The forest and the field

Front matter

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THE

Chapter I. Page

My First Steeple-chase . . . .1

The ravages of time. — Indian sportsmen. — The rose-coloured note and its consequences. — " The Land of the East." — " Moonlight."— My first steeple-chase.— Preliminaries.— The start.— The race and the result.

CHAPTER 11.

A Rogue Elephant . . . . .18

An Indian Spread.— Lieut. Wedderbum.— The dead charger. — News of elephant. — Arrangements and start. — A voyage in a strange craft.— Alligators.— The Moyaar jungle.— The Muntjak. — The silent approach of deer. — The Loris. — Native superstition. — The route. — A Mulcher village. — News of a rogue elephant. — The rencontre.— An awkward position.— The rogue's cunning.— The charge.— Life and death on the shot. — An unlooked-for coincidence. — The bivouac. — Evident traces of a comrade's handiwork. — The elephant his own doctor. — The bivouac. — The bullets recognized. —No fresh spoor to be found. — Eeturn to camp. — Pot-hunting. — A blank hunt for spoor. — Wedderburn's non-appearance. — Eeturn to the HiUs. — Sad news. —The Mulchers' prophecy fulfilled.— Lieut. Wedderburn's shocking death from an enraged wounded elephant.

XU CONTENTS.

Chapter III. Page

Tiger Shooting in the Dehra Doon . . .49

The Himalayas.— The nature of the forest, and the variety of the game to be found at each elevation. — The great natural resources of the district.— Kheeree.— My first rencontre

with Dr. S .—The programme.— The Dehra Doon.—

Glorious scenery. — Dehra and my reception. — Fred. G .

— The preparation. — Our armament. — The start. — Kalunga. — Than. — News of game. — We strike the trail of a tiger. — My shekarries' superiority in tracking. — The spoiler disturbed at his dinner. — Our proceedings. — The kakur, or barking-deer. — The Doctor's doings. — A wounded tiger's trail followed up. — Unexpected rencontre. — The issue. — The spoilers spoiled.— Forest harmony.— The return to Than.

CHAPTER IV. Elephant Hunting in the Terai . . .74

Camp struck.— Game en route.— The kaleej, or sUver pheasant. — Indian partridges. — Our new bivouac. — A turn-up in the woods. — The tiger-cat. — Our new bivouac. — Plans for the morrow. — A wild spot. — Game afoot. — A female panther wounded, and an unexpected rencontre. — Warm work satisfactorily concluded. — A cub caught. — More game. — We are early balked of our pork-chops by another hunter. — Two of a trade never agree : exemplification of the proverb.— Eeturn to camp. — Fred's native guest. — The Doctor falls in with spoor. — Pleasant evening. — The start. — Signs of game. — The trail. — A herd in view. — Plan of operations. — Good sport. — The novice's success. — Eeturn to camp.

CHAPTER V. A Trip to the Sacred Shores of Gunga . . 98

Dhoon shooting. — An Indian pic-nic. — The Dripping Well of Sansa-Dhama. — An Impromptu bear -hunt, — Beturu to

CONTENTS.

Delira. — The Doctor discovers a strange peculiarity in the atmosphere of the Hills. — Wedlock after Shakspere. — Preparations for a trip. — Puharree coolies. — The Start. — Mussoorie. — Himalayan game. — The snow bear. — Musk deer. — Gooral. — Surrow. — Ibex. — Burrul and Thaar. — The route. — The Valley of the Ganges. — The Sacred Eiver. — Snow streams. — Daily marches. — The Kanoolee Hills. — Gooral stalking. — Bear shooting. — Thaar stalking. — Successful work. — The hunter's fire. — DiflBcult travelling. — Changes in the forest. — Wild scenery. — The Brahmin's retreat. — The Jad Gunga. — The Sacred Shrine of Gungajee. — Gangoutrie. — Eudru Hiraaleh.

CHAPTER VI. An Expedition to the Source of the Ganges . 153

Early morning. — The start. — Musk-deer. — Wild scenery.— Difficult travelling. — Burrul shooting. — A snow-leopard killed. — More sport. — A grand view. — Eudru Himaleh. — Burrul stalking. — A snap shot. — Game a-foot. — Successful work. — The bivouac. — The appearance of the Great Glacier from the Valley.— The Cow's Mouth.— The Source of the Ganges. — An adventure with snow-bears. — Preparations for glacier-land. — The appearance of the glacier. — Crevasses. —Obstacles in travelling. — Sunrise on the mountains. — The head of the glacier. — The chasm of the Ganges. — Ice caves. — A storm. — A dangerous position.— The shelter. — Avalanches and landslips. — Intense cold. — Our bivouac at a high altitude. — The return.

