192 THE SPOTTED DEER. 



On the 23rd, M., having given up shooting and returned home, I was encamped by 

 myself in the Andera Kohl, one of the narrow valleys or glens which intersect the Sewalik 

 hills. My tent was close to the stream, and a couple of Elephants were picketed within 

 fifty yards. On awaking this morning I felt tired and disinclined to go out, so I called my 

 Shikari and ordered him to go and shoot a peafowl. As I was speaking, a Kakur barked on 

 the opposite bank, so I went out in my shirt and slippers to look for him, and immediately 

 saw a stag Chital standing in the water not more than seventy yards off. His tail was turned 

 towards me, and I fired and missed him, but to my astonishment he never stirred ! I fired 

 again and broke his shoulder, but he still remained motionless, his fore-leg dangling loose ! 

 I sent my Shikari for my gun, which he brought me, and at the same time informed me 

 that a Tiger had gone up the hill behind my tent. I finished the Chital with a ball from 

 my gun, and heard the Tiger growl in answer to my shot. On enquiry I found that the 

 Tiger had been stalking the Chital at the same time as myself. He was among some long 

 grass, not twenty yards from me, nor fifty from the tents, when I fired the first shot, on 

 hearing which he had jumped up with a growl and walked up the hill close to my servants. 

 I immediately mounted an Elephant and went after him, but was unable to find him. The 

 Chital must have been aware that the Tiger was stalking him, and become paralysed from 

 fear. I have been told of other instances where deer were so terrified by Tigers that they 

 appeared to be unable even to make an effort to escape. 



On the 25th, I came on a herd of Chital in the rather open jungle at the foot of some 

 low hills, to which they betook themselves. I carefully followed them, and at length succeed- 

 ed in making a capital stalk at an old stag. He was quietly feeding in company with two 

 or three hinds on a small open flat on the top of a hill. On reaching the summit and looking 

 carefully over, I found myself within seventy yards, but the stag was feeding straight away 

 from me. It was early morning, and as the rising sun shone on his glossy coat, I thought that 

 I had never seen a more beautiful animal. At length he turned his head, and I instantly 

 sent a bullet through his neck, dropping him stone-dead : he was in perfect condition, with a 

 very bright skin, much splashed with white ; his horns were also very fine. In the evening I 

 made a pretty shot at another stag at full gallop, sending him crashing down into a deep 

 narrow ravine. 



Another morning I ordered my camp, which was pitched by the edge of a small stream in 

 one of the ' kohls', to be moved to a place about five miles off. In order to reach this, my 

 baggage animals had to descend the valley they were in to its mouth, and then skirt along 

 the hills, which would take a considerable time. 



I determined to take the short cut across the hills, in the hopes of meeting with game on 

 the way ; and I accordingly took my rifle and a couple of attendants and strolled leisurely 

 through the forest. A ridge or two were crossed without seeing any thing, but at length on 

 reaching the brow of an undulating hill, I had the pleasure of seeing a splendid stag with about 

 half a dozen hinds, on an opposite slope. They were quite unsuspicious as they cropped the 

 short sweet grass which was just sprouting through the light coating of ashes left by the 

 annual burning of the jungle ; a practice which, although highly detrimental, and indeed destruc- 



