ROUND THE CAMP FIRE 319 



human nature. It is not unnatural for these officials to 

 imagine that they have a kind of prior claim. And if, as 

 is done in some districts, an area of reasonable size be set 

 apart for their sport, few of us would complain. Unfortun- 

 ately it seems easier to some natures to grant the outsider 

 permission to enter their imaginary preserves, and then 

 assume an attitude which is only too easily read by 

 obsequious native underlings. 



To what lengths such practices have been known to 

 proceed may be seen in the case of a certain jealous 

 official, who was in the habit of issuing two differently 

 coloured forms of permit-de-chasse. A pink card appropri- 

 ately signified to forest and other minions that the efforts 

 of the holder were to meet with a rosy success, while a 

 plain white passport was a tacit indication of the blankness 

 of the unfortunate recipient's prospects ! 



So much for the more depraved side of the question. 

 Let us now take the more usual case of the district official 

 of open-handed generosity who, though keen himself, 

 wishes to share sport fairly with visitors. Here, again, 

 alas ! we experience the deceitfulness of this land of our 

 exile ; for the mere fact of the " Dipty Sahib " being fond 

 of shooting erects a formidable stumbling-block in the 

 path of our " outsider." Even against his express orders, 

 his dusky subordinates, appreciatively scenting some 

 fancied subtlety, redouble their efforts on his behalf; and 

 his kindly intentions are likely to be frustrated by the 

 very people he may have deputed to help the stranger 

 that is within his gates. 



Some years ago a good fellow of this description had 

 invited a young subaltern to join him in his annual tiger- 

 shoot; but do what he would to place his guest in the 

 most favourable positions, the tiger was invariably driven 

 up to the post which he himself had taken up. 



Realising at length that tigers were assets apparently 

 too valuable to his shikari to be thrown away on a youth- 



