404 The Hunting Grounds 



some distance below the place where I saw the 

 smoke, and again gaining it on the opposite height, 

 from whence, with the aid of my glass, I could see 

 the objects of our search, reclining round a fire, 

 apparently very jolly on the strength of their success. 



After having made as careful a survey as the 

 wooded nature of the ground would allow, we ad- 

 vanced towards them as noiselessly as possible, 

 keeping well under cover, until we came to the edge 

 of the open, where the horses were grazing, from 

 whence we got a full view of the party, which 

 appeared to be five in number ; one of whom was 

 washing his mouth in the stream, a second super- 

 intending the cooking, and the others smoking and 

 lolling about on the ground, evidently quite un- 

 suspicious of danger. 



Knowing the effect of a surprise, I determined, if 

 possible, to accomplish our purpose without bloodshed, 

 and, observing their rude fire-arms resting against a 

 boulder of rock, I resolved to get as near as possible 

 by stalking and then make a simultaneous dash. 



By dint of creeping on our hands and knees, and 

 taking advantage of the cover of bushes, rocks, and 

 undulations in the ground, we got to within a dozen 

 yards of the three fellows lying down, on whom we 

 made a rush, and, after a momentary struggle, over- 

 powered by laying about us with the butt-end of our 

 rifles. The two others bolted into the jungle on the 



