DESCRIPTION OF COUNTRY. I 5 



and Dera Ismail Khan principally resort during the hot months. The hill' is very steep and 

 rugged, and there is little vegetation on it ; a few wild olive trees, palm trees and thorny 

 bushes being the only green things to relieve the eye. On the top of the hill is a tolerably 

 level space around which the houses are built. Rain water for washing purposes is collected 

 in tanks constructed at the top of the hill, but the supply is very precarious, and all drinking 

 water is brought from the foot of the hills, a distance of eight miles, with an ascent of about 

 4,000 feet ! 



This hill, barren as it is, is the resort of great numbers of Markhoor and also of a few 

 Oorial. 



The Suleiman Range and other mountains just beyond our frontier are said to abound 

 with Markhoor of the largest size, and with other sorts of game ; but as yet these hunting 

 grounds are inaccessible to the English sportsman. 



The plains of India require little description. One monotonous deadlevel, generally 

 under cultivation, but with occasional tracts of low jungle, and expanses of waste land, 

 possesses no charms in the way of scenery, and the sport to be obtained is hardly more varied. 

 Antelope and Gazelles, and here and there Nilgai, are the only large game to be shot. 

 One sport indeed to be obtained here can never be called tame, — I allude to Pigsticking 

 which will be duly described in the chapter on the Boar. 



