294 RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



a Christmas tiger, in addition to as many spotted deer as 

 might be required. 



Very peacefully quiet is the scene in this cricket-trilling 

 silence of the Indian night, broken at intervals by the 

 distant howling of jackals and the occasional bark of a 

 dog in the neighbouring village. It is round the camp 

 fire, gazing into the glowing embers over a steaming glass 

 of grog, pipe in mouth, that a thawing process promotes 

 the discussion of subjects interesting to the sportsman. 



In referring to the past, frequent use is made of the 

 phrase " good old days," as if those were necessarily better 

 times than what we have to put up with now ; for it is 

 natural enough to invest past pleasures with a halo of 

 exaggeration, of glory such as may not be achieved in 

 these degenerate days. In some sense this glorification 

 of the past is quite misplaced, and only due to the human 

 tendency to paint past pleasures in none but glowing 

 colours, while regarding the present through dull-tinted 

 glasses ; but as a rule this tendency has something tangible 

 behind it, and, in reference to big-game shooting in India, 

 alas! only too clear a justification. There do yet remain 

 some localities which, by reason of their seclusion, difficulty 

 of working, or from their being overlooked by sportsmen, 

 have depreciated only to a small degree ; but, as regards 

 the majority of hunting-grounds in this country, the cry 

 of " Ichabod ! " is only too well founded. 



For many years the diminution of Indian game has 

 been a subject for remark, and although in some parts 

 of the country efforts have been made to secure the 

 remnant from extermination, and by means of preservation 

 bring the head of game back to something like its former 

 abundance, the greater portion of the country is still being 

 rapidly depleted of its fauna, especially those of the more 

 coveted species; for precautionary measures have as yet 

 been only local, and India generally lacks such laws as 

 would have a really widespread result. 



