STALKING BARASINGH. 49 



a shock to see his beautiful coat and sword hung on a tree, 

 whilst he cooked his lonely little dinner. 



October 2ith. — Alan started up the hill at four this 

 morning — pitch dark and very cold. He returned to lun- 

 cheon, and had only seen one small stag of about eight 

 points, which they could just make out with the telescope, 

 feeding on the opposite hill side. In the evening he went 

 out again, but without success. 



The hangal, or Kashmir stag, although larger, is identi- 

 cally the same species as the Scotch red deer. The shikaris 

 generally speak of it as " barasingh " or " twelve-horns " 

 from the number of the points, although they have been so 

 shot down that a " royal " is now seldom met with. Fortu- 

 nately, game laws have lately been put in force, or they 

 would soon have become as extinct as the dodo. 



Hinds, as well as stags, used to be killed in and out <>i' 

 season, and during the winter numbers of them were fre- 

 quently mobbed to death in the snow by the villagers. 

 Some excellent regulations have now been made, forbidding 

 the hinds to be shot at all, and establishing a close time for 

 stags. A still better law takes away the chief incentive to 

 their massacre in the winter time, by rendering the sale of 

 horns and skins illegal. 



Alan tried to impress upon Rahman that if game became 

 extinct it would not be long before the shikari followed 

 suit, and with him would disappear the numerous train of 



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