100 THE INDIAN GAZELLE. 



long before I discovered some. They were, indeed, tolerably plentiful, but so wild that for 

 a long time I was unable to approach within shot. At last four does galloped past within 

 about eighty yards, and I bowled one of them over : on going up to her I found that the 

 bullet had merely severed the windpipe, cutting the throat as cleanly as if it had been done 

 with a knife. 



Shortly afterwards, as I was proceeding homewards, I saw a buck looking at me, and he 

 remained motionless while I fired a steady shot at him at a hundred and fifty yards : he fell 

 dead, and I found, to my surprise, that the bullet had cut his throat in exactly the same 

 manner as the doe's. 



The next time I went to Nangloi I was more successful, bagging four Chikarajn the 

 course of a day ; and I never subsequently visited the place without killing at least one or 

 two buck. 



The best pair of horns that I secured fell to a neat but rather lucky shot. I had been 

 hunting in vain for Chikara, which were, at the season, nearly all concealed in the standing 

 crops. At length, as I was walking across a field where, owing to the sandiness of the soil, 

 the crop was stunted and scanty, I observed a pair of horns showing just above the corn. 

 The range was rather a long one, being upwards of a hundred and fifty yards, but as 

 my only chance I aimed just below the horns and fired. On walking up to the spot I found 

 a fine buck lying dead. His horns measured thirteen and a quarter inches. 



There is not much variety in Gazelle shooting, and after shooting a few, a keen sports- 

 man will tire of killing such beautiful little creatures, which neither afford valuable trophies 

 nor greatly exercise the stalker's skill ; but when there is no better game to be found, an 

 occasional day after them will at least serve to keep the hunter from becoming rusty in the 

 use of his rifle. 



