Shoots round a Hill Station 



etc., and invariably competed for everything he 

 could. We also got up soldiers' cricket elevens, 

 and played great matches in places where a 

 decent hit sent the ball right over the "khud" 

 (precipice). 



Shooting, however, I got none, and no one 

 seemed to think there was any till the most 

 fortunate arrival of one Captain Woodyatt, of 

 the Gurkhas. He signalized his arrival by a 

 most sporting event at a gymkhana, carrying a 

 man over twelve stone I'm not sure he wasn't 

 thirteen for fifty yards against a fleet-footed 

 police-officer running a hundred. He was a most 

 keen and experienced shikari, and kindly offered 

 to pilot me out directly the rains were over. 



One bright morning in July we started our 

 tents and impedimenta off, and followed ourselves 

 on ponies after lunch. Our way led along a 

 very fair mountain-path that connects Tehri, the 

 capital town of Gurwal, with Mussoorie. Here 

 I must digress to say a word about Gurwal and 

 its inhabitants. It lies on the borders of Nepaul, 

 and, without going deep into its history, it was 

 at one time practically overrun by its war- 

 like neighbours, the Gurkhas. We, however, put 

 things straight, and reinstated the present line of 

 rajahs ; they, in their turn, gave us some aid 

 during the Indian Mutiny. It is now an indepen- 

 dent state. There are Gurwali regiments in our 



