feet upon the dead leaves sends a thrill through the beating heart of the expectant sportsman.  A few bears break back amid wild yells from the coolies.  One or two odd ones dart out here and there at angles of the covert.  Steady!  Steady!  Here they are, following the lead of yon fine old cock; with a whirr and a rush the bouquet is upon us.  The shikari, mad with excitement, presses the second Gatling and the light Howitzer into our hands as he screams:  ’Bear to right, sahib!—­Bear over!!—­Bear behind!!!  Bang—­bang!’”

“Eh?  What?  Oh, all right, shikari.  Honk finished?  Is it?  Saw nothing?  Dear me! how very odd.  Very well, then gather up my guns and things, and we’ll go on to the next beat.”

Sunday, October 1.—­To-day being Sunday, we have been idle and happy—­sketching, loafing, and enjoying the scenery and the glorious weather.  Our bear-honk yesterday was only productive of annas to the beaters, but we picked up some chikor on the way home, and we have found mushrooms growing close to the hut, so that our lower natures are also satisfied.  After lunch I mustered up energy sufficient to take me down to the village to sketch a native hut which, surrounded by a patch of flaming millet, had struck me on Friday as an extraordinary bit of colour.  Jane and Walter, after many “prave ’orts” about climbing the ridge behind Drogmulla, contented themselves with a minor ascent of a knoll about fifty feet high, while the Lancer, reckless in his increasing activity, managed to trip over his crutches and give himself an extremely unfortunate fall.

Monday, October 2.—­There was a man who, during our bear-honk on Saturday, rendered himself conspicuous, partly by reason of his likeness to my shikari, and also because of his complete knowledge of the whereabouts of all bears for many miles around.  He was quite glad to impart much information to us, and so won upon the sporting but too trustful heart of the brave Colonel, that he was retained by that officer in order that he might show sport to the Philistines, and annas and even rupees were bestowed upon him; and he and the old original “Snake” were sent forward on Saturday evening, as Joshua and Caleb, to spy out the promised land in the neighbourhood of Tregam.

Lured by rumours of many bears, Walter and I set forth at daylight for Tregam, leaving Jane and the youthful Lancer (once more, alas! reduced to stiff bandages and a painful relapse) in possession of the hut.  We “hadna gane a mile—­a mile but barely twa,” when the old shikari met us with the painful intelligence that two sahibs were already at Tregam, and had killed many bears there, grievously wounding the rest; so we altered course eight points to port, crossed the Pohru, and made for Rainawari.

A sharp climb over a wooded ridge (on the top of which we halted for breakfast), followed by a steep descent, brought us into a flat and well-cultivated plain, which sloped gently from the foothills of the Kaj-nag to the bed of the Pohru.  Everywhere, in the glowing sunlight, the villagers were busily engaged in reaping the rice, which lay in ripe brown swathes along the little fields.  The walnuts, of which there are a great plenty in this district, have been lately gathered, some few trees only still remaining, loaded with a heavy crop, but the main produce lay drying in heaps in the villages as we rode through.