CHAPTEE VII.

Jumnautrie, the source of the Jumna, hot-springs. — The route over the Neilla Pass. — Ibex shooting in the Askrung Valley. The Parung Pass. — The Choomarera Lake. — The kyang or

XIV CONTENTS.

wild horse. — The Chushal Valley. — Ovis Ammon. — The Kailas Eange. — Bunchowr shooting. — Ladak. — The Buddhist monastery of Hemis. — Praying machines. — The route to Cashmere. — Serinnugger. — The Shalimar Gardens. — The Lake. — Social gatherings. — Ferishta's description of earthly bliss. — Islamabad and the Ruins of Martund. — The game of Cashmere. — A beautiful scene. — Short-sighted policy. — Kindred spirits. — The triumvirate broken.

CHAPTER VIII. A Run for Life ; or, the Fox's Account of a

Sharp Burst ..... 214

The old style of teaching the young idea. — Variety.— Silistria and Colonel Grach. — Iskinder Bey. — Prospects of plunder. — The passage of the Danube. — A dilemma. — A cool attire, — Discouraging news. — My chum. — A reconnaisance of the enemy's camp. — A hare, dogs, and hunter caught. — " The gipsy in trouble." — " Where there's a will there's a way." — An ambuscade. — " A strategic movement to the rear." — Double ! — " A ruse de guerre." — An exciting burst.— " Pace and metal required." — " Nil desperandum." — "A last chance." — The crisis. The tables changed. — Good fellowship amongst the brothers of St. Hubert.

CHAPTER IX. The Two Chargers, "Le Diable Rouge" and

"Desert Born" . . . . .238

My hobby. — On the treatment of horses. — A description of "Desert-Born," a Nedjed Arab. — The Friends. — "The soldiers' battle" and its results. — "Khomseo" horses. — Bou Maza. — My second charger, — "Le Diable Eouge" finds his master.

CONTENTS, XV

Chapter X. Page

The Yoyage — Madeira and Tenerifpe . .272

The start. — Tlie object of the trip. — My fellow-passengers. — Madeira. — Sad reminiscences. — Spero meliora. — Hospitality at Funchal. — Teneriffe. — Santa Cruz. — Laguna. — Orotava.— The dragon tree.— An ascent of the Peak of Teneriffe.

CHAPTER XL

The Gambia ...... 296

Cape de Verde.— The Gambia.— Bathurst.— The Psalm of St. Mary's Isle. — The tribes of the Sene-Gambia. — Tropical Africa. — The faith of El Islam. — The negro and his character. — Witchcraft and native superstitions. — The red water ordeal. — Secret associations. — The bush. — The voyage continued.

CHAPTER XII. Sierra Leone and Cape Palmas . . .311

Sierra Leone. — A thief punished. — Negro character. — Free Town. — Evil influences. — Black juries and Coast law. — An honour declined. — Cape Palmas. — My boat's crew.— Kroomen. — A negro senator. — An American mission. — Negro honour. — A Tornado, — Deserted forts.

CHAPTER XIII. The Gold Coast . . . . .328

Elmina. — Cape Coast Castle. — The grave of L.E.L. — A merry evening. — Ancient grandeur. — Bad strategy. — The native tribes. — Gold. — " Jacks in Office." — Semi-starvation. — Accra. — The Civil Commandant's welcome. — The " Land

XVI CONTENTS.

of Plenty." — Fort James. — The earthquake and its consequences. — Christiansburg. — News of game. — Again en

voyage.

