viii INTRODUCTION. 



knowing that at his hands, if haply he were 

 alive, I should have had every encouragement 

 in undertaking my present task. 



I must disclaim any intention of writing for 

 the veteran sportsman, though I daresay several 

 occurrences may be found detailed in these 

 pages that may interest and amuse him, and 

 also corroborate his own experiences. 



Most of . the sporting incidents have been 

 compiled from my own journal and rough 

 notes taken at the time ; for the rest, I am 

 indebted to the experience of others. It has 

 been my endeavour to describe the events 

 naturally, and devoid of any artificial or dra- 

 matic element. The few observations connected 

 with Natural History, it will at once be per- 

 ceived, are those of a sportsman more than of 

 a naturalist, to which latter title I can lay no 

 claim. 



To those whose names I have mentioned, 

 and from whose writings I have quoted, I must 

 tender my most humble apologies for the liberty 

 I have taken in doing so, but I trust that the 

 desire to foster in the rising generation a love 



