xii CONTENTS

CHAPTER XXIII

PAGE

Cervidje (continued) . . . . . • . .375

CHAPTER XXIV
The "Wafiti (Cervus Canadensis) . . - . .377

CHAPTER XXV
The Sambur (G. Aristotelis) 408

CHAPTER XXVI
The Spotted Deer (G. Axis) : Hog-Deer (G. Porcinus) . 435

CHAPTER XXVII
Conclusion 443

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

BY H. DIXON

Jhe Monarch .

< I also am a Tiger."— Puss .
African Elephant .
Asiatic Elephant
The Circle of Fire

BlSGAUM CHARGES THE DYING TlGER

Slinking away from the Line of Beaters
A Challenge to the Line of Elephants
The Leopard or Panther— always wary
Cheetah stalking Antelopes
" Civis Africanus sum " .
Bos Caffre and Lions .

tfo Admittance .
[Wounded Brown Bear .

The Hippopotamus .

Attack upon wounded Hippopotamus .

Bull Buffaloes— The Fight.

American Buffalo— The true Bison .

Frontispiece
Vignette
To face page 19
44
59
85
„ 100

122
„ 158

173

„ 182

„ 188

„ 196

„ 241

246

273

.. ' 283

xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Indian Rhinoceros ....
The Black Rhinoceros (Keitloa)
Following the noosed Rhinoceros
A Charge from Covert
The Giraffe detects an Enemy .
Black-buck — The Start
Antilope bubalis (Hartebeest) .
Antilope scripta (Harnessed Antelope)
Red Deer of Europe ....
The Wapiti bellowing a Challenge .
Bronze Cast of Boar ....

1

To fact

i pagt

>,2

V

55

55

55

30
32

55

331

55

339

55

346

55

353

53

377

Page

45£

EKEATA

' Page 122, line 42, for "an expected charge" read "eyes well open for a
charge."

Page 123, lines 23, 24, for "perfect discipline" read "the result of such
-* discipline."

j Page 195, lines 25, 26, read "six cutting (cheek) teeth, six incisors, and
r two canines in each jaw."

. Page 276, lines 27, 28, for "and I knocked over another " read " I assumed
the offensive, and knocked over another. "

Page 294, line 35, for "the longest one I have ever shot" read "the
longest I have ever shot."

Page 357, line 38, for " Prada " read " Prater."

Page 378, lines 42, 43, for "although I was tolerably weather-proof"
read "although tolerably weather-proof."

'/«<

CHAPTER I

THE RIFLE OF A PAST HALF CENTURY

Forty years ago our troops were armed with a smooth-bore
musket, and a small force known as the " Rifle Brigade " was the
exception to this rule.

The military rifle carried a spherical bullet, and, like all others
of the period, it necessitated the use of a mallet to strike the ball,
which, being a size larger than the bore, required the blow to force
it into the rifling of the barrel in order to catch the grooves.

Sporting rifles were of various sizes, but they were constructed
upon a principle generally accepted, that extreme accuracy could
only be obtained by burning a very small charge of powder.

The outfit required a small mallet made of hardwood faced with
thick buff leather, a powerful loading-rod, a powder-flask, a pouch
to contain greased linen or silk patches ; another pouch for per-
cussion caps ; a third pouch for bullets. In addition to this cum-
bersome arrangement, a nipple-screw was carried, lest any stoppage
might render necessary the extraction of the nipple.

The charge of powder in ordinary use for a No. 1 6 bore (which
carried an ounce spherical ball) was 1J dram, and the sights were
adjusted for a maximum range of 200 yards. Although at this
distance considerable accuracy could be attained at the target upon
a quiet day, it was difficult to shoot with any precision at an un-
measured range owing to the high trajectory of the bullet. Thus
for sporting purposes it was absolutely essential that the hunter
should be a first-rate judge of distance in order to adjust the sights
as required by the occasion. It was accordingly rare to meet with
a good rifle-shot fifty years ago. Rifle -shooting was not the
amusement sought by Englishmen, although in Switzerland and
Germany it was the ordinary pastime. In those countries the

ft * B

I WILD BRASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

match-rifle waa immensely heavy, weighing, in many instances,
L6 11-., ilthongb the bullet was exceedingly small.

