Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 86 (Color Image)

0086	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

CHAPTER VIII

A SHOOTING EXPEDITION

PEREIRA now prepared for a shooting expedition

in the mountains of Western Szechwan, a wild,

mountainous country covered with dense scrub

and . bamboo, except on the higher slopes, and

uninhabited except for a few visiting wood-

cutters and Chinese farmers. The shooting

grounds were at altitudes of between 7000 and

13,000 feet. The game comprises boar, bear, roe,

leopard, giant pandar, pandar cat, serow, wild

dogs, and (on the highest ground) takin and blue

sheep. What he particularly wanted to get was

a giant pandar or pandar bear, as no European

had ever shot one. But shooting in this region

was not easy, as the jungle was thick and the local

hunters were not keen and knew little of the habits

of the game or where to find them. And for a

man like Pereira with a weak spine the physical

exertion of climbing very steep slopes and forcing

a way through dense bush was great.

Although warned by the magistrate that the

region was infested by brigands, Pereira left

Kiungchow on July 19. As he could get no mules

or chairs he engaged thirteen carriers, and he and

his boys walked. Leaving the Lan-ho the path

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