Although his earliest experience with the rifle was with Antelope 

 as described in the first chapter of these Records, his great ambition 

 was to try his hand and eye on bigger game, and this he was able 

 to do in after years to his heart's content. His well-known Hut near 

 Pykara on the Nielgherries was the rendezvous of many, famous 

 in Indian sporting annals. His first wish was to shew the best 

 sport to all who visited him and his entire abnegation of self was 

 ever conspicuous and thoroughly appreciated. 



In 1S46 he went with his regiment to Singapore, and was 

 lucky enough to obtain three months' leave to visit the Island of 

 Java, as he describes it, the most beautiful island in the world. 

 He had every hope of obtaining some grand sport, but unfortunately 

 in this though fortunately in every other respect, the Governor of 

 Singapore gave him a special letter of introduction to the Governor 

 General at Batavia ; the consequence of this was that from the 

 excessive care they took of him and the dread that any mishap 

 should befall him when out shooting, his great desire of being 

 able to bag a rhinocerous or a Javanese tiger was entirely frus- 

 trated, as the shikaries had strict orders never to allow him to get 

 anywhere near either of these beasts. In every other respect his 

 wishes were at once acceded to. He was received with all honours 

 and he was enabled by the means placed at his disposal by the 

 Governor General to visit the greater part of the island, and his 

 descriptions of the temples and excursions to the great volcanoes 

 are full of interest. On his return to Singapore he was sent with his 

 company to Labuan to replace the Marines decimated by fever, and 

 in that Island he remained for some months. 



In 1849. he visited England on furlough and returned to India 

 in 1852. He took great interest in the conservation of the Forests 

 in Southern India, and often visited his old friend Michael (now 

 General Michael, C.S.I.) who was organizing an Experimental Con- 

 servancy Establishment on the Annamullay Hills, and he was 

 appointed to act as his " locum tenens " when Michael was invalided 

 to England in 1854. He took so kindly to these new duties that in 

 1857 when Michael was again invalided and had to relinquish the 



