1 84 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



A convulsive kick or two, and all was still. Nine- 

 teen hands high of flesh and bone had succumbed 

 to an ounce and a half of lead. Five feet seven 

 and a half inches gave the circuit of his horns 

 from tip to tip. He was in his prime, not a bit 

 aged, and in splendid condition. 



Kartik was sent off to collect the villagers to 

 bring in the spoil, while I tried the soothing in- 

 fluence of a cigar. Not the slightest fatigue did 

 I feel. The excitement and triumph had carried 

 that off, and I felt fit for another ten-mile tramp. 

 Skilful hands were soon engaged disembowelling 

 him, and even after this, it was as much as thirty 

 men could do to get him on to a sugger (village 

 cart) and take him on to the station, as I wished 

 personally to superintend the flaying. 



" Well, Ned ! drawn a blank ? " said the 

 Adjutant. a Thought so. Knew you would spoil 

 matters with your hurry. Now, if you had 

 waited a bit till I was ready, we should have 

 had something to show for all our trouble. 

 Didn't think you would sling a bison at your 

 waist, like a brace of snipe ? No, old boy. 'Tis 

 your gills I look at. No triumph there. White, 

 man ! white ! Gory is the colour of success. Never 

 mind, Ned ; take a peg, old man, it will cheer 

 you up. But all said and done, old man, it is a 

 beastly shame your spoiling our day's sport with 

 your impatience. It is just the way with you 

 fellows who know nothing of game and their 

 ways." 



Quietly imbibing my peg, I told him the tale 



