XXVIII BEST WA Y OF DEALING WITH SKINS 489 



The prices I paid erred on the side of Hberality, but 

 in a country where there is no fixed scale of charges, 

 and where the sum demanded for work of this kind 

 varies directly with the credulity of the sportsman, it is 

 not possible to avoid mistakes. Nevertheless, as far as 

 I have been able to ascertain, the second of the above 

 lists allows a fair price if the work be good, and should 

 certainly not be exceeded. 



As a general rule it is, I think, advisable to have 

 cured at Srinagar the skins which the sportsman wishes 

 to retain. He cannot well keep them with him, as his 

 camp is constantly moving, and they would not only add 

 a good deal to the expense of travelling, but would run 

 the risk of being injured. The best plan is, I think, to 

 store them at some convenient central place in the 

 neighbourhood of the shooting ground, and when they 

 have accumulated to any extent, to send a consignment 

 into Srinagar. There, in the summer months, the heat is 

 considerable, and it is damp heat, the worst possible for 

 skins. Consequently if they are left for any time uncured 

 they are very likely to go bad. So I think it is wiser to 

 get the curing done. They can then be taken home at 

 leisure, and properly dealt with there, if it is thought 

 that the Srinagar curing has not been enough. If, 

 however, the sportsman is only doing a short shoot, he 

 may be able to take his trophies into Srinagar himself, 

 and personally supervise their packing. If he can 

 do this, it would probably be best for him to send 

 them to England at once, simply wind -dried as 

 they are, packed in a tin carefully soldered down. 

 Even in this, however, there is some risk, as the 



