My grandfather was a shikari and i grew up reading all his books and listening to his stories.
I am now haunted by the memory of one of these books and try as i may i have failed to locate it.
I do not remmeber the name but will attempt to describe its contents, mostly the illustrations.

The various chapters were abt
wolf
rhino
tiger
and more i cannot recall

every chapter was dedicated to a particular species and bore illustrations of the animal, its 'spoor'
and a detailed sketch of its skeletal structure.

There was also an interesting illustration of a tiger trap using mirrors to incite the animal to commit to the trap.

Another illustration was a sketch of a tiger trying to climb a bamboo wall with a Indian wild buffalo in pursuit and the native tribes threatening the tiger with torches of fire from the top of the bamboo wall.


your help will be greatly appreciated.

There's no end of Indian hunting books out there.

Can you even remember the author's name or even if he was English or Indian etc or even roughly when it might have been written?

Feel free to PM me if you prefer.

Tks Shakari, i have put out some feelers to the extended family and waiting to see what turns up in the net.

Heres a website for you, this is a virtual treasure trove of old shikar books.

http://www.archive.org/

type a word or topic in search and press enter

O.K. Hold your breath. I have here a 1st edition of "Stray Sport" circ. 1894 + internally stamped by the British garrison on Malta.Perhaps this is the volume of which you spoke. Or perhaps John Master's "Bugles + a Tiger"?Feel free to contact me + I will be happy to help you ,a fellow bibliophile in any way I can short of giving away my books.Most sincere,R.

Shukaree

We have a thousands of both new and used African hunting & Africa related books on our site at http://www.shakariconnection.com/bookshelf.html but at the moment, we don't have an Indian section.

That'll change as we are planning to add a new section on Indian and perhaps other hunting books but the bad news is, it'll be a while before we find time to even start that project.

In the meantime, if you click on the Abe Books icon on the shakariconnection.com bookshelf pages, you can search for titles and/or authors names.

For example, the two titles Norman suggested are Bugles and Tigers cxheapest copy being US$6.02 and Stray Sport Cheapest being US$16.65

Not the one you're looking for but another great Indian read is Tryst With Tigers

Hope that helps

Steve,that was really poor form don't you find? Sell a man a book if you must (+ by all means please do)[p.m.'s work well when manners are concerned].I was only answering the gentlemans query with what I thought might be what he had in mind. I WAS NOT SELLING MY BOOKS! To refer to the 2 volumes of mine in question (1st edition w/ the British Maltese Garrison stamping) + then to speak of cheapest copies etc. while making potential sales appears to what in this country we refer to a "used car salesman".

quote:

Originally posted by Norman Conquest:
Steve,that was really poor form don't you find? Sell a man a book if you must (+ by all means please do)[p.m.'s work well when manners are concerned].I was only answering the gentlemans query with what I thought might be what he had in mind. I WAS NOT SELLING MY BOOKS! To refer to the 2 volumes of mine in question (1st edition w/ the British Maltese Garrison stamping) + then to speak of cheapest copies etc. while making potential sales appears to what in this country we refer to a "used car salesman".

Norman,

No mate. I don't think it was bad form at all....... and nor do I believe I need your approval or permission to make any post I like.

All I was doing was pointing out where he could find scarce titles and nothing more. We don't sell the books ourselves and if you'd taken the trouble to look before you shot from the lip, you'd find most of the booksellers are actually in the USA.

Incidentally, WHERE did I say you were selling your books? I didn't even know you were a bookseller and if I had known that, I wouldn't have posted anything at all........ I'm not psychic you know!

If you are a bookseller, you could perhaps consider putting it in your signature line so that a) people will know it and b) it would get you and/or your website a bit of free publicity.

We make a VERY small percentage on the affiliate sales and it's not even enough to cover the costs of running the site. ... I wasn't trying to sell books and in fact, if you search the whole of AR, I think you'll find the only thing I've ever tried to sell was a shotgun. as i said previously, all I was trying to do was help the bloke find a hard to locate book and if that puts your nose out of joint, that's your bloody problem!

@Norman,
Tks for the info Norm i have checked out both books on the Archive site and although they have been added to my reading list, unfortunately its not the book i am haunted by.

