CHAPTER VI 



BUCK AND BOAK BOUND MEEKUT 



AUGUST, in the plains of India, is by no means a 

 pleasant month ; its chief advantage is that, owing 

 to the great heat, parades and general stables are 

 got over early, leaving the heat of the day for rest. 

 My rest I took in expeditions after black buck. 

 We used to go out two together, one taking the 

 shot while the other was ready to ride the buck 

 with a hog spear, if he didn't drop at once ; by 

 this means no wounded buck was allowed to 

 escape, and we got some good gallops. On 

 August 4, two of us drove out some twelve miles, 

 after our duties had been got through, and, bagging 

 a good buck apiece with a young doe for the pot, 

 were back in time for dinner. A few days later I 

 saw a very fine light-coloured buck some ten miles 

 out from Meerut; he was feeding in some high 

 grass. I dismounted and took my rifle, but 

 directly I was on foot I lost sight of him. Mount- 

 ing my pony again, there he was chasing some 

 does round and round under some trees. I fixed 



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