Come, Mr.Officer, show a leg! I know you are a bit of a philosopher, and curious in natural history; so rouse up and come along with me." Most cordially did I then anathematise all philosophy, and wish I had never expressed any curiosity on the score of wild beasts, peacocks, or ancient tanks; but as the Admiral was not a person to be trifled with, I made a most reluctant move, and exchanged the delightful dream of hot curries and cool sherbet for the raw reality of a shooting-match, up to the knees in water, at five in the morning.

At one place, such was his Excellency's anxiety to secure a good shot at some ducks, that he literally crawled for a couple of hundred yards among the muddy shore of the lake on his knees, and at the end expressing himself fully repaid by getting a single capital shot at a wild peacock! He was also gratified by bringing down a magnificent jungle-cock--a bird which resembles our barn-door fowl in form, but its plumage is vastly more brilliant, and its flight more lofty and sustained, than any of which the bird can boast in its tame state.

Our scramble in the mud brought us within sight of a drove of several hundred buffaloes.

We saw also several troops of wild deer; but, to our great disappointment, not a single elephant could we catch even a glimpse of.

We counted, at one time, several dozens of peacocks--some perched on the trees, some high in the air; we fired at them repeatedly, but I do not believe any came within shot.