The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-11-17
WILD GAME IN JAPAN.
Hunting, as Understood in Europe or
America, Unknown.

Men often ask me about the sport
obtainable in Japan. and SO with re-
spect To this IL may not come amiss
II | here explain. Hunting. such as
the people of England and Ireland un-
dersIand il by that term, is absolutely
non'eNistent in the land of the Mix
ado. Foxes, deer and hares are plen-
tiful enough, but Japan's natural feat
ureS and the methods OF agriculture
followed by its farming classes are
all, and most uncompromisingly. too,
against il.
OF candidates for the rifle Japan
possesses quite respectable number.
among them being three species of
bears. the wolf species of stag. an.
other OF antelope, and If ii is permis
sio.e for an old Anglo.lndian 10 place
him in the same category. the Wild
boar. All are, however. scarce. and
getting scarcer yearly. and II certain
~ would not pay any one To make
extensive preparations for going IN
search of any of them. for. though
the Aino. that extremely hairy abor.
iginal OF Japan, hunts them all most
assiduously. he will render no assis'
tance TO stranger TO do likewise, and
as for the Japanese hunter, he is the
most pittul of shikaris.
And then again, the slightest dcyi-
alton by a foreigner OF the beaten
tracks of foreign travel in Japan is
more likely than not TO lead 10 un.
pleasantness fog him. for suspicion ot
foreigners and their motives is one
of the leading and worst traits in the
Japanese character. Not being sports
men or travellers in the same sense
and from the same motives as the
English-speakins people are, they can
not understand why any one should
spend his time in pursuit Of objects
which-to them at least-bring no
tangible results. To travel they have
no objection, but only 10 do SO to SEQ
places of interest and with some very
definite object In view. such as for
the spying out Of a foreign land or for
the gaining Of knowledge upon aspe-
cial subject, but never for sport.
To revert, however TO the wild
game of Japan. Z is a pity indeed that
matters are as described, for the
bears Of the land are unique, as well
from the point of view of the cnor-
nous size, strength and ferceness of
one species as from the diminutive-
ness of another. The first is great
carniyorous brute, sort OF grizzly,
who makes nothing OF killing and car
rying off a fourteen hand, pony. Next
10 him comes black beast very
much like the sloth bear of India, and
last of all n diminutve little brute
scarce larger than n good sized span
iel, exceedingly shy and seldom seen.
The wolves of Japan are scarce,
cowardly and Of little account, and
found now only in the extreme north
ern parts of the empire. The stag is
about the size Of and in make and
shape and habits, too, like the fallow
deer Of England and Scotland. The
little Japanese antelope must be
very near relative indeed Of the jun
gle bakri Of India, possessing as he
does, the same general appearance
and shy habits.
The wild pig OF Japan appears 10
be domestic pig run wild; indeed. !
have seen herds OF Manchuran and
Mongolian swine, great black hairy
beasts, driven through the streets Of
Pekin, of far wilder and flcrcer
breed than any wild pig | have come
across in Japan. The boars there are
I,, 80 t,tfr ole I.t
tall on the legs nor with such fine
tusks as the jungle boar OF India. To
ride one Of them as we do his brother
Of India, would be an imposslbility. for
as il would be the case in hunting,
so, too, in this sport, the nature OF
the country would be all against any
one attempting TO do so.-TokiO cor
\ IL