A SHOOT IN INDIA IN 1911-12 151 



without any cover, I was not prepared to take 

 the risk of firing at him with the '350 from a 

 standing position. I sat down, but the grass 

 in the clearing obscured my view of the animal. 

 I accordingly tried to reach some trees, which 

 were about 80 yards from the buffalo on his right 

 flank, intending to fire from there. The buffalo, 

 however, would not allow me to approach so 

 near, and cantered off into the jungle. 



We continued the march to Taurenga and hunted 

 for a day there, but found only tracks of cows ; 

 so we decided to return and hunt the big bull. 

 Dhokuri, whom I had not sent for, turned up 

 while we were at Taurenga. I was very glad 

 to see him, and his flattery in the best Hindustani 

 he could muster, " Turn bara pakka goli dete 

 ho " (You shoot very straight), was evidently 

 sincere. 



On the way back through the clearing, where 

 we had seen the buffalo, I fortunately decided 

 to examine the ground, and found that if, instead 

 of advancing, I had retreated for forty or fifty 

 yards, there was a large stone, with some trees 

 in close proximity to it, upon which I might have 

 seated myself and fired with comparative safety. 

 On the next morning, in company with the 

 local shikari, we visited the clearing before dawn ; 

 but the bull was not there. We then visited 

 some other likely places without success ; and, 

 while we were thus engaged, the local shikari 

 left us, and, hunting on his own account, found 

 the track of the bull in some thick forest. We 

 followed the track in the afternoon, and after 

 some time came upon the bull standing in the 



