Round the Camp Fire. 169 



undertaken this year in a very remote and wild part of 

 peninsular India. In that article I touched on the reasons 

 adduced to account for an enormous- diminution of the game 

 of those tracts a diminution that has taken place within the 

 past thirty years only, and which is certainly not due to the 

 British sportsmen, of whom very few ever visit that country.. 

 I described the numbers of rotting bison heads to be 

 found in almost every hamlet, the numbers of local native 

 shikaris, and the bands of ruffians that cross over into 

 * Mardian ' from the neighbouring Native State and from 

 British territory. I noted the presence on his regular 

 beats, of the horn-collector. 



In the Western Ghats, in Southern India, in the Deccan, 

 and in Central India, I have noted the ever-present native 

 shikari ; and in all cases it has been the same old tale of the 

 indefatigable destruction of game of both sexes and of all 

 ages patient, unremitting toll, taken day and night, week 

 in and week out, month after month, and year after year.. 



What wonder then that we are beginning to note the 

 failing numbers of the denizens of plain and jungle ! Even 

 the most favoured or jealously preserved ground, yet bear- 

 ing a goodly stock of game, is bound to suffer in time from 

 the steady drain going on all around. 



Very lately I came across a case of organized destruc- 

 tion of game, so astounding in its simplicity, so terribly 

 effective in its action, that it hastened the carrying out of 

 the intention I have had for a long time past to bring up 

 this subject of native shikaris* 



At the end of last August I visited a range of hills said 

 to hold a fair number of bison. The time was not alto- 

 gether auspicious; but I was tired of vegetating in my bun- 

 galow, and determined to chance the heavy rains and wet 

 that was certain to be my portion. I had never bagged a 



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