Posted By Ashley D'souza
I remembered my great uncle Mr Anthony D'Souza from Tony villa
kirol owning licensed double barrel gun , He was credited to have shot and
killed a Tiger , Deer , Wild Boars similarly my Wife Carol great grandfather in
the picture was the Patil of Chakala village he too had licensed gun Visa Versa
all Patils of Gaothans in early days had authority to own license guns , As a
child heard lot about these elites going for hunting and infact in 60s &
70s I did tasted lots of these wild birds and animals too, Which they used to
of load after their hunting trip , We used to hear lots of interesting tales
and tragedy during their hunting expedition , And So i posted this article in
memory and tribute to all of Bombay
Wow evn my
uncle Peter Carlos moms side wud go on wild boar hunting i evn ate th deer meat
he once hunted
I remember i was 6 or 7 thn he wud clean hs barrel guns
I remember i was 6 or 7 thn he wud clean hs barrel guns
Nobody talks about these topics , Because of Animal Rights , But I
decided to share it History is History we must know about our past
1863, Jan. 25th.— Tiger at Mahim, near railway station. Two natives
killed by it. Shot.
The first chapter the
history of hunting in early modern Britain, pointing to its transformation into
a sport that was the preserve of the elite. During the eighteenth century, the
British began to view hunting as an exercise in building character, inculcating
the spirit of sportsmanship, encouraging manliness, and boosting an
appreciation of nature.
At the same time, a moral code that valued restraint and
righteousness and linked these to sportsmanship began to govern the practice.
These values were also projected as defining traits of British national
character and, in time of Victorian notions of honor.
The emergence of an “Anglo-Indian tradition of hunting” that was
the product of the fusing of English and Indian hunting practices in the crucible
of empire. The term “Anglo-Indian” to designate the English residents of the
Indian subcontinent, communities born of the intermixing of English and Indian
blood
During the colonial times in British India , Hunting was reguarded
as Regal sport in the numerous princely states , As many maharaja’s ,
Nawabs ,
Anglo Indian , East Indian’s of Bombay as well as British Officers
maintained a whole corps of Shikari’s ( Big Game Hunters ) Who were native
professional Hunters
Just as the aristocracy began to claim hunting as its own
gentlemanly pursuit, it labeled non-elite hunters as “poachers.” Hunting became
a marker of elite status while the hunting practices of the lower classes were
systematically criminalized.
Big game in India includes the Asian elephant, Water buffalo,
Indian Rhino, Gaur (the largest bovine worldwide), Asiatic Lions (now only
restricted to Gir National Park, Gujarat), Tigers, Leopards, The black, brown
and sloth bears.
Introduction of Gun Powder in Nineteenth century made shikar
(hunting) easy and these animals were hunted in hundreds of thousands. Tiger
suffered most, with some 40,000-50,000 in 1700'S 1800'S & early 1900s to a mere 1,500-1,800, when
India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 banned the killing of all wild animals.
The hunting expedition aided knowledge gathering about the land,
Forest Management , its people and their customs. It was during this period
that the British formed their earliest relationships with local villagers and
forest-dwellers who served as shikaris, or assistants and guides on the hunt.
The proliferation of hunting by British residents created new
sources of livelihood for forest-dwellers and other villagers intimately
familiar with the jungle. Shikaris—locals employed as trackers, guides and
assistants for the hunt—played an indispensable role in hunting expeditions.
They commanded an intimate knowledge of the locality and were skilled hunters
themselves.
But British hunters generally portrayed locals as unworthy of being
recognized as hunters. This was because the British considered all Indian
hunters —whether maharajas or shikaris—to be given to excess, lacking in an
ethical and fair approach towards game, unschooled in hunting etiquette and
poor sportsmen due to a lack of skill with the gun.
THE WILD BEASTS OF BOMBAY.
1783. — The Governor and most of the gentlemen of Bombay go
annually on a party of pleasure to Salsette" to hunt the wild
boar and royal tiger, both of which we found here in great plenty.
