THE NARBADA VALLEY 49 



country favourable to them, to keep down the numbers 

 of these prolific and wary creatures; and it is a perfect 

 godsend to them when the European sportsman hits on 

 their neighbourhood as a hunting-groimd. 



There are many ways of circumventing them. Living 

 quite in the open they rely principally on the sense of 

 sight for protection, although at times warned also by 

 their power of smell. One way is to drive up to them 

 in one of the bullock-carts commonly used in agriculture. 

 The native shikari often gets near them by creeping up 

 behind a screen of leaves which he works before him. 

 Where they have not been much harassed the European 

 sportsman, in sad-coloured garments, can usually stalk in 

 on them when passing between the grass plains and the 

 crops. In the very early morning, if a station be taken 

 up in their usual route, they are nearly sure to come 

 within shot, the grunting of the bucks warning the sports- 

 man of their approach some time before they emerge 

 from the darkness. One of the most successful and 

 interesting plans is to ride a steady shooting horse nearly 

 up to the herd. When within say four hundred yards, 

 slip ofi and walk on the ofi side of the horse in such a 

 direction as will lead past the herd within shot, if possible 

 on the down-wind side. If they have been so shot at 

 in this way as to be shy of the horse, take a groom and 

 pass them further ofi; and when a convenient bush or 

 hillock intervenes drop behind, and let the man lead the 

 horse on, passing well clear of the herd. They will 

 probably be so intent on watching them out of the way, 

 that you will generally be able to creep in on them without 

 much difficulty. Shots at antelope in populous districts 

 are seldom got much under 150 yards nowadays, which 

 is, however, near enough for modern rifles to make sure 

 work. One great advantage of employing a horse in 

 stalking is that it will often enable you to follow and 

 spear a wounded buck which might otherwise escape. If 

 you have a brace of good greyhoimds in the distance 

 ready to slip, the chances will be still better. A wounded 

 buck often gives a beautiful run with greyhoimds, which 

 have never been known to catch an untouched and perfect 