: tton-reooi] was paramount as necessary to ensure

accun . , . - .

It nmII beat once perceived that the rifle was a most interior
weapon, tailing through a low velocity, high trajectory, and weak-
ness of penetration.

In 1840, 1 bad already devoted much attention to this subject,
a„.l 1 drew i plan for an experimental rifle to burn a charge of
powder so large that it appeared preposterous to the professional
opinions of the trade. I waa convinced that accuracy could be
combined with power, and that no power could be obtained without
ponding expenditure of powder. Trajectory and force would
depend upon velocity; the latter must depend upon the volume of
ne generated by explosion.

The rifle was made by Gibbs of Bristol. The weight was 21
lbs., length of barrel 3G inches, weight of spherical belted bullet

tmoes, of conical bullet 4 ounces, charge of powder 16 drams.
The twist was one full turn in the length of barrel. The rifling
was an exceedingly deep and broad groove (two grooves), which
reduced the difficulty of loading to a minimum, as the projecting
belt enabled the bullet to catch the channel instantly, and to
drseend easily when wrapped in a greased silk patch without the

essity of hammering. The charge of powder was inserted by
inverting the rifle and passing up the loading-rod with an ounce
measure screwed to the end ; this method prevented the powder
from adhering to the sides of the barrel, and thus fouling the grooves.

An extraordinary success attended this rifle, which became my
enl.ssal companion for many years in wild sports with dangerous
game. It will be observed that the powder charge was one-third
the weight of the projectile, and not only a tremendous crushing
power, bin an extraordinary penetration was obtained, never
equalled by any ritle that I have since possessed.

This weapon was in advance of the age, as it foreshadowed the
modern Express, and the principle was thoroughly established to
mi <»wn satisfaction, that a sporting rifle to be effective at a long
range must burn a heavy charge of powder, but the weight of the

ipon should be in due proportion to the strain of the explosion.

When I first visited Ceylon in 1845, there were several
renowned sportsmen who counted their slain elephants by many
hundreds, but there were no rifles. Ordinary smooth-bore shot-
guna were the favourite weapons, loaded invariably with a double
Charge of powder and a hardened ball. In those days the usual

i THE RIFLE OF A PAST HALF CENTURY 3

calibre of a gun was No. 14 or 16. A No. 12 was extremely rare.
The charge for No. 16 was 2f drams of fine grain powder, and
3 drams for No. 12. Accordingly, the light guns, or "fowling-
pieces," as they were termed, were severely tested by a charge of
6 drams of the strongest powder with a hardened bullet ; never-
theless I never heard of any failure.

At a short range the velocity and penetration of an ounce
spherical ball, with the heavy powder charge, were immense, but
beyond 50 yards the accuracy was imperfect.

I believe I was the first to introduce rifles into Ceylon, which
were then regarded by the highest authorities in the island as im-
practical innovations, too difficult to sight, whereas an ordinary gun
could be used with ball more quickly in taking a snap-shot.

The rifles which I had provided were heavy, the 3 ounce
already mentioned, 21 lbs., and a long 2 ounce by Blisset, 16 lbs.
The latter was a polygroove, the powder charge only 1J dram
when I originally purchased it. It was wonderfully accurate at
short ranges with the small charge, which I quickly increased to 6
drams, thereby losing accuracy, but multiplying velocity.

Twelve months' experience with elephants and buffaloes decided
me to order a battery of double-barrelled rifles, No. 10, two-grooved,
with 6 drams of fine grain powder, and spherical belted bullets.
These were most satisfactory, and they became the starting-point
for future experiments.

Shortly before the Crimean War, the musket was abolished,
and about 1853 the British army was armed throughout with
rifles. The difficulty of a military rifle lay in the rapid fouling of
the barrel, which necessitated a bullet too small to expand suffi-
ciently to fill the grooves; this resulted in inaccuracy. If the
bullet were properly fitted, it became impossible to load when the
barrel began to foul after a few discharges.