1806, December 17th. — Two gentlemen at 7 a.m. riding towards the
bungalows of General Macpherson on the Island of Salsette, near the village of
Coorla (Kurla ) two tigers came out of the
jungle as if ready to spring, crouched, and were observed to be taken
themselves to the jungles and hills of Powee (Powai ), fifty yards in front of
the horses.
And in this connection two persons on November 4th were carried off
by two tigers from a native village nearly opposite to Powee ( Powai) , near
the high road leading from Sion to Tanna ( thana ). The natives believe the
tigers are human beings, and
Have gold rings in their ears and noses.
One native's body they had sucked all the blood out of it,
otherwise not eaten. They took away a herdsman driving his flock.
1822, February 9th. — A tiger on Malabar Hill came down, quenched
his thirst at Gowalla Tank, and ran off over the hill between the Hermitage and
Prospect Lodge. Prints of its feet were distinctly visible that morning.
1828. — At Colaba Ferry a huge shark was observed in proximity to
some bathers.
1830, January 13th. — A large hyena is prowling about Malabar Hill
on the western side between Mr. Nicol's residence and Vaucluse, " as good
sport as a Mazagon tiger."
1839, June 25th. — Lieutenant Montague, at Colaba, returning from
mess, put his foot in a hole, received a slight wound which in twenty-five
minutes carried him off. Some jurors thought it was from the bite of a serpent.
1841, September 15 th. — A man bitten by a snake on the Esplanade.
1849. — A finback whale driven on shore at Colaba, 60 feet long, 30
to 40 feet round the thickest part. All along the road from the Fort to Colaba
was a perfect fair. . The stench was felt from the town side of the causeway
from where it lay at the back of Colaba Church. Jawbone taken away.
1850, Oct. 9th. — A tiger at Bandoop ( Bhandup ) leaped upon the
mail-cart and upset it, and the gliarry-wallah was little injured. I saw jackals several times in the gardens of
the Colaba observatory in 1844. — Dr. Buist. On tins Mr. Charles Chambers,
F.K.S.,
observes (1893) : " I found a jackal in my bedroom in the
Colaba Observatory about fifteen years ago."
A jackal was killed in the new High Court Buildings shortly after
they were finished.
A boat was lowered and the crew armed with ship's muskets. When they
came up to it the brute was boarding a buggalow, and was being kept off by the
lascars by handspikes. It was shot through the head by six balls. Weight, 353
lbs. Length to tip of tail, 8 ft. 9 ins.
1858, May 26th. — A young Portuguese this day shot a tiger at
Mahim, and on the 27th inst. brought the carcass to the Chief Magistrate for
the reward,
1859. — To-day Mr. Forjett with a fowling-piece shot a tiger within
a few hundred yards of the fashionable drive on the Esplanade, and on the beach
of Back Bay near Sonapore. Mr.Forjett promised the hide to Dr. Birdwood for the
Museum.
Feb. 6th. — On this day, Sunday evening, the wife of Mr. Pratt,
uncovenanted assistant in the General Department Secre-tariat, walking along
with her husband in the fields adjoining their residence at Mahim, trod on a
snake and died two hours afterwards.
Feb. 15th. — A tiger was seen sloping about the nooks of Kalpadavie
( Kalbadevi ) , but disappeared.
Nov. 12th. — Dr. Turner, P. and 0. service, at his residence,
Chinchpoogly ( Chinchpokli ) was bitten by a venomous snake on the calf of
the leg. His leg swelled to an immense size. A friend of his made
an incision, sucked the wound, and he
recovered
Nov. 16th. — A cobra, 4 ft. in length, killed in Secretariat compound,
Apollo Street.
1860, Oct. 31st. — On Sunday a snake was seen amusing itself round
one of the pillars in St. John's Church, Colaba, a few yards from the
reading-desk, and not long ago a cobra was found in the Piano (organ )
Dec. 5 th. — A hyena shot while devouring a bullock not far from
the Byculla Club House.
1861, Nov. 26th. — Hyenas quite common at night, prowling about the
Byculla Flats.
1863, Jan. 25th.— Tiger at Mahim, near railway station. Two natives
killed by it. Shot.
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