FOR THE HIMALAYAS. 13 



inclines outwards when the hilt reaches B, and closes with a 

 *' click " over the hilt when the knife is home. To draw the knife, 

 the right thumb is inserted under B, raising the spring off the 

 hilt, upon which the fingers withdraw the knife. In the sketch of 

 the hilt, looking along the knife from the top of the handle, the 

 spring E is shown closed on it. 



Telescopes and Binoculars. There are many excellent patterns to 

 be bought, but, if comfort is sought, have a pair of light aluminium 

 binoculars, and carry them in a pocket on the outside of the left 

 breast. They are out of the way there, handy, and comfortable. 

 They should weigh little. A telescope is excellent for examining a 

 herd and fixing on the best head, but its field is too small to search 

 a hillside and look for game. It is not so portable and handy 

 when stalking, and was abandoned by the writer as not worth its 

 weight, and the trouble of adjusting and using. Binocular teles- 

 copes are unhandy for the sportsman himself to carry, and one 

 person is quite enough to stalk wary game, without an assistant 

 following at his heels. In stalking, it may be said, one person 

 makes a " noise," two make a " bobberie," three make a "tumasha," 

 and four well, they generally frighten the game away before 

 they commence the stalk at all ! 



Adjust the glasses very carefully on arrival at high altitudes, 

 say 8000ft., making quite sure they are right for your vision at 

 about quarter of a mile ; then make a good mark on the inner 

 tube, so that you can always adjust before putting them into your 

 pocket of a morning. You will find much valuable time saved ; I 

 never carried them closed, once I learnt what time meant. 



The Cartridge Bag is useful at all times, either to carry gun- 

 cartridges when after birds, or the various items enumerated below 

 when out with the rifle. It should be carried by the shikarie, and 

 contain cleaning apparatus, spare pouch, reserve box of ammuni- 

 tion (ten rounds), skinning knives, measuring tape, small tin for 

 luncheon, flask, pipe, and tobacco. A well-made bag of the size 

 for 100 gun-cartridges will carry all these. 



The Cleaning Apparatus may be carried in a very small leather 

 pouch, such as one generally buys a brush and string in for spong- 

 ing a gun out. In it should be a strong whipcord, about 1ft. 

 longer than the barrel, with a loop at one end and a long lead 

 plummet at the other. The plummet must be considerably smaller 

 in diameter than the bore, so as to slide through easily. After 



