276 Sport and Life in the Further Himalaya 



whispered, " Look, sahib, a stag and two hinds ! " 

 " Where?" I whispered. "Straight opposite," 

 he said ; " they are visible to the naked eye." 

 I was looking at the ground close in front of 

 me, expecting from Kamzana's excitement to 

 see them quite near. Suddenly I felt his 

 fingers close about the nape of my neck. 

 " There, sahib, there there there!" he said, 

 jerking my head forward in the required 

 direction. 



Very fortunately for him, just at that moment 

 I did catch sight of the beasts ; otherwise, the 

 humour of the situation could scarcely have saved 

 him. I have often since laughed at the remem- 

 brance of his cold, strong fingers round my neck, 

 and wondered if my peaceful submission en- 

 couraged him -to try his original method with 

 other sahibs and with what result. Anyhow, 

 the fact remains that my resentment was for- 

 gotten in the excitement of examining the deer. 

 The stag and hinds were not near, but some 

 500 or 600 yards off, close to the forest. He 

 was a ten-pointer and a good one, but the stalk 

 seemed difficult. Though the wind was right, 

 the ground in front was open, and a hare could 

 not have crossed it without being seen. The 

 beasts were, on the other hand, so close to the 

 wood that if we tried a stalk that way, it was 



