162 A Sportsman at Large 



fellow and possessed of a beautiful and equally charming 

 wife. Both of them spoke English perfectly. 



The former drew me into conversation, and then unburdened 

 his soul of a proposition which was of wider import than 

 the then popular pastime of trap-shooting. 



" Captain Cox," he began, " your reputation as an ichthyo- 

 logist and pisciculturalist, as well as that of a practical angler, 

 has long been recognized in my country. M. de Kalay is 

 anxious to exploit the sporting possibilities of Bosnia.. We 

 have established fish-hatcheries at the source of the Bosna 

 river, and have already started operations which we hope 

 will lead to the stocking of that and other rivers of the pro- 

 vince with various species of trout. I am deputed to invite 

 you, not only to take part in our pigeon-shooting contests, 

 but also to inspect and report on our piscatorial ventures. 

 Every facility will be afforded you, and I think we can promise 

 you ' a good time/ as you say." 



Of course I expressed my appreciation of this offer. I told 

 him that I felt highly flattered thereby, and that, all being 

 well, he might count on me when the time arrived. All 

 was well, so that the autumn found me with my dear pal, 

 Ted Jaquet who accompanied me as travelling companion 

 to the sulphur springs of Ilidji. 



I had been looking forward to meeting the distinguished 

 De Kalay, but unfortunately he had been recalled to Vienna 

 on urgent business of the State, and though he hoped to get 

 back to Bosnia during the sporting gala, he was not as it 

 turned out able to do so ; therefore he had to leave all 

 arrangements in the hands of his aide-de-camp, Baron Brebner, 

 as charge d'affaires, and right well did the latter carry out his 

 duties ; moreover, Mme. de Kalay and her two charming 

 daughters remained at Ilidji to entertain all and sundry 

 who had been bidden to the concourse. 



With Colonel Boswell-Preston as my colleague, I was 

 elected to represent Great Britain on the International 

 Committee. 



I may at once admit that I by no means distinguished 

 myself at the traps. In fact, the best I could do was to 

 divide second and third prizes in the Consolation Stakes 



