DECREASE OF GAME 197 



success, but as I have already described this form 

 of hunting, I will say no more about it. I killed a 

 musk-deer, but it was not full grown and had no 

 tushes. 



George wounded a roebuck, but though he 

 took the dogs up next morning, they were abso- 

 lutely useless at tracking, paying no attention 

 to tlie spoor and careering wildly all over the 

 country. 



The doctor, paying the penalty of his profession, 

 went off to iNlinchow, a distance of about 130 /i, 

 in order to see a child who was ill with scarlet 

 fever. The poor little thing — she was the daughter 

 of a missionary — rallied a little after his visit, 

 but died a few days later. The doctor having 

 rejoined us, we moved camp 12 U higher up 

 the valley as being a more convenient centre 

 from which to hunt the wapiti. 



It is with this animal, in many ways superior in 

 interest to any which we encountered, that I now 

 propose to deal. 



All those who take an interest in the large 

 fauna of the world know it to be a sad but 

 undeniable fact that it is everywhere, with more 

 or less rapidity, vanishing. Civilised countries, 

 by framing game-laws, are striving to check 

 its decrease ; but good game-laws are as easy 

 to frame as they are difficult efficiently to 

 enforce. 



In Europe, the big game which still survives 

 is, in the majority of cases, preserved on the 

 estates of large landowners. In Great Britain, 

 the only large game which we possess, namely 

 the red deer, is practically confined, with the 



