Sporting Notes in the Far East. 121 



and mother go to, who died before you came to teach us the true 

 faith ? " The answer to this query cannot of course with truth be 

 explained ; and seeing hesitation, the would be-made convert turns 

 away with a request, to be allowed to follow his deceased relations, 

 as it is strongly against his desire, to be separated from any of his 

 kindred in the next world. 



ISLAND OF TSU-SIMA. 



Pheasants in Tsu-sima are very plentiful ; but owing to the dense 

 nature of the undergrowth, even with the aid of a clever dog, it is 

 almost impossible to get them to rise. 



Nevertheless, if you have the good fortune to be at the island, in 

 the back end of September and early part of October, matters are 

 not quite so hopeless. The corn is then still standing, and the birds 

 are all in the fields, fattening and gorging themselves, on the fast 

 ripening grain, and are easily walked up. The most likely fields are 

 the outside ones, next the thick covert running down from the hills. 



For success, after the paddy is cut, you must confine yourself 

 solely, to going out in the early morning and evening, at which 

 times the birds are on the feed ; and you will then get some shoot- 

 ing, by quietly prowling round the base of the hills adjoining the 

 rice stubbles, into which the pheasants draw out to fill their crops. 

 But even then, there is the same old complaint ; unless most 

 suddenly surprised, the beggars will not attempt to get up, but will 



