REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD SPORTSMAN BY COLONEL J. P. HAMILTON, K.H. AUTHOR OF TRAVELS IN THE INTERIOR OF COLUMBIA' In Two Volumes VOL. I. LONDON LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, AND ROBERTS 1860 268.b.105 The right of translation is reserved PREFACE. "Since loss of sight and age refuse HAVING unfortunately been blind for upwards of twenty years, it is natural to conclude that I have experienced many hours of ennui, notwithstanding the kind attentions of relatives and friends. During those periods my mind has reverted to the past scenes of my life, and, having pursued field sports with ardour for upwards of forty years in various parts of Europe and South America, I determined to seek a solace by dictating my reminiscences and experience on the above subjects, which I hope may prove interesting to the reader, and instructive to the young sportsman. The reader will perceive that as one of the old school, I am no advocate for slaughtering game by wholesale, as is the modern practice of battues, where, as we learn from "The Field," and other newspapers, that a thousand, or even fifteen hundred head of game, are killed in a day. This, it appears to me, is very tame work compared to the healthy and invigorating exercise of fagging for your game, and observing the manoeuvres of your well-trained setters, pointers, and spaniels, which in this country have attained perfection with regard to breed. On those subjects which I cannot altogether treat from experience, such as falconry, hawking, and deer stalking, I have consulted several old works, more especially Blome, who wrote in the latter end of the seventeenth century, and also standard modern works. I am likewise indebted for much useful information and anecdote to some of my sporting friends, amongst whom I may class General Shaw Kennedy, who practised hawking in Ayrshire, many years ago, when a considerable part of that county was unenclosed. I entertain a hope that the account of my field sports in the Island of Sardinia may be interesting to sportsmen, as I had a most favourable opportunity of enjoying this recreation in various parts |