222 A Sportswoman in India 



better than stimulants in a hot climate ; and after 

 all, it was just as well on these occasions to be cool 

 and clear-headed. And so we stuck to cold tea. 



The shikaris chose a bank sparsely covered with 

 deodars to stand on, to the left of us a small nullah, 

 in front of us the jungle sloped gradually away into 

 the distance. 



The beaters, as I said, had been sent on some miles 

 ahead in fact, to the extreme limit of this patch of 

 jungle. One party was to start from there in line, 

 beating towards us ; the second contingent was to act 

 as stops, standing at intervals, on one side lining the 

 country between ourselves and the beginning of the 

 beat, in order to try to turn any bear which should 

 try to break sideways, instead of coming straight on ; 

 the third party was distributed as stops opposite the 

 second party. 



We had a long wait long enough to cool the 

 most "jumpy " nerves when once they had grown 

 accustomed to that unbroken silence, which is apt to 

 become almost painful. 



The slightest rustle ! one sees visions and dreams 

 dreams ! Once a great red fox stole by, with a brush 

 almost as big as himself. And a picture he was ! In 

 the mind of the fox-hunting sahib rose recollections of 

 a marshy ride, of a whip at the corner of the cover 

 waving his cap, of the long, mournful, and withal 

 heart-stirring cry, " For-r-ad aw-aaay." We saw a 

 pig with a pair of curling tushes ; and then after that 

 again dead silence. 



