226 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



was always one being the only day the Civil 

 Servants, bankers, lawyers, etc., who formed the 

 field could be sure of getting away. I recollect that 

 this fact aroused the wrath of the Archdeacon, who 

 preached at us one Sunday. But I am afraid even 

 this didn't alter the fixture. 



From the first, all my sporting feelings were op- 

 posed to the combination of shooting and hunting, 

 which gave the hare no chance. But as I was the 

 junior subscriber it was difficult for me to move the 

 whole body of members. I commenced by volun- 

 teering to hunt the hounds. The offer was gladly 

 accepted, as it was obvious the huntsman had the 

 least chance of getting a shot. Somewhat to their 

 surprise, at the next and all subsequent meets I ap- 

 peared without a gun. My pleasure was the hunting, 

 and if one of the guns outside rolled over the hunted 

 hare I only regretted the fact. But it often happened 

 that there were only those out whom I had converted 

 to my ideas. Then the guns were left in the dog- 

 carts, and by degrees we began to kill hares fairly. 

 Having progressed so far, and got good promises of 

 support, I called a meeting. I proposed three things : 

 the abolition of all shooting, the keeping of the 

 hounds in kennel volunteering myself to find kennels 

 and purchase of additional hounds. After some 

 discussion I carried all three resolutions. I had an old 

 building at the back of my bungalow, which made a 

 capital kennel, and I soon trained a Tamil lad into a 

 useful whipper-in. 



On Christmas Day the meet was fixed at Gangarua. 



