L 14 j 



CHAPTEE III. 



THE MORE DISTANT SHOOTING DISTRICTS. 



'T^HE old route to the Nadoo Ob iS^) country was by way of Hoochow, Lezar (^ ^), and 

 Kapoo {% fS), thence by steering a due North course, on the Western edge of the Taihu 

 up to Wuchee, where a stay for a day's shooting was generally made, mostly in the great 

 reed beds which characterise the district. The Creek leading from Wuchee (.% ^) to 

 E-shing, though broad, is very shallow at places, and houseboats are, in consequence, often 

 delayed. The nearer routes are by Wusieh and the Northern end of the Taihu to Santing- 

 kong, or by Lozar and Hujow. 



I.— E-SHING (51: ^). " Assured Prosperity." 



E-shing is a walled city, and at the same time, unfortunately, a great depot for the 

 game brought in by native shooters for the Shanghai market; it is situate between two 

 small lakes, called respectively the East and West Lakes (Tungdong and Sidong). On the 

 North and East sides are some low hills' which harbour a few deer and woodcocks, but the 

 pheasants are chiefly to be found in the reedy swamps which surround the city. As a 

 shooting spot it suffers by comparison with many of the places lying to the West of it, but 

 a couple of days can even now be both pleasantly and satisfactorily spent there. The 

 Creek leading from the East Lake to Santingkong runs nearly North-East in a straight line. 

 On the East bank is a stretch of some 25 // of as attractive looking a woodland country as 

 can be found, bordered on its Eastern flank by many miles of reed beds. For a lady shooter 

 no walking could be more agreeable. 



To the North of E-shing, between Jeelingjow {% -^ ^) and Hujow (|D 1^), very fair 

 sport was once to be had, and possibly some might be had there now, for the wooded hills 

 and the large grass-fields certainly warrant the belief. 



2.— LE-YANG (^ P). "Cool Sun." 



Leyang lies at the South end of the Pejow (^ '^ Creek, 90 // West of Eshing. The 

 intermediate country has never been properly explored and worked, but only tapped, and 

 presents a grand opportunity for the enthusiast. The creeks that intersect the swamps and 

 and reed beds should allow of the explorer getting well back behind the covers, and probably 

 " happening " on some really "soft place." Leyang used to be a very good shooting centre, 

 especially round the East and North sides of the town : it is seldom visited now. The Creek 

 from Leyang to Nadoo, 40 //, runs between two rather high embankments ; in fact, the land 

 to the North of the Creek is one great sequence of swamps, enclosed by high banks on the 



