Jungle By-Ways in India 



however, appear to be much the worse. I could 

 not understand it. ' But,' I thought, ' it is 

 easily finished now.' Misfortune and cartridges 

 were, however, to be my portion to-day. I now 

 found that Jitman had only brought out one 

 packet of -500, ten only ! Of these but three 

 remained, and with the possibilities of missfires 

 before me, I could not even count on having 

 three. 



My reflections on cartridge dealers and missfires 

 would not bear repeating. I could not, how- 

 ever, wish for them a worse fate than the ex- 

 perience I had been through. A close watch on 

 the bull made it obvious that he was hard hit, but 

 though he did not get up he maintained his close 

 watch on us. 'The small-bore,' I thought, and 

 whispered to Jitman to go and get it from Kanig 

 who was behind a neighbouring tree. To my rage 

 and disgust he came back without the rifle. In 

 his flight Kanig had carried nothing, apparently. 

 The rifle, his axe, and cloth were all lying in the 

 drain, and must be now within two or three yards 

 of where the bull was sitting. It was annoying. 

 There was nothing for it but to husband the 

 cartridges left me, and wait on the future. Having 

 got out of two tight places, I felt fairly confident 

 now (for the first time) of bagging the bison. We 

 watched him for some ten minutes or so, and 

 once his head dropped and he lay over side- 

 ways. ' Why, he's dead or d3dng ! ' I said. But I 



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