , " I know him of old ; 



but tell me about Googooloo, and let us hear where 

 you picked him up." 



" GoogoolooV history is a strange one/' I answered, 



