vi Preface 



I am rather inclined to think, moreover, that to 

 most the account of a miss is as interesting as 

 that of a kill. It is certainly more instructive to 

 the few that look for instruction. There is also 

 one's own reputation to be considered, in which 

 connection I am reminded of a story told by one 

 of the reviewers of my previous book : A sports- 

 man was lashing a Highland stream for salmon 

 with indifferent success. " Confound it, Donald," 

 he at last exclaimed to his gillie, " they seem to 

 be catching much bigger fish up the water than 

 we are." "Ah, sir," said Donald dryly, "it's no' 

 the fush, sir, they're only bigger hears up the 

 water ! " 



Eastern Persia affords good sport to those fated 

 to live in the country, but I think it will be clear 

 to any one that has the patience to read these 

 sketches that the amenities of travel, and the 

 numbers and variety of animals to be shot, are 

 hardly such as to attract the sportsman who is 

 lucky enough to be able to range the globe in 

 pursuit of his hobby. An exception might be 

 made in the case of the Caspian province and 

 the country north of Meshed, but here, without 

 some local knowledge and an acquaintance with 

 one or other of the vernaculars, a sportsman would 

 find himself considerably at sea. Apart from 

 difficulties of organisation and " bandobast," the 



