Round the Camp Fire. 167 



accounted for by the native. And this in a portion of 

 country which is fairly regularly and constantly hunted by 

 British sportsmen. 



When, in addition, we are able to estimate native char- 

 acter, we bave not far to go to find that for each one of such 

 dangerous animals slain, a very large number of deer and 

 other harmless creatures must be made away with. The 

 native gunner has a remarkably keen eye to the main 

 chance ; and the immediate prospect of what he will gather 

 in on the spot, by the sale of flesh, horns and hides, is far 

 more alluring than that of the problematically few rupees 

 that may filter down to him through the numerous native 

 myrmidons and bloodsuckers that hedge about the offices 

 disbursing the Government award. 



Another and very clear proof of the truth of these 

 assertions lies in the well-known fact that during the period 

 immediately following the Indian Mutiny of 1857, when 

 the native gun retired into a remarkably strict condition 

 of purdah, game of all descriptions increased to an 

 extraordinary extent. 



To enter on a discussion of the classes of natives most to 

 blame would be too lengthy a matter here ; but it is fairly 

 certain that, after the village shikaris^ policemen and forest 

 guards are to a large extent guilty parties. In any scheme 

 to restrict guns, therefore, due consideration should be 

 given to the supervision of these worthies. 



In addition to the distressing state of affairs consequent 

 on these depredations, which are, after all, only natural 

 to the untutored and irresponsible native, there have 

 been noticed a few cases of organized destruction of game, 

 so thinly disguised that one wonders how it has been left 

 to mere sportsmen visitors to discover their existence a 

 reflection which is, to put it very mildly, the reverse of 