CHAPTER XIV. Lagos 343

The Volta.— The appearance of the Coast.— Lagos Roads.— The bay. — Sharks. — The landing of the Governor. — The aspect of the town. — Missionaries. — " White man's fetish." — The situation of the town. — Climate. — Fearful mortality.— The value of the colony. — ^Eed tape. — The worthless settlements on the Coast. — Injudicious policy. — The diseases peculiar to the Coast,

CHAPTER XV. The Bights, the Oil-rivers, and Pernanuo Po . 366

The mouths of the Niger. — A dreary coast. — Bonny. — " The Stella." — KingPeppel. — The Juju-house. — Cannibals. — The Cameroons and Fernando Po. — Clarence. — The Hadji's abode. — Eobert Bruce Walker's kindness. — Daddy Jem. — " Tlie hunting physician." — A ballet at Boobie-town. — A drawback. — " The Minerva." — Malimba. — The Borea river. — Signs of game. — Visions of elephants. — A disappoiutment. — Hippopotami. — The Botanga falls. — Fever no respecter of persons. — The entrance of the Gaboon. — African hospitality. — My boat.

CHAPTER XVI. The Gaboon . . . . . .389

The Gaboon Eiver. —"Plateaux." — Glass. — Walker's hospitality. — The American mission. — M. Du ChaOlu. — The M'Pongue tribe. — Preparations for a trip up the river. — The start. — The voyage. — A stroke of luck. — The Como. — A colony of pelicans. — Appearance of the country. — A strange rencontre.

CONTENTS. XVll

—A Fan village.— My reception by the cannibals.— The king. — N'miamba. — My installation. — Great rejoicings. — An accession to my people. — The magic lantern, and white man's fetish.— The forest on the spurs of the Sierra del Crystal.— The rapids of the Como.— The country beyond. —The mountain range.— A new species of boar.— Eeturn to the Gaboon.

CHAPTER XYII.

The Country between the Gaboon and the

The Mafouga creek.—" Fortuna."— " Bush chop."— The route. — "N'cheri." — Prairie lands. — A chimpanzee shot.— Gallenjabah.— King Bapi's hospitality.— The bush.— A game country.— A python killed.— Strange taste.— Plenty of food.— A new antelope.— The first signs of gorillas.— The trail. — Gorillas wounded. — A young one caught. — His escape.— A thief caught and punished.— Preparations for a

CHAPTER XVIII. The N'Gobai and the adjacent Country . . 443

The route.— A herd of wild cattle.— A M'niare bull.— Different aspects of the forest. — The N'gobai. — N'jomba. — A herd of hippopotami. — A battue. — African hospitality. — News of gorillas. — Gorilla hunting. — Other game. — Fever. — A retrograde movement. — Treachery and its punishment. — A fatal blow. — Eeturn to Glass.

CHAPTER XIX. The Kroo Coast and Prince's Island . . 467

The Eeturn to Glass.— Fever.— The Kroo Coast.— A cruise in H.M.S. "Wrangler."— Prince's Island.— "The azure grotto."

XVlll CONTENTS.

PAGE

— Sea birds. — " Submarine life." — " Black Jesuits." — Santa Antonio. — Santa Isabel. — The Hadji's retreat. — Captain Eichard P. Burton. — The Consulate. — Yellow Jack. — Bonny. — Great mortality. — Eeturn to England.

CHAPTER XX. Pencillings in Austria . . . .482

The " seven days' " campaign. — The Zund-Nadel Gewehr. — Austrian officers. — Our social system. — The seventh day in England and Sunday in Vienna. — The Prater. — The ■ Haupt-HaUee. — The imperial family. — Distinguished personages.— The belles of Vienna and their different styles of beauty— The Stadt Park.— The Volksgarten.— The Augarten. — The environs of Vienna. — Schonbrunn. — Hietzing. — Les agremens de la vie. — Austrian wines. — " Les divertissements de soir." — Baden, and the virtue of the waters. — Laxenbourg. — Austria essentially a sporting nation — Racing prospect.

CHAPTEE XXI.

Pencillings in Austria . . . .513

The Danube, Dilrrenstein. — Aschach. — The falls of the Traun. — Gmunden. — The purchase system. — Ischl, and its recreations. — Preparations for a trip to the mountains. — Hallstadt. — Our guide. — The Vorder See and the Hinter See. — A night in a chatelet. — The ascent of the Dachstein. ' — Grand panorama. — Life in high altitudes. — The Tyrolese. — Eifle practice. — A Sen Hilitee. — A hunter's dish. — Morning on the mountains. — Chamois afoot. — Two lucky shots. — The advantages of a breech-loading rifle. — A long shot. — The return. — An accident. — The joys of a chamois hunter.