The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 415: Chapter 345: The White Deer Shepherd

April 25, 1913, Friday, Sunny.

With the arrival of autumn in Australasia, the annual hunting season has come for Arthur.

Starting from April, the temperature in Australia would drop to about 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, making it very suitable for hunting and outdoor activities.

Moreover, there are no overly large carnivores in Australasia, with the largest being the Australian wild dog.

Aside from being cautious about poisonous snakes and insects hidden deep in the forest, hunting in Australasia is considered a safe and enjoyable activity.

According to records from later generations, Australia alone has 378 species of mammals, 828 species of birds, 4,000 species of fish, 300 species of lizards, 140 species of snakes, 2 species of crocodiles, and about 50 species of marine mammals.

Over 80% of the mammals, reptiles, and frogs are unique to Australia. Some of the most famous animals include kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, Australian wild dogs, platypuses, bandicoots, and marsupial bears.

The diverse animal population, coupled with the pristine forests and grasslands, makes hunting in Australia very easy.

This time, Arthur chose a rural manor in New South Wales as his hunting ground.

Due to the limited territory of the Capital Territory, after the continuous expansion of Sydney, the forest vegetation of the Capital Territory has also been somewhat destroyed.

Compared to this, the more extensive New South Wales and Victoria states are better options for hunting.

Arthur frequently visits these two states, and deep in the mountains of both states, there are rural villas specially built for hunting.

Although they are called rural villas, their scale is still quite large, capable of accommodating dozens of people.

As for the guards who followed Arthur, they could only sleep in tents outside the villa.

On this hunting trip, Arthur brought William and Anna Miller. Besides giving them a break from their hard studies, he also wanted them to see the natural scenery of Australasia and witness the lives of lower-class Australasians.

Coming from a European royal background, the Australasian Royal Family naturally has the traditions and customs of European nobility.

For European nobility, hunting is a very normal daily activity. In addition to women, horse racing, military matters, and gambling, hunting is the top choice for entertainment among European nobility.

Arthur was holding Anna in his arms, riding a tall and handsome white Victorian Kent horse.

William, on the other hand, was held by Butler Kent, following closely behind Arthur.

With Arthur as the center, hundreds of guards were scattered around them. As they hadn't approached the hunting grounds yet, there was no need to worry about delaying their hunting activities.

"Father, what is this?"

"Father, what is that?"

Throughout the journey, Arthur's most frequent interaction was with little Anna's curious inquiries in his arms.

Although almost four years old now, the farthest William and Anna had ever gone was only to Sydney Harbour to greet Arthur.

This trip out of the Capital Territory for hunting excited both of them. They eagerly pointed out and questioned Arthur about the various plants and wildlife they saw along the way.

One can't help but marvel at the diversity of wildlife in Australasia. On this journey, Arthur had already seen dozens of wildlife species, as well as countless plants of indistinguishable species.

Fortunately, Butler Kent had a good understanding of these things. Whenever Arthur was unsure about animal or plant species, he could ask Kent to clarify.

In fact, this is quite normal, after all, Arthur is not a professional botanist or zoologist. He went hunting only once or twice a year, for about a week or two each time.

Given his busy political affairs, it would be difficult for Arthur to recognize all of Australasia's flora and fauna.

On their way from Sydney to New South Wales, they traveled by car, but after entering the forest of New South Wales, cars were not as useful anymore.

Upon Arthur's command, the hunting party quickly mounted their horses and headed towards the villa deep in the forest.

Before Arthur's arrival, a group of guards was sent to investigate the villa. Although forest villas like these accommodate a small number of guards and a few servants even when not in the hunting season, it was still necessary to send a team of guards ahead of time to ensure Arthur's safety and clear any obstacles on the way.

Suddenly becoming a duke, Arthur's firearm skills were quite poor before becoming the Duke of Australia. However, after coming to Australia, his skills improved with multiple hunting trips, and every hunting trip provided him with gains.

For Arthur, the value of the animals he hunted was not important. What was important was the mood and experience during the hunt.

Arthur, who controlled the whole royal financial group, was not too concerned about the animals he hunted, occasionally enjoying the taste of game.

Although Arthur's main goal was to reach the villa, it was impossible for him to leave Australasia without encountering a few wild animals along the way.

During the journey, they encountered several wild deer, wild rabbits, etc., which the hunting party captured and killed.