210 MODERN PIG-STICKING 



The more you shoot with your shikaries the better : 

 never let them be idle. 



Most grounds are capable of much extension : 

 do not be content with only hunting what your 

 predecessors did. Shikaries love " the daily round, 

 the common task," and many of their masters are 

 curiously apathetic in this respect. 



If you want to preserve a ground, hunt it. If 

 the villagers think you are not coming they will 

 assuredly kill pig. I reserved a large tract of 

 country once for two years, and did not hunt it at all. 

 There were less pig at the end than at the beginning. 

 In the Meerut country in 1878-79 and in 1879-80 

 there were no pig killed owing to the Afghan War, 

 yet in 1881 when hunting reopened the year's bag 

 was six pig. 



You will never do any good with preservation 

 unless you are a friend of the native gentlemen of 

 the country and are well in touch with the villagers. 

 Before all, however, in this matter, comes the 

 Collector of your district. Without his help you 

 can do little good : work hand in hand with him. 



The social amenities of life, small invitations 

 made and received on both sides, will soon win the 

 hearts of your bigger natives, and capital fellows 

 you will find them. The only man likely to give 

 you trouble is the bunniah who has usurped some 

 better man's place. 



Take every opportunity of dealing personally 

 with the villagers ; they are a willing, kindly folk. 

 Know any headmen you can. Of the lower ranks, 

 pay the coolies on the line and in camp invariably 

 yourself. The rate varies, four annas is a maximum. 

 Working with people they know, if they get all the 

 pig (the syces protesting), and a free midday meal 



