most comfortable for wear whilst out after large game, and I had entire suits made of different colours, so as to suit the ground I was going to shoot

over.

Round my waist I always wore a stout, broad leather-belt, with an iron ring substantially fastened at the back, to which I could fasten a strong silk cord. This I found of great use as a safeguard in case of having to descend any steep slope or narrow ledge of rock when in the pursuit of game.

In my belt I carried a small double-barrelled pistol (a revolver would have been preferable), a double field-glass, a small pouch for ammunition, a leather case containing flint, steel, and tinder, and a straight double-edged hunting-knife, which, with the glass and pistol, had small rings attached, so as to enable me to fasten them by thin cords to my belt, to prevent their being lost.

In my pocket I carried a pricker, a nipple wrench, turnscrew, spare nipples, and a little instrument for filling the nipples with fresh powder.

Chineah, my head shekarry, carried a telescope, by Dollond, and a brandy flask slung over his shoulders, a shekar knife, and small axe in his belt, and my favourite rifle, with its ammunition. Besides which, he always managed to stow away for me a pair of clean socks, which I found a great luxury after a severe fag.

Googooloo, who was my best tracker, always kept at my heels, with my second gun, and carried in his belt a knife, a bill-hook for cutting the way through thick jungle, and a few rounds of ammunition.

Mootoo (short for Choury Moottoo), Veerapah, Narinah, and Rungasawmy, trackers, each carried a spare gun with its ammunition, and a knife with a saw, bill-hook, or axe in his belt.

Ramasawmy (a preparer of skins) carried a large backwoodsman's axe, as well as the implements of his profession, and Perriatumbee, who usually went by the abbreviation of "the Gooroo," on account of his having some pretensions to priestcraft, carried a large leather "mushuk" or skin containing water.

To Naga, the Mulliarry whom Chineah had enlisted in his late reconnaissance, I entrusted a gun, and furnished him with the bill-hook and short spear, with which weapons all my people were armed, as they served not only as a protection, in case any of them were detached, but also as a kind of badge which showed they belonged to the shekar gang. Besides my own regular shekarries, I engaged four coolies to carry my traps through jungle-paths where carts or ponies could not go.

I had given orders to my head servant to see that every man was provided with a new pair of " chupples" or sandals, a dark "langooty" or waist-cloth, and a "combley jule" or country blanket, made of

coarse wool, as I could not afford to have any of them laid up with sore feet or illness; and the day before they were to start I had an inspection parade, at which each man appeared in his new tog, equipped for the road.

B— did the same with his followers, and we had our tents pitched, our horses and dogs picketed, and our coolies, baggage-ponies, and bullocks examined, so that we might be certain that nothing requisite was left behind, and everything in order.

We had a large double tent for ourselves, whilst en route, fitted with cuscus-grass tatties, a hill-tent and a bachoba (a tent without pole) for jungle work, two bell-tents for our people, and a large "shamiana' or canvas screen, to sling between trees or fasten on poles, so as to shelter our horses from the intense heat of the midday sun.

My stud consisted of two Arabs (first-rate horses for cross country after hog), "Gooty," a Mahratta shooting-pony, who could do everything but speak, and an Australian mare, which I generally rode on the march, and sometimes, when the road was good, drove in the cart. B had two horses and two ponies, and we had besides hired four baggage-tattoos and four carriage-bullocks for our tents and baggage.

My servants, who were almost all Mussulmen, consisted of Yacoob Khan, my head man, "Five Minutes," my cook, Hassan, a hooka-badar, Cassim

Bey, and Lall Khan, two youngsters who waited at table and helped me to dress, a waterman, a tentLascar, four "syces" or grooms, four grass-cutters, two dog-boys, and two soldiers, who, in cantonment, were supposed to keep my regimentals in order, but when on a shekar expedition made themselves generally useful.

B's followers numbered more than a dozen, so that altogether the gang, our servants, coolies, and camp-followers amounted to about forty individuals.

They all paraded in marching trim, to receive a small advance of pay to be left with their families, and I gave them a trifle to be expended in making caste ceremonies, and offering Poojahs to their favourite deities, so that each might propitiate his Sawmy for good luck on the expedition.

The Gooroo rendered himself very conspicuous by killing a sheep in front on an image of Cajasouramardanam (the god of Hunting) who is represented with four arms, having a lance in two hands and curious reptiles in the others, clad in a tiger's skin, and seated upon that of an elephant.

CHAPTER X.

THE SHEVEROYS.

Departure of the gang.-Our start.-The journey.-Salem.The Sheveroy hills, and our reception.-Anglo-Indian hospitality. Claret cup.-News of bison and bears.-Googooloo on trail. We follow.-A bull-bison lost.-The news of bears confirmed. Their habits described.

AL

LL were in good spirits, and it would have been a curious sight for a stranger from Europe to have witnessed the departure of our party as they filed through the gateway in front of my bungalow, singing an extemporary song descriptive of the great sporting feats they were going to perform.

First came our eight horses in their head-stalls and jules (stable-clothing), with their saddles loosely girthed, each led by his respective syce or groom and followed by the grasscutter, who carried the head and heel ropes, gram (a kind of bean), and cookingpots, &c. Then came my two dog-boys, one with a couple of Anglo-Persian greyhounds, and the other with four huge creatures of the Poligar breed, famous animals to lay after a wounded deer, or to