At that time I submitted a plan to the authorities which
simplified the difficulty, and having left the pattern bullet at
Woolwich, it quickly appeared with a slight modification as the
"Boxer bullet." My plan designed a cone hollowed at the base.
The bullet was a size smaller than the bore, which enabled it to
slide easily down the barrel when foul. The hollow base fitted
upon a cone of boxwood pointed at the insertion, but broad at the
base, which was larger than the diameter of the hollow in the
bullet. It may be easily understood that although this compound
bullet was smaller than the bore of the rifle, a blow with the
ramrod after loading would drive the conical bullet upon the larger
diameter of the boxwood cone, which, acting like a wedge, would

4 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

expand the lend, thus immediately secured within the barrel. The
expansion when fired drove the boxwood into the centre of the
bullet, which of necessity took the rilling.

The Boxer bullet superseded the boxwood plug by the use of a
piece of burnt clay, which was less expensive and equally serviceable.

Before breechloaders were invented, we were obliged to fit out
a regular battery of four double rifles for such dangerous game as
elephants, buffaloes, etc., as the delay in re -loading was most
annoying and might lead to fatal accidents.

In hot damp climates it became necessary to fire off and clean
the entire battery every evening, lest a miss-fire should be the
consequence upon the following morning from the condensation of
moisture in the nipple during night. This was not only great
trouble and a wasteful expenditure of ammunition, but the noise of
so many loud reports just at the hour when wild animals were on
the move, alarmed the country. Trustworthy gun -carriers are
always difficult to procure, and it was by no means uncommon
that in moments of danger, when the spare rifles were required,
the gun-bearers had bolted from the scene, and the master was
deserted.

The introduction of breechloaders has made shooting a luxury,
and has obviated the necessity of a large battery of guns. For
military purposes the breechloader has manifold advantages — as
the soldier can load while lying down, and keep up a rapid fire
from a secure cover. It was remarked during the Crimean War
that a large proportion of wounded men were struck in the right
arm, which would have been raised above the head when loading
the old-fashioned rifle, and was thus prominently exposed.

It is not my intention to enter into the minutiae of military
rifles, but I cannot resist the satisfaction with which I regard the
triumph of the small-bore which I advocated through the columns
of the Times in 1865, at a time when the idea was opposed by
nearly all authorities as impracticable, owing to the alleged great
drawback of rapid fouling. There can be no doubt that the charge
of 70 grains with a small-bore bullet, -303, will have a lower
trajectory and higher velocity (equivalent to long range) than the
heavier projectile, -450, with the additional advantage of a mini-
mum recoil.

The earliest in the field of progress was the old-established firm
of Purdey and Co. Mr. Purdey, before the general introduction
of breechloaders, brought out an Express rifle, No. 70 bore, with a
mechanically fitting two-groove solid bullet. This small projectile
was a well-pointed cone weighing exactly 200 grains, with a powder

i THE RIFLE OF A PAST HALF CENTURY 5

charge of 110 grains, more than half the weight of the bullet.
The extremely high velocity of this rifle expanded the pure soft
lead upon impact with the skin and muscles of a red deer. At the
same time there was no loss of substance in the metal, as the
bullet, although much disfigured, remained intact, and continued
its course of penetration, causing great havoc by its increased sur-
face. Nothing has surpassed this rifle in velocity, although so
many improvements have taken place since the introduction of
breechloaders, but in the days of muzzle-loaders it was a satisfac-
tion to myself that I was the first to commence the heavy charge
of powder with the 3 ounce bullet and 16 drams, to be followed
after many years by so high an authority as Mr. Purdey with a
200 grain bullet and 110 grains of powder, thus verifying the
principle of my earliest experience.

This principle is now universally accepted, and charges of
powder are used, as a rule, which forty years ago would have been
regarded as impossible.

