LUTCHMAN THE BEYDAR. 81 



knob strikes the ground the curled portion swings 

 over it, describing a circle. The knob now jerks 

 away a few feet and another circle is described, 

 and so on a series of loops or circles are made by 

 the stick until finally it falls to rest. Any hare 

 or jackal within a range of several yards from the 

 spot where the knob first touches the ground is 

 almost certain to be knocked down by the stick in 

 its gyrations. If thrown among a lot of birds the 

 weapon does great damage. I have seen as many 

 as six quail killed with a single throw. The other 

 method of throwing the kirasoo is far more difficult 

 and requires very considerable skill. The stick is 

 swung round the head several times, and then 

 launched forward. After a straight flight of about 

 twenty yards it makes a series of zig-zags upwards 

 and then drops. Among a flock of pigeons in 

 flight this does great execution, killing and maiming 

 many. 



My friend Lutchman, the Beydar, was an expert 

 with the curled stick, and would do far more 

 execution with it among the birds than I with my 

 double-barrelled shot-gun. Innumerable blue rock 

 pigeons take up their abode in the old pits and 

 shafts of the ancient gold-workings seen on the 

 auriferous tracts in Mysore. The mouths of these 

 shafts are generally concealed by scrubby thorn 

 bushes. Our method was to approach as quietly 

 as possible, and when within a few yards to throw 

 some stones, when out would fly a great flock of 

 birds. Bang ! bang ! would go both my barrels, 

 and whizz went Lutchman' s kirasoo ; we each 



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