LINE & TRIGGER

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 727, 11 February 1904, Page 13

LINE & TRIGGER

(By

“Gillie.”)

Sir Mortimer Durand, who was recently appointed Ambassador to the United States, As a keen sportsman. One of hisi Indian shooting trophies is an enormous skin and head of a Bengal tiger, the story of whose death he is always ready to tell. As the jungle was too thick for elephants to be used. Sir Mortimer was armed with both an Empress rifle and an eight bore. The latter weapon he had never used, and when the tiger came on he expected to have dropped him dead by the steady aim he took with it. But the brute rushed on for thirty yards at full gallop, and Sir Mortimer thought he had missed aim. From his coign of vantage in the fork of a tree, he fired with the Empress rifle into the brute’s back, and this time he fell. When the tiger was skinned, it was found that the eight-bore bullet had raked it from the chest to the end of his body. It was evidently well endowed with the feline capacity for surviving.

It may interest anglers to know that the trout ate increasing in weight ; those caught during the week averaged 6ft.

The “ Hot Lakes Chronicle ” has always something interesting to say about the trout fishing at Rotorua. According to it large quantities of trout continue to be taken from the lake and streams. Since the 28th ult. 294 fish have been secured, the aggregate weight, of which was 1756 Tb. Among those who caught heavy fish were the following : —J. Head, three, the total weight being 231 b,, with a 3 6-pounder as the heaviest ; T. Taylor.

sixteen fish, among them being one of 161 b, 9tb, and Bft ; Taylor and party, thirteen, aggregate weight 651 b, with one of 16ft ; Captain Fulton, fifteen, the total weight of which was 75tb, with fish of 15Tb, 9f-ft, and 9tb in the basket ; Messrs Peace and Bartlett caught six, the aggregate weight of 'which wa» 36'lb ; Mr McArthur and Dr. Smith-Hozier bagged thirteen, weight 65Tb, and were rewarded with one of tllb ; Messrs Iles and Cotton, with one fish less than the former, had the same weight, with one of and one of 111 b ; Messrs Camm and Clarke secured sixteen trout, the weight of which was 79ft, the two heaviest being 10 Aft and ft; Mr and Mrs Woods secured ten nice fish, with two 10-pound-ers among them ; Mr Camm bagged five, the largest of which was 101 b ; Misses Malfroy and Mueller secured ten fish, the largest among them being 91b. Quite a large number of the fish were secured with th® fly.

A shipment of fifty-four English partridges is to shortly arrive in Auckland to the order of the New Zealand Government, by the s.s. Turakina, which will make the third shipment during the last two months. They will be liberated in the Waikato district.

At Atiamuri this week Messrs Barry and Everard, of Waihi, had some good sport, having grassed one day and 63 ft on the following day, with some very fine fish among them. The trout are in splendid condition, and as the river . is in good order, getting lower daily, those visiting this locality are certain of good sport.