CHAPTER XX 



An apology and explanation Big-game shooting and the camera Some 

 advice on the subject How a fine picture was saved-^ Morumgoa and 

 Goa Poisonous water snakes and jelly fish Phenomenal rainfalls 

 Ancient rights and dignity Convicted criminals at large Method 

 of dispensing justice A lengthy trial Distortion of evidence Paid 

 by the page Judges fees How regulated More prisoners out of 

 gaol than in it A Gilbertian system Result of the trial An 

 interesting but depressing relic A city of palaces that was The 

 cathedral and shrines Site of " Auto da fe " St. Saviour, the Patron 

 Saint Curious discrepancies The convent by the sea An old story 

 retold Abduction of a nun A modern Paladin An unpleasant 

 surprise The great Festival of the Church Mummified body of the 

 Saint A sacrilegious souvenir hunter The glass coffin Transfer to 

 Poonah A bed of sedition Absence of sport Effect of the war on 

 India Surat my next station The " Cradle of India " Battered 

 forts and ruins The Nawabs and their descendants An ancient 

 Begum Opposing factions Pearl trade Origin and present position 

 German intrigues and aspirations The pearl merchant The sorting 

 and polishing processes A magnificent specimen. 



I MUST apologize for the length of my lecture on the curing 

 and preservation of trophies, which has proved much 

 longer than I intended, and will, I fear, make dull reading 

 to the ordinary reader. Still, as this subject is one of such 

 importance to sportsmen, for whom this work is primarily 

 intended, I felt that for the instructions to be of any value, 

 it was necessary to give them in sufficient detail to be 

 clearly understood ; for, after all, even from the sportsman's 

 point of view, there would be no object in shooting big game 

 if their heads and skins could not be preserved as mementos 

 of his prowess. 



While on this subject I take the opportunity also of 

 advising strongly all who intend indulging in big-game 

 shooting to invest in a good camera, and to acquire a 

 thorough knowledge of photography in all its details. 



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