If i seem tardy in my replies gents its only cos the roar is almost upon us and i feel like what i imagine a virgin bride must.

Shakari,

Still got fingers crossed for that info..

In the interim everytime i walk past the gunsafe , The swede calls my name sometimes whispering visions of sweet success sometimes abuse for not being among the hills now.

Steve,Yes it was bad form.No you do not need my permission or approval to post anything. No ego involved on my end.just general rules on where one posts + application to good manners.Perhaps you should have read my comment a second time before you shot off at the lip. I am not a bookseller [thus my high case].As to where the actual sellers are located is a moot point as you stand to make a sale (again read my letter).I do not wish you ill,but one should post in the appropriate forums (again read my letter). I was as well trying to find the bloke the book he wanted...through communal friendship,not through sales.My nose is not out of joint,no worries. I do wish you all the best in your business.

Shukaree,most abject appologies;twas never my intention to "highjack" your site,quite the opposite actually.Please feel free to P.M. me whenever you wish in answer to literary queries as my library is quite extensive.NO SALES.....advice + kittens are free.

Norman,

Thanks for the unsolicited advice and arrogant opinion.

I suggest you shove it where the sun don't shine!

Since this was Shukaree's column to begin with;I will bow out respectavely.Wishing you most possitive feedback,best wishes . As to you Steve,you continue to come to a match of wits unarmed or at least half right.The arrogance I see from only one quarter;yours,Truly read what was written before you continue with your diatribe of diariagh(sp) of the mouth.Please leave with the slightest bit of modicund dignity+grace [at least try].This conversation is now over.

Shukaree

The more I think about your comments the more it rings a bell with me and I'll bet I have a copy of the book to which you refer...... the problem is, I don't know if I have it here in RSA or in the UK.

The guy who originally got me into African hunting was an Anglo Indian and he had an immense collection of Indian hunting books.......... and I inherited a good many of them..... unfortunately, most are in the UK.

One small possibility is that it was a one of the Corbett books..... I've checked all except Man Eaters of Kumaon and can't find that one I'm afraid.

I hope to be going to the UK later this year to meet my first Grand Child and will check through the book I have there for you......... if I find anyhing I'll let you know.

I get an idea it also had a rather 'artistic' drawing of a tiger leaping at a machan as well?

Hello Shakari,

My mum is proper Anglo Indian of the first Water.
My birthday presents growing up were books like
Born Free
Maneaters of Kumaon( i consequently accquired all his books)
Maneaters of Tsavo
(and a subscription to NGeographic)

I grew up on a diet of shikar stories at bedtime

my siblings have drwan a blank on the book while all of em recall the book, no names come to mind.

Did u have a squiz at the archive site, have you had a read of those books as yet?

Shukaree,

What part of India are your family from? - I guess it's not impossible someone might have at least come into contact with my old mentor Vivian L Good...... sometimes nicknamed Tarzan. FWIW, he was also a good friend of the Van Ingen brothers and it was my sad duty to tell the surviving brother of Viv's death..... and I still have a few old pics of their home etc.

I took a quick look at the link but although it was interesting, it didn't help me in this case..... your quandry is driving me nucking futs..... I'm sure I can almost see the book in my mind's eye and the more I think about it, the more I can imagine the pic on the dust cover was of a tiger leaping at a machan!

One place we could both look for inspiration is Google Books which has a massive data base..... I'm busy adapting my own book for Kindle and hard copy at the moment but will try to check it out further when I get the time.

We were talking about Jim Corbett earlier. Did you know he was also a PH in Africa and was actually guiding the Elizabeth when she went up a tree a Princess and came down a Queen?

How's that for a useless piece of information!

Shukaree,

Here's one possibility from Google books:

http://books.google.co.za/book...20in%20india&f=false

Note the first image in that one.

Futhermucker, i think i have found it.

Shakari you bloody beauty, heres the link.
http://books.google.co.za/book...rap%20mirror&f=false

And at the risk of upsetting the prima donnas , Here's a hard copy in case you want one.

It's not the book I was thinking of, so I think I'll order myself a copy!

Good teamwork huh!