GAME IN KULU ALMOST DESTROYED 137 



The valley has a great reputation as a game country. I 

 have had some experience of it, but cannot say that it now 

 affords that return to the enterprising sportsman which he 

 obtained some years ago. The native of the country is 

 sportively inclined, — in more senses than one, — and licences 

 for owning and using a gun can be had from the resident 

 Civil Official for the asking. A former Lieutenant- 

 Governor of the Panjiib spent his hot youth on these 

 pleasant slopes, and did not forget his proteges when he 

 came back, after several years as governor of the province. 

 During his rule they were specially favoured ; they were 

 freed from the oppression of the begar (forced labour) 

 system of supplying carriage, and were allowed to have as 

 many sporting firearms as they liked. The result, as 

 regards game, was disastrous : game birds and animals are 

 persecuted all the year round. In severe winters, when 

 the snowfall is heavy and animals cannot escape, they are 

 surrounded by gangs of villagers, driven into deep snow, 

 and then clubbed to death : a few years ago, when there 

 was an unusually severe winter, the slaughter was immense. 

 It is not possible that the game of Kiilu will ever recover 

 from this blow, and the reputation of the valley as a game 

 country may be considered at an end. Bears, of course, 

 can still be had in a few valleys, but that is a kind of 

 sport that soon palls. The Himalayan hunter now passes 

 along the road by double marches ; he makes no halt, but 

 presses on to the grounds beyond the Eotang Pass. 



Though the shooting in the valley is practically nil, 

 good sport may yet be had in the huge ranges of mountains 

 that surround it — always provided that the sportsman does 

 not expect to make " record " bags. 



The small, dirtv, uncomfortable little bungalow at 

 IJalah is well situated to give one the blues. It is a lath- 

 and - plaster affair, built in the roughest manner ; the 



