Hunting in Many Lands 



"The Emperor himself is carried upon four 

 elephants in a fine chamber, made of timber, 

 lined inside with plates of beaten gold and 

 outside with lions' skins. And sometimes, as 

 they may be going along, and the Emperor 

 from his chamber is holding discourse with the 

 barons, one of the latter shall exclaim : ' Sire, 

 look out for cranes!' Then the Emperor in- 

 stantly has the top of his chamber thrown 

 open, and, having marked the cranes, he casts 

 one of his gerfalcons, whichever he pleases; 

 and often the quarry is struck within his view, 

 so that he has the most exquisite sport and 

 diversion there, as he sits in his chamber or 

 lies on his bed ; and all the barons with him 

 get the enjoyment of it likewise. So it is not 

 without reason I tell you that 1 do not believe 

 there ever existed in the world, or ever will 

 exist, a man with such sport and enjoyment as 

 he has, or with such rare opportunities." 



In the latter part of the seventeenth century, 

 during the reign of the Emperor K'ang-hsi, 

 Father Gerbillon followed the Emperor sev- 

 eral times on his hunting expeditions into 

 Mongolia, and has told us in his accounts of 

 these journeys of the enthusiasm and skill dis- 

 played by the Emperor in the pursuit of game, 



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