io6 Sport and Life in the Further Himalaya 



bounds into the river, throwing up columns of 

 spray and leaving clouds of dust in their track. 

 To keep the birds moving, matchlocks are con- 

 tinually fired off by the men crowning the cliffs 

 above, and also by the beaters on the other side ; 

 and what with these and the guns on the mole, 

 and the shouting, the thunder of rocks, and every 

 sound echoed backwards and forwards from rock 

 to rock, one might imagine a terrific engagement 

 taking place. The excitement and noise go on 

 increasing till in ten minutes a climax is reached 

 and it subsides again. 



The same drive can be done several times in a 

 season. There was one drive conveniently near 

 Chitral which my Chitrali orderly used continually 

 to propose till I had to protest. "Why, we only 

 did that one last week for the third time." 

 "What matter?" he replied. "The birds will 

 certainly be there. These chakor" he added, 

 " have no shame." 



Though driving would nearly always be a better 

 way of killing chakor than by walking them up, 

 it must not be supposed that the latter plan is 

 never successful. For instance, in Kashmir, where 

 the mountain-sides are covered with low scrub, in 

 which birds lie, a line of guns can have capital 

 fun. Many is the sportsman at home who looks 

 back with longing and regret on delightful days 



