Round the Camp Fire. 175 



bouring tracts. Something might be done however by 

 getting a tight hold of the trade in percussion caps. All 

 the caps that one sees are imported ; and lack of caps means 

 many muskets rendered useless, and so many wild animals 

 saved. 



In conclusion might I suggest that the Editor of the 



would earn the lasting gratitude of all sportsmen 



by organizing among them some concerted movement by 

 which the question may be tackled in the best method. 

 Exhortations to sportsmen are all very well in their way, 

 and in some cases no doubt highly necessary ; but they 

 alone, even if we all abjured sport in consequence, could 

 and would have little effect. 



Sportsmen are certainly more merciful nowadays. 



I know of many cases in the old days, even as late as ten 

 to fifteen years ago, when hind sambar were invariably 

 shot if they turned up in the beat. 



Sir Samuel Baker in his younger days has described 

 the killing of a good many hinds. Forsyth in his 

 ' Highlands of Central India ' shoots hinds more than 

 once, to say the least of it, and not by mistake either. 



I honestly do not think that the sportsman of to-day is 

 at the bottom of the diminution of Indian game, nor that 

 he requires (save in exceptional cases) so many exhorta- 

 tions to show mercy. The native shikari, egged on by 

 4 Ishnaagses ' and the horn-collector, and, deeper down 

 still, the prevalence of so many guns, are to blame, and 

 should be taken in hand ere it is too late. 



'.'"."* 



Not long after the publication of the above came the 

 following interesting letter : 



"Sir, With reference to the article which appeared in 

 your issue of the i6th October, regarding the extermination 



