434 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



he could have avoided crossing by a more circuitous 

 route, or which he could have got over with safety if he 

 had waited a bit. When a man has spent weeks in 

 travelling to his shooting ground, an hour or two one 

 way or the other is of little consequence in approaching 

 the game. The difficulty is that shootable heads are 

 not often seen. When one has been found, no trouble 

 should be shirked in getting within range unperceived. 

 There is rarely any use in hurrying, as, in the majority 

 of cases, the animal will not go away as long as danger 

 is not suspected. 



The custom has in some way grown up in Kashmir 

 for a shikari to have a subordinate, a second or " chota " ^ 

 shikari, to assist him. The chota shikari is usually 

 a brother or other relative, who is perhaps learning his 

 work, and thus the family secures more pay out of the 

 sportsman. The system is, I think, a bad one, and 

 should be put an end to, as far as possible. The chota 

 shikari is of little use to his employer. On reaching the 

 nala where the sportsman proposes to shoot, it is almost 

 always advisable to secure the services of a local man. 

 If he is a shikari, he can be taken as chota shikari to the 

 headman. If not, he can be employed as a coolie to 

 carry the tiffin, or can be simply taken along to give in- 

 formation. In any case the chota shikari (the headman's 

 relative) is not required. Consequently, when engaging a 

 shikari, I should tell him that I would not employ a chota 

 shikari till I got to the shooting ground, but would then 

 engage a local man to assist. It might be necessary to 

 give the shikari a little higher pay, but even so, it would 



1 = Little. 



