| Description | He continues his account of his cold weather journeying, noted in his previous letter. Near to their tent they found a camp of bazdars, the falconers of the Nawat of Moorshedebad. They are sent out for training from time to time and they had two types of bird: the Bahri and the Baz [Baj], which William describes. The birds always wear caps to close their eyes. William gives an account of a hunting trip with the hawks, riding across rice fields, noting that in India one may ride in straight lines so long as no damage is done. Their desiderata was partridges, but little could be found, until at the end they came upon a heron, which the Bahri hawk killed and commenced to eat before being stopped. The Baz, the plumage of which William describes, was let loose on a quail, but was caught by the jess of one leg on a thorn bush, ending their 'sport'. William compares the Indian falconers to an English gamekeeper and listens to their conversation on various types of birds of prey, including hunting eagles kept at the village of Dewan Serai. He notes the cost of keeping such birds. The next day they hunted the wak, a bird which William describes, and the hawk had to be searched for within a village, one eventually found with prey at a water tank. Herons were also caught. William has heard nothing more about the Punjab and he contemplates taking a year's leave as he has had bad luck in getting a promotion. [William] Waterfield is thinking similarly. He thinks that one year in every seven is the best use of his three years' furlough and he discusses how leave should be taken. He wishes to take three months but thinks it may be best to wait for Johnny's arrival [John Herschel]. John is likely to be ordered up-country and William has an ambition to go with him to see the Himalayas. He discusses family news, his father's verses, and Horace. |