The modern breechloader in the hands of a well-trained soldier
should be a most deadly weapon, nevertheless we do not find a
greater percentage of destruction among the numbers engaged than
resulted from the old Brown Bess. The reason is obvious : battles
are now fought at long ranges, whereas in the early portion of the
century fire was seldom opened at a greater distance than 200
yards, and the actual struggle terminated at close quarters.

A long-range rifle in the excitement of a hot action has several
disadvantages. The sights may have been set for 600 or 800
yards when the enemy was at a distance, but should that interval
be decreased by an approach at speed, the sights would require an
immediate readjustment, otherwise the bullets would fly overhead,
and the nearer the enemy advanced, the safer he would be. Troops
require most careful training with the new weapons entrusted to
their care. Although a rapidity of fire if well directed must have
a terrible result, there can be no question that it engenders a wild
excitement, and that a vast amount of ammunition is uselessly
expended, which, if reserved by slower but steady shooting, would
be far more deadly.

Although the difficulty is great in preventing troops from inde-
pendent firing when their blood is up in the heat of combat, the
paramount duty of an officer should be to control all wildness, and
to insist upon volleys in sections of companies by word of command,
the sights of the rifles being carefully adjusted, and a steady aim
being taken at the knees of the enemy.

There cannot be a better example than the advice upon this

8 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

subject riveo by the renowned General Wolfe (who was subsequently
killed at the siege of Quebec) to the 20th Regiment, of which he
was Colonel, when England was hourly expecting an invasion by
tile French:— . . • "There is no necessity for firing very fast;
a cool well-levelled fire with the pieces carefully loaded is
much more destructive than the quickest fire in confusion."— At
Canterbury, 17th December 1755.

This instruction should be sternly impressed upon the minds of
all soldiers, as it is the text upon which all admonitory addresses
should be founded. It must not be forgotten that General Wolfe's
advice was given to men armed with the old muzzle-loading Brown
Bess (musket), which at that time was provided with a lock of
flint and steel. Notwithstanding the slowness of fire necessitated
by this antiquated weapon, the General cautioned his men by the
assurance, " There is no necessity for firing very fast," etc. etc.

The breechloader is valuable through the power which exists,
especially with repeating rifles, for pouring in an unremitting fire
whenever the opportunity may offer, but under ordinary circum-
stances the fire should be reserved with the care suggested by the
advice of General Wolfe.

Small-bores have become the fashion of the day, and for military
purposes they are "decidedly the best, as a greater amount of
ammunition can be carried by the soldier, while at the same time
the range and trajectory of his weapon are improved. The new
magazine rifle adopted by the Government is only -303, but this
exceedingly small diameter will contain 70 grains of powder with a
bullet of hard alloy weighing 216 grains.

For sporting purposes the small-bore has been universally
adopted, but I cannot help thinking that, like many other fashions,
it has been carried beyond the rules of common sense.

When upon entering a gunmaker's shop the inexperienced
purchaser is perplexed by the array of rifles and guns, varying in
their characters almost as much as human beings, he should never
listen to the advice of the manufacturer until he has asked himself
what he really requires.

There are many things to be considered before an order should
be positively given. What is the rifle wanted for 1 What is the
personal strength of the purchaser 1 In what portion of the world
is he going to shoot 1 Will he be on foot, or will he shoot from
horseback or from an elephant 1 Will the game be dangerous, or
will it be confined to deer, etc. %

Not only the weapon but the ammunition will depend upon a
r.ply to these questions, and the purchaser should strongly resist

[ THE RIFLE OF A PAST HALF CENTURY 7

the delusion that any one particular description will be perfect as
a so-called general rifle. You may as well expect one kind of
horse or one pattern of ship to combine all the requirements of
locomotion as to suppose that one peculiar rifle will suit every
variety of game or every condition of locality.

In South Africa accuracy is necessary at extremely long ranges
for the open plains, where antelopes in vast herds are difficult of
approach. In Indian jungles the game is seldom seen beyond fifty
or sixty yards. In America the stalking among the mountains is
similar to that of the Scottish Highlands, but upon a larger scale.
In Central Africa the distances are as uncertain as the quality of
the animals that may be encountered.

