216 



HUNTING ADVENTURES. 



TUB FALCON. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



HUNTING AND HAWKING IN PERSIA. 



JOHN MALCOLM, in his deiightfu 

 Sketches of Persia, has given some very 

 lively descriptions of sporting scenes in 

 that romantic country. In order to under- 

 stand the following extract from his book, 

 jf^.nc&affjL l ^ e reader must recollect that Sir John 

 -*'ss^^liy y himself is the Elchee or ambassador from 

 England, of whom he speaks as of another person. 



We were kept several weeks at Abusheher ; and among other 

 amusements by which we beguiled the tedium of our sojourn at 

 this dull sea-port, were those of hunting and hawking; which, 

 according to the Nimrods of our party, are nowhere found in 

 greater perfection : but as the mode of killing the game differs 

 essentially from that of other countries. I shall describe it, that 

 such sportsmen as can read may judge of its merits. 



The huntsmen proceed to a large plain, or rather desert, near 

 ihe sea-side : they have hawks and greyhounds ; the former 

 carried in the usual manner, on the hand of the huntsman ; the 



