a 
NOTES ON SAMBHUR AND SAMBHUR STALKING. 225 
Satpuras, at and near the Taptee River. The greatest bag I have 
ever made of sambhur was seven sambhur in six days during 
Christmas, 1879, and my lowest bag for the same period has been 
nil, working over the same ground and with equal opportunities. 
On the latter occasion my companion scarcely ever missed a day 
without getting a shot at a good stag, whilst I had but one shot the 
whole trip, which I missed. You will thus see there is a great 
element of chance in stalking. In December and January the 
sambhur are not in the hills, but inhabit the huge jungles which are 
found in the Satpuras generally within a mile or two of cultivation. 
In the night they wander sometimes into the cultivation near the 
jungle, or feed on favourite berries in the jungle itself. About 9 
A. M., they retire into thick shade, more often in nullahs or at the 
tops of nullahs, and remain lying down till about 4p. m. The jungle 
being thick and the grass high at this time of the year the sambhur 
is difficult to see, and if he remains in view for any period the 
branch of a tree or some high grass may spoil the sportsman’s 
aim. Sometimes, however, he presents an easy shot. Thave occa- 
sionally walked quite on to them sleeping in a nullah in the middle 
of the day. The sambhur then rises hurriedly and makes off as 
fast as he can go. On the other hand if the sambhur hears one 
ata distance of 100 or 200 yards he rises and takes a good look to 
see who it is before making his rush. 
AN ADVENTURE. 
I do not propose to give you a scientific dissertation on the sam- 
bhur; but only a few notes of unusual adventures I have had out 
sambhur stalking taken from my shikar diary, written on the spot 
and at the time of their occurrence. My practise is to go with a 
small tent and as little kit as possible, taking with me all supplies 
for self and men. Sometimes I have had a companion with me, but 
more often I have gone alone. Even if one has a companion, he 
goes out in a different direction, so that one sees little of him except 
at night. I make one shikaree walk in front of me and one im- 
mediately behind, 50 yards or so behind. I have two other spare 
trackers or shikarees of sorts. Behind these a coolie carrying my 
photographic kit, and still further behind him my pony and a man 
carrying the tiffin basket. From dawn till10 a.m.Iwork. I then 
find a cool place near water, where I stay till 3 p. m. »My men 
always cook and eat their morning meal at this period. From 3 p.m. 
