The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-04-14
HUNTING IN CHINA.
SOME OF THE PLEASURES AND DRAW
BACKS OF THE SPORT.

There Is Considerable Pine Game-De-
scription of Hawkins-The Chinese Not |
Much Given to the Chase.
Foreigners have found much sport in |
hunting in China, and much sorrow too. |
Those who have brought fine dogs out !
with them complain that their dogs die |
of the mango from having to wade |
through dirty streams and ponds. Some
die from what is called worms in the
heart, while others become deaf from
grass seed that gets in their ears, or lame
from a seed that works its way into the
foot and UP into the leg before it comes
out. Last, not least, if care is not taken,
the poor beast is nearly eaten up with
ticks. AS for the hunters, they complain
bitterly of mosquitoes.
There is another trouble in most parts
of China, and that is In land like this,
where armies almost raise from the
ground when one stamps his foot, 1t is
dangerous to shoot, for no one knows
just how many luckless Cinnamon may
be in range of the gun, though perhaps
none at that time may be seen, but for
all that fine bags of duck, geese, snlpe.
bustard (China's wild turkey, wood
cock, quail and pheasants are killed.
These sportsmen are not missionaries,
but sailors and merchants. Some mis-
sionaries, when passing through these
regions, leave their jolly carts and lay In
a fine supply of duck and bustard for
| their families and thus make pleasure
of what perhaps would be very hard
and unpleasant journey.
The Chinese can hardly be called hunt
ers, although the emperors and wealthy
men of leisure have always shown some
| taste for the chase. Three miles south OF
Picking there is a walled imperial hunt
| ing park. which is some 80 miles in Cir
| conference. 1t contains large meadows
| stocked with antelope, deer and rabbits.
! In the park there is one species of deer
| that is not known to exist in any other
| part of the globe. Chinese ancient his
| tory tells us of some famous hunters and
| fishermen. But the Chinese are by no
means given to the chase as rule, per-
| haps because the people are too. busy.
| and partly because the sale and manu-
facture of firearms are restricted.
During the winter season we can buy
all the ducks. pheasants and rabbits we
want. They are caught in traps, driven
| into a net, caught with dogs or shot with
a gun. There is other game-the musk
wolf and the fox. The first is sought for
its fur and also for the fine hair in its
tail. which is used in the Chinese writ
ing brushes The last named animal
the fox-is a sacred animal. 1t is be-
lieved to be able to perform many Won
derful things, among others to change
it's body into human form, to cure dis
| ease. and also to do much evil. The shy
old fox-there is no telling what he may
do.
The Chinese never write the name OF
the fox if they can help it, for they be-
lieve that it displeases his majesty very
much. The animal is worshiped. [ have
seen intelligent men in Peking burn In
cense and bow down to worship it. But
| for all that his sacredneSS does not al
ways save his skin, and after that has
gone his divinity has deprecated II
value. Ihave large and beautiful fox
skin overcoat 1 purchased from China
man for SIC, which could not be bought
, for $40 at home. The wolves are sought
} for their skins too. They collect in sucl
numbers around this city sometimes a!
to be dangerous to man and beast.
: Hawking, like that of the middle ages
l
Travelling through this country one of
: ten sees a man in the villages and town.
with a savage looking hawk on his arm
These birds are trained for the chase ant
} become perfectly manageable. They ar
kept in fine condition, and If q feathe
, | happens to fall out of the birds tail dur
, | ing the time he is most used 1T IS re
l placed, for the Chinese believe that tn
: fight of bird or at least his move
=; ment to right or left or rapid descen
depends much on the tail. Let us I'm
] agine our party starting out for day
r sport mounted on horses, men dressed
f long flowing garments, with dogs, VIM
in one hand and the hawk upon the lei
= arm or shoulder. They do not leaV
= some feudal castle with gates and wall
e and drawbridges, but some un1nvlt1n
e one story building. The dogs, who
e are we'll trained as we'll as the hawks
i. are tied SO they cannot run about as the
8 please and spoil the fun. Away they G
g across the fields, with no fences to bottle
They ride where they please and as ia!
as they please.
q When a rabbit jumps up, the fun b
u gins. The dogs and hawk are let loos
n Then. with whoop and hurrah, helt'
}, SHELTER, away go horse, rider and rabbi
If who outruns them all. But at this tin
n the hawk makes a swoop down upon /
:, prey, and with its talons gives the POI
. victim blow that knocks it down. II
&c rider and dogs are still in hot pursul
y The hawk rises in the air and then max
j, another swoop down upon the rabbi
q much to the delight of the sportsma
ct and knocks the poor animal a-whirlin
But the rabbit is soon up and at it agai
- but is soon foiled by the bird and caug
= by the dogs. The bird returns to
!" masters arms to wait until another IA
bit. or hare, for they are more proper
to hares. is sighted, and then the run
~ gins again. Sometimes the rabbit,
hare, seeing the odds are against hin
oil nrefers TO fight rather than to run.-Cc