The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-20

1t is not. perhaps, generally known
tina. China is, at present, the greatest
game preserve in the world. Notwlth-
standing the enormous population of the
Empire and the early use there of fire.
arms the devastatlons of the hunter are
less apparent than anywhere else on the
globe. In the plain about Pekin. where
villages are so thick that the population
exceeds 1000 to the square mile. wolves,
raccoons. foxes, and weasels are SO thick
as to be pests. The wolves particularly
are so numerous and fierce that no win
ter passes without great many lives be-
ing lost through their depredations
All Chinese villages are surrounded by
mud walls for protection from bandits
and proving animals. and 1t is customa-
~ to paint large white rings on these
mud walls in order to brighten the wolves
away. The Chinese explain that the
wolves either take the rings to be traps,
which they avoid, or else to be the rising
sun, which causes them to stink back to
their LARS. During the summer the Chi
neSe villagers are too much engaged in
gathering their crops to attempt much in
the line of eXterminating the pests But
wolf hunts are quite common in the win
tiers. The villagers beat out the fields
where they are despatched with swords
and pixies. 1t is a common thing in all
parts CT China, even the most thickly pop
uiated, to see wolves trotting along the
roads or crossing from cover to cover.
The Chinese shotgun or gingal has never
reached 4 high enough development to be
Of much service in hunting. The barrels
are east. and many of the cheaper ones
look as If made Of pot metal. They are
- Il
gerated PISTOL handles. But the Chinese
have never invented anything like the per-
cussion cap. Their guns have no trig-
gers or hammers; instead there is at the
base of the barrel a small vent and flash
pan. Over the stock is a holder, shaped
like our hammers, made of soft steel and
split so as to hold between the two fin
gers a piece Of lighted incense or punk.
In order TO use this weapon the Chinaman
must I'LL the fashpan with fresh powder,
blow the ashes of his punk, take aim and
then with his thumb push the holder for
ward until the lighted end of the punk
touches the powder in the flash pan. So
uncertain is the weapon that the Chinese
rarely use il, except in pot hunting for
rice birds, blackbirds and that class of
game.
The reason that foxes are SO numerous
is that the Chinese who believe in the
trarsmigration Of souls, think that human
spirits prefer to go into foxes rather
than into any other animal. Consequently
they never kill foxes for fear they may be
injuring some departed spirit
Most OF the Chinese hunting is done
with traps. The ulooTs and plains abound
in partridge, grouse and rabbits, and the
Chinese take immense quantities of them
by means of nets and running nooSes. For
larger game. they resort to pits and dead
falls.
Ii is not generally known that the noun
taias Of North China abound in bears. both
black and brown. and that leopards and IL
gers are by no means Uncommon. The So
called Siberian tiger. which is the most
magnificent specimen OF the cat family,
far SURPRISING even the royal tiger of In
dia. is really a native Of the mountain
ranges that lie between the plains OF Mon
golia and Manchuria and the plains about
Pekin where the allies are now operat-
ing In early days the hunting of leopards
and tigers was feature Of the royal hunt,
which spo-s reached its greatest popularity
in the reign OF the Mongol dynasty during
the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
The Ming dynasty which followed them
also found many deyotees of the chase. but
they confined their hunting to the less
dangerous pursuit OF the deer, and estab-
lished the magnificent deer parks which
are now to be found near Pekin. The fam
Gus decoration OF the Peacock Feather,
which has been the subject OF so many in
ternational jokes in Connection with Ii
Hung Chang's yellow jacket, was original
Iy awarded to those members of the royal
suite. who succeeded in killing stag. The
early euiperurs OF the present Manchu dy
nasty we're also great sports1neD, but for
the last forty years the throne has been
occupied by minors, and the manly pas
time has fallen into disuse-
The northern deer park lies in the
from Pektn. and encloses one of the
most magnificent preserves to be found in
the world II takes in the spur OF the
mountains and the valleys on either side.
The whole is surrounded by a heavy brick
wall. about three feet thick and from
twelve TO fifteen feet high The Interior
of the park which contains one of the
largest herds to be found in the world.
Is traversed by paved roads and paths,
winding up the mountain side, past
springs and waterfalls to the most pict-
uresque hunting lodges. The buildings
are now largely falling into decay, but
they still show traces of their former
rnagnificence. The walls too, are falling
dow in places. and it is becoming quite
cohmOn to find on the mountains outside
OF the park deer which undoubtedly have
escaped from the royal herd within. The
deer in this north park are of a giant
red variety, magnificent antlered animals,
resembling our American wapiti. but pc
cullar in having a somewhat long tail.
which carries brush.
The southern deer park. which lies in
the plains south Of the Chinese capital,
covers an area of about 100 square miles,
and Is remarkable for a breed Of deer IN
like anything known anywhere else in the
world. II seems to be kind OF elk but
is without horns or has only the merest
knobs or rudiments. The Chinese COM
monty call It the mule deer and 1t is like
ly that this name indicates a hybrid ORR
gin. They call II the -puh-sang. which
indicates that Il is neither OF the four use
full Gnimals-horse deer. camel. and
This deer is very large animal OF fawn
or light grey color. and with a peculiar
mild croaking tone to its call which seems
curiously out Of place in so large an ami
NAL.
The great variety OF game and its abund-
ance is not peculiar to any part of China.
but extends from the plains Of Mongolia
TO the tropical ranges along the coast of
the south. and nowhere else in the world
is there such a variety of climate and
country. There are mountain ranges
across the north. the south. and the cen
trial part of the country. gradually in
creasing In height from the coast toward
the Interior, dividing the country into the
great valleys OF the Yellow. tho Yangtse,
and West rivers with intervals OF plateaus
and bottoms. lakes. and plains. and be-
yond them all the wllds of Manchurla and
the deserts and salt lakes of Cobb.
The Mongolia plains are peculiar for a
species OF wild chicken. which is I'M
doubtedly the progenitor of our present
domestic fowl II is large bird with