INTRODUCTION. 3 



Koklass, and other Pheasants to be found in the cool and bracing atmosphere of the higher 

 Himalayas ; at the foot of the hills the Jungle fowl, Peafowl, and Black Partridge abound ; 

 during the winter months, the lakes and marshes (j/ieels,) teem with Wild Fowl of every sort ; 

 while the wet rice fields, and an unlimited extent of cultivation over which no permission is 

 required to roam, at certain seasons shelter Snipe and Quail in such countless numbers that 

 bags of from fifty to a hundred couple not unfrequently fall to a single gun. 



Again, for followers of the " gentle craft," are there not deep pools and rippling streams 

 in the Poonch, Jhelum, Ganges, Jumna, Sunkose, and many another noble river, where it is 

 nothing unusual for a 50ft Mahseer to make the reel revolve at such a pace as would cause 

 the canny Scotchman of story to be anxious, not only for the safety of his " twa and saxpenny 

 flee" but for that of collar, two hundred yards of line, and perhaps even the rod itself ! 



Coursing is but little carried on in India now, but in former days there used to be a 

 meeting of some importance at Ghazeeabad, near Delhi ; and there are many localities where 

 lovers of the leash can see the speed and working powers of their favorites well tested. 



Except on the North-West Frontier, few Englishmen now keep hawks ; but there the 

 ancient sport of Falconry is well kept up ; the Houbara, a species of Bustard, being the 



usual quarry. Until lately, the Officers of the Guides used to hawk the Indian Gazelle or 



Ravine Deer, as it is commonly but erroneously called. In Oudh many of the rich natives 

 still keep up considerable hawking establishments, and in fact, in most parts of India where 

 the country is suitable, professional Falconers could be obtained. 



The capabilities of India as a sporting country having thus been alluded to in general 

 terms, it is proposed to give details of sport enjoyed in the pursuit of many different species, 

 by one who has had unusual opportunities of following the chase ; who looks back to each 

 incident with the most lively pleasure ; and who is still as great an enthusiast as when with 

 fast beating heart he first brought the sights of his rifle to bear upon the glossy shoulder of 

 a " Master Buck." That was many years ago ; but the scene is still vivid in his recollection, 

 together with the memories of many a glorious day's sport. To those who have travelled 

 much, and led a life a little out of the ordinary routine, there is a peculiar pleasure in looking 

 back to bygone days, and in fancy fighting one's battles o'er again. 



To interest other people in the same events is a very different matter : it is by no means 

 easy to give life to the picture one is painting : it is very apt to be at best a stiff and formal 

 delineation of a scene which, as it was witnessed, was full of light and color. 



Numerous as are the books that have been written about Indian sport, I have still found 

 that many good sportsmen are unacquainted with various animals coming under the compre- 

 hensive term of " Large Game," which inhabit the widely different countries constituting our 

 Indian Empire. Most books have been written about one branch of sport, Tiger-shooting, 

 Elephant-shooting, Pig-sticking, or shooting in the hills. Few books have been illustrated, 

 and those in which the drawings give anything like a correct idea of the animals which they 

 are intended to represent are still more rare. 



In the present work, I have endeavoured to supply a want which I believe is felt by 

 sportsmen, and to produce a book which, by means of photographs, shall give faithful portraits 



