BULLET AND SHOT x 



the nearest revenue official of high rank. The 

 reasons for this are enlarged upon in the chapter 

 treating of tiger shooting. 



In the higher portions of the hill ranges of 

 Southern India inhabited by bison notably the 

 Western Ghants, the Trayancore hills, and the 

 Anaimalais, and in a minor degree the Pulneys, 

 the Nelliampatties, and the Brummagherries large 

 expanses of open, grassy hillsides and downs, and 

 small swamps, alternate with dense covers (called 

 sholahs) in the dips and sheltered depressions. 



In working country of this description, it is 

 essential that no more than absolute necessaries 

 should be carried, since the sportsmen will have 

 to depend entirely upon pack ponies or pack 

 bullocks (the former being preferable) and men 

 for porterage of all their requirements. Such 

 means of transport are expensive, and, even if 

 economy be no consideration, the necessity for 

 carrying food for the men, and the difficulty of 

 procuring coolies in many places, combine to 

 render it highly advisable to limit the loads as far 

 as may be practicable. 



Before finally deciding upon any locality, it is of 

 vital importance that the sportsmen should ascertain 

 whether the ground they would like to try be above 

 fever range or no. The height at which malaria 

 prevails appears to vary considerably, but it may, I 

 think, be safely stated that, at an elevation of 5,000 

 feet and above, there is no fear of malarial fever save 

 under very exceptional circumstances which need 

 not be looked for. I lay much more stress upon 



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