CHAPTER II. 

 THE MAHSEER. 



" By sports like these are all their cares beguiled." 



GOLDSMITH. 



OF the fish to be caught in Indian waters the best is, in my opinion, the 

 Mahseer, the best, I mean, as regards sport, and we may as well begin 

 with the best. Its size depends much on the size of the river in which 

 it is found, as will be seen in Chapter III. 



In my own opinion, and in that of others whom I have met, the 

 Mahseer shows more sport for its size than a salmon. The essence of 

 sport, or in other words of the enjoyment of any pursuit lies, I take it, 

 in the exhibition of superiority therein, whether of skill or courage, not 

 the exhibition for others to see, but the difficult attainment of it for our 

 own satisfaction. It would be a tame affair to be pork butcher to a 

 village pig, but to spear the "mighty boar" is quite another thing. 

 Why ? Where lies the difference ? Simply in the fact that 



"Youth's vigour, manhood's fire, 

 Firm hand, and eagle eye, 

 Must he possess 

 Who would aspire 

 To see the grey boar die." 



Entering more or less into all sports, even into such peaceable pursuits 

 as chess, whist, or billiards, there are a thousand different gradations of 

 " the stern joy which warriors feel in foemen worthy," whether mentally 

 or physically, " of their steel." It is the love of conquest. What is 

 wanted is not conquered worlds, but " more worlds to conquer." Who 

 cares to pull out a dead pike on a night line ? The pot-hunter, not the 

 sportsman. To battle with a heavy salmon, or kill a good game trout 

 on a very light rod and fine line, is quite another matter From this 



