Caccabis Chakor 107 



spent in tramping the steep green hills of Kunmu 

 or Chashma Shahi, where the exquisite beauty of 

 the scenery, the lake shimmering below, the purple 

 mountains around, and all the glamour and tender 

 colouring found nowhere but in the "happy 

 valley," would make him declare himself careless 

 whether the chakor were lying well or not. Still, 

 my friend, when a bird, put up by the line far 

 above you, shot straight down over the guns, 

 and Bang ! bang ! bang ! came down the line, and 

 he was still going unscathed at eighty miles an 

 hour when he arrived above your head, and you 

 did remember to hold an almost incredible dis- 

 tance in front, and your inspiration was rewarded 

 by seeing him crumple up into a ball of feathers 

 and fall stone-dead 150 yards below you, when 

 all this did happen, I say, then for the moment 

 the beauties of the country of Lalla Rookh retired 

 into the background of sublimial consciousness, and 

 Caccabis chakor became the finest bird " that ever 

 did fly." 



