Sport in Eastern Persia

vi Preface
I am rather inclined to think, moreover, that to
most the account of a miss is as interesting as
that of a kill. It is certainly more instructive to
the few that look for instruction. There is also
one's own reputation to be considered, in which
connection I am reminded of a story told by one
of the reviewers of my previous book : A sportsman
was lashing a Highland stream for salmon
with
"
indifferent success. Confound it, Donald,"
he at last exclaimed to his
gillie,
"
they seem to
be catching much bigger fish up the water than
we are." "Ah, sir," said Donald dryly, "it's no'
the fush, sir, they're only bigger hears up the
"
water !
Eastern Persia affords good sport to those fated
to live in the country, but I think it will be clear
to any one that has the patience to read these
sketches that the amenities of travel, and the
numbers and variety of animals to be shot, are
hardly such as to attract the sportsman
who is
lucky enough to be able to range the globe in
pursuit of his hobby. An exception might be
made in the case of the Caspian province and
the country north of Meshed, but here, without
some local knowledge and an acquaintance with
one or other of the vernaculars, a sportsman would
find himself considerably at sea. Apart from
difficulties of organisation and " bandobast," the