Major General Richard Stewart Dobbs

Major General Richard Stewart Dobbs (10 May 1808 – 26 September 1888) was a British civil servant. He served as the first Superintendent of Chittledroog Division from 1834 to 1861. Tumakuru was then the head quarters of this Division [1]

He was a shikari and would hunt in and around Devarayanadurga hill and forests. He wrote of the presence of sambur (which the British of that time referred to as elk) near the Devarayanadurga hill top, apart from tigers in the forests around the hill. According to him an entire dead blackbuck would be available at the Tumkur market for four annas (approximately 25 paise or 1/4 of an Indian Rupee).[2]

He devised a new method of trapping tigers of which there plenty in the region those days. [3] British officers also indulged in ‘jig-sticking’ or spear hunting of wild boar as well as shooting sloth bears in the division. He narrates the reduction of tigers and leopards in the division due to hunting led to an increase in wild boar which damaged sugarcane plantations. [4] A tiger that was killed about 4 miles from Tumakuru city was skinned and the skin was gifted to a family friend in Scotland. [5]

He records the presence of sambur (which the British of that time referred to as elk) near the Devarayanadurga hill top, apart from tigers in the forests around the hill. The common antelope (blackbuck) was so abundant in the areas surrounding Devarayanadurga, that one British officer shot 200 of these magnificent creatures within a few days. [6]

He was a devout Christian who supported missionary activity and was equally enchanted by the wildlife and serenity atop Devarayanadurga hill. He would sing hymns atop the hill for his guests overlooking the beautiful sunsets. [7]

References

  1. ↑ Reminiscences of Life in Mysore, South Africa, and Burmah. G.Herbert. 1882.
  2. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/reminiscencesli00dobbgoog#page/n90/mode/2up/search/daveroydroog
  3. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/reminiscencesli00dobbgoog#page/n50/mode/2up/search/daveroydroog
  4. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/reminiscencesli00dobbgoog#page/n52/mode/2up/search/tiger
  5. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/reminiscencesli00dobbgoog#page/n52/mode/2up/search/tiger
  6. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/reminiscencesli00dobbgoog#page/n54/mode/2up/search/daveroydroog
  7. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/reminiscencesli00dobbgoog#page/n90/mode/2up/search/daveroydroog

Other References

[1]

  1. ↑ Shikar Tales of Tumkur. Deccan Herald. 2014.
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