Upon the level plains of India, where the black-buck forms the
main object of pursuit, extreme accuracy and long range combined
are necessary, with a hollow Express bullet that will not pass
through the body. How is it possible that any one peculiar form
of rifle can combine all these requirements'? Kifles must be
specially adapted for the animals against which they are to be
directed. I have nothing to do with the purse, but I confine my
remarks to the weapons and the game, and I shall avoid technical
expressions.

The generally recognised small-bores, all of which are termed
" Express " from the large charge of powder, are as follow : —

Small-bore

Charge of

Large-

Charge of

For all Game

Express.

Powder.

bores.

Powder.

such as

•577
•500
•450
•400

6 J drams
54

4 bore

8

14 drams>
14 „
12 „

10 „ ,

I Elephants.

°2 >>
5 ,,
4 „

10 „
12 „

V Rhinoceros,
Buffaloes.

•360 ) m
•295 T°ys-

The two latter rifles, *360 and *295, are charming additions,
and although capable of killing deer, are only to be recommended
as companions for a stroll, but not to be classed as sporting rifles
for ordinary game. They are marvellously accurate, and afford
great satisfaction for shooting small animals and birds. The *360
may be used for shooting black-buck, but I should not recommend
it if the hunter possesses a *400.

It would be impossible to offer advice that would suit all
persons. I can therefore only give a personal opinion according to
my own experience.

For all animals above the size of a fallow deer and below that
of a buffalo I prefer the *577 solid Express — 648 grains solid

B WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

bullet,— G drams powder, not 6J, as the charge of only 6 drams
produces greater accuracy at long ranges.

The weight of this rifle should be 11 J lbs., or not exceeding 12
lbs. For smaller game, from fallow deer downwards, I prefer the
•400 Express with a charge of from 85 grains to 4 drams of powder
—solid bullet, excepting the case of black-buck, where, on account
of numerous villages on the plains, it is necessary that the bullet
should not pass through the body. The important question of
weight is much in favour of the -400, as great power and velocity
are obtained by a weapon of only 8 J lbs.

I should therefore limit my battery to one "577, one -400, and
one Paradox No. 12, for ordinary game in India, as elephants and
other of the larger animals require a special outfit.

The Paradox,1 invented by Colonel Fosberry and manufactured
by Messrs. Holland and Holland of Bond Street, is a most useful
weapon, as it combines the shot-gun with a rifle that is wonderfully
accurate within a range of 100 yards.

It is a smooth-bore slightly choked, but severely rifled for only
\\ inch in length from the muzzle. This gives the spin to the
projectile sufficient to ensure accuracy at the distance mentioned.

The No. 12 Paradox weighs 8 J lbs. and carries a bullet of If
ounce with 4J drams of powder. Although the powder charge is
not sufficient to produce a high express velocity, the penetration
and shock are most formidable, as the bullet is of hardened metal,
and it retains its figure even after striking a tough hide and bones.
The advantage of such a gun is obvious, as it enables a charge of
buck-shot to be carried in the left barrel, while the right is loaded
with a heavy bullet that is an admirable bone-smasher; it also
supersedes the necessity of an extra gun for small game, as it shoots
No. 6 shot with equal pattern to the best cylinder-bored gun.

There are many persons who prefer a *500 or a *450 Express to
the "577 or the "400. I have nothing to say against them, but I
prefer those I have named, as the '577 is the most fatal weapon
that I have ever used, and with 6 or 6J drams of powder it is
quite equal to any animal in creation, provided the shot is behind
the shoulder. This provision explains my reason for insisting that
all animals from a buffalo upwards should be placed in a separate
category, as it is frequently impossible to obtain a shoulder shot,
therefore the rifles for exceedingly heavy game must be specially

1 Since this was written Messrs. Holland have succeeded after lengthened
experiments in producing a Paradox No. 8, which burns 10 drams of powder,
and carries a very heavy bullet with extreme accuracy. This will be a new
departure in weapons for heavy game.

i THE RIFLE OF A PAST HALF CENTURY 9

adapted for the work required, so as to command them in every
conceivable position.

