The Baz-nama-yi Nasiri

Part 2 — CHAPTER XXVIII METHOD OF SNARING A WILD GOSHAWK WITH THE AID OF A LAMP

D. C. (Douglas Craven) Phillott translation

Method of Snaring a Goshawk with the Aid of a Lamp.—Should you happen to see a goshawk (t̤arlān) settle on a tree towards sunset, keep a careful watch on it from a distance till three or four hours after dusk, and see that it is not disturbed. Then take a long light pole of sufficient length to reach the hawk, and firmly bind to one end a horse-hair noose; a span’s distance below the noose fasten a lighted wax-candle. Take this pole and proceed alone towards the tree on which the goshawk is sleeping, till within thirty yards of it. Now, with noiseless steps, advance very slowly for ten yards; and then halt for seven or eight minutes: next extinguish the candle and remain in the dark for two or three minutes. Re-light the candle and advance ten yards more, very very slowly; and then halt for some minutes: then extinguish the candle and wait another two or three minutes in the dark. Re-light the candle, and, holding it aloft, advance stealthily to the foot of the tree.

Keep the lighted candle in front of the goshawk’s face. Now, my son, pull yourself together and keep your eyes open; let hand and foot be steady; don’t get flurried: think not you are after a goshawk. Say to yourself: “It is a leaf of a tree, or a barn-door fowl.” Don’t let your hand shake. This is the advice I give you: I cannot myself act up to it, nor do I believe that any falconer can. Well, hold the light[309] close to the goshawk’s breast. If she is asleep, head under wing, gently, ever so gently, stroke her breast with the horse-hair noose to awaken her, but have a care your nervous hand does not tremble but keeps the pole well away from her breast, or else she is off. Stroke her breast with the noose, ever so gently, till she withdraws her head from under her wing. Then pass the noose on to her neck, and pull her down to you.[310] On the spot, “seel” her eyes with blue[311] thread, using a fine needle,[312] and “mail”[313] her tightly.

FOOTNOTES:

Illustration from The Baz-nama-yi Nasiri: A Persian treatise on falconry

XIV

PERSIAN FALCONER WITH INTERMEWED GOSHAWK

(FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY A PERSIAN)

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · Chirāg͟h in m. c. is often incorrectly used in the sense of ‘light’ instead of ‘lamp.’Note 2 · “A praty craft to take an hawke that is brokyn owt of mew. and all maner of fowlys that syt in trees if a man wyll. “Looke Where an hawk Note 3 · That is with thread dyed with indigo: indigo is good for wounds.Note 4 · Hawk-catchers are careless about the manner they “seel” a hawk’s eyes: they generally use a coarse, large, needle and not infrequently a tho Note 5 · Qapāncha kardan, “To mail” a hawk: vide page 59, note 247.