. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India. Hunting; Game protection. 38 DIARY OF A SPORTSMAN NATURALIST The older men used to say, confound them, that it was as good as a play that walk up the hill. Perhaps it was to them ! Arrived at the first machan the party halted, and the process of allotting machans for this the most important beat of the day was proceeded with. On such occasions and in such company this was a most anxious moment for the youngsters, and my rueful face gave rise to uproarious mirth, in which the girls merrily joined, when I was allotted the machan we were standing be
. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India. Hunting; Game protection. 38 DIARY OF A SPORTSMAN NATURALIST The older men used to say, confound them, that it was as good as a play that walk up the hill. Perhaps it was to them ! Arrived at the first machan the party halted, and the process of allotting machans for this the most important beat of the day was proceeded with. On such occasions and in such company this was a most anxious moment for the youngsters, and my rueful face gave rise to uproarious mirth, in which the girls merrily joined, when I was allotted the machan we were standing before. By no means could a lady be put in it. " You will keep a good look out, S.," said the senior male member of the party. " Don't go to sleep, and don't let your thoughts go wool-gathering to the other ; Another shout of laughter and the order to move on was given. I watched the party halt before the next machan. Hurrah ! Young T. was left behind and his attitude of dejection relieved a part of my gloom. This was all I saw of the party till the end of the beat and I climbed into my machan. I had one man with me, and we took up our positions so that I commanded all the likely places. A long wait now ensued. The sun rose higher and higher and the very trees themselves took on a listless air, the leaves appearing to droop. The only signs of life I could see were two black crows, who sat in a neighbouring tree and cursed at me at intervals; there were also lizards and insects. The heat bothered neither, especially the flies ! Suddenly I heard a very faint halloo, and as it always does it braced me up at once. The beat had begun. I sat motionless. The chaff and pinpricks of the morning were forgotten now, in the keen desire to dis- tinguish oneself if the opportunity arose. This beat took the best part of two hours to put through, and at times one lost sound of the voices when the men dropped into a ravine. At others they swelled in volume when they we
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjecthunting, bookyear1920