I have shot with every size of rifle from a half-pounder explosive
shell, and I do not think any larger bore is actually necessary than
a No. 8, with a charge of 12 or 14 drams of powder. Such a rifle
should weigh 15 lbs., and the projectile would weigh 3 ounces of
hardened metal.

The rifles that I have enumerated would be all double, but
should the elephant -hunter desire anything more formidable, I
should recommend a single barrel of 36 inches in length of bore,
weighing 22 lbs., and sighted most accurately to 400 yards. Such
a weapon could be used by a powerful man from the shoulder at
the close range of fifty yards, or it could be fired at long ranges
upon a pivot rest, which would enable the elephant-hunter to kill
ai a great distance by the shoulder shot when the animals were in
deep marshes or on the opposite side of a river. I have frequently
seen elephants in such positions when it was impossible to approach
within reasonable range. A rifle of this description would carry a
half-pound shell with a bursting charge of half an ounce of fine
grain powder, and the propelling charge would be 16 drams. I
had a rifle that carried a similar charge, but unfortunately it was
too short, and was only sighted for 100 yards. Such a weapon
can hardly be classed among sporting rifles, but it would be a useful
adjunct to the battery of a professional hunter in Africa.

There can be little doubt that a man should not be overweighted,
but that every person should be armed in proportion to his physical
strength. If he is too light for a very heavy rifle he must select
a smaller bore ; if he is afraid of a No. 8 with 14 drams, he must
be content with a No. 12 and 10 drams, but although he may be
successful with the lighter weapon, he must not expect the per-
formance will equal that of the superior power.

It may therefore be concluded that for a man of ordinary strength,
the battery for the heaviest game should be a pair of double
No. 8 rifles weighing 14 or 15 lbs., to burn from 12 to 14 drams
of powder, with a hardened bullet of 3 ounces. Such a rifle will
break the bones of any animal from an elephant downwards, and
would rake a buffalo from end to end, which is a matter of great
importance when the beast is charging.

Although the rifle is now thoroughly appreciated, and sportsmen
of experience have accepted the Express as embodying the correct
principle of high velocity, I differ with many persons of great
authority in the quality of projectiles, which require as much con-
sideration as the pattern of the gun.

10 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chai>.

The Express rifle ifl a term signifying velocity, and this is
generally aeeompanied by a hollow bullet, which is intended to
serve two purposes— to lighten the bullet, and therefore to reduce
tin- work of the powder, and to secure an expansion and smash-up
of the lead upon impact with the animal. I contend that the
smashing up of the bullet is a mistake, except in certain cases
such as I have already mentioned, where the animal is small and
harmless like the black-buck which inhabits level plains in the
vicinity of population, and where the bullet would be exceedingly
dangerous should it pass through the antelope and ricochet into
some unlucky village.

As I have already advised the purchaser of a rifle to consider the
purpose for which he requires the weapon, in like manner I would
suggest that he should reflect upon the special purpose for which
he requires the bullet. He should ask himself the questions —
" What is a bullet 1 " and " What is the duty of a bullet 1 "

A bullet is generally supposed to be a projectile capable of re-
taining its component parts in their integrity. The duty of the
bullet is to preserve its direct course ; it should possess a power of
great penetration, should not be easily deflected, and together with
penetrating power it should produce a stunning effect by an over-
powering striking energy.

How are we to combine these qualities 1 If the projectile has
great penetrating force it will pass completely through an animal,
and the striking energy will be diminished, as the force that should
have been expended upon the body is expending itself in propelling
the bullet after it has passed through the body. This must be
wrong, as it is self-evident that the striking energy or knock-down
blow must depend upon the resistance which the body offers to the
projectile. If the bullet remains within it, the striking energy,
complete and entire, without any waste whatever, remains within
the body struck. If, therefore, a bullet -577 of 648 grains pro-
pelled by 6 drams of powder has at fifty yards a striking energy of
3500 foot-pounds, that force is expended upon the object struck, —
provided it is stopped by the opposing body.

We should therefore endeavour to prevent the bullet from
passing through an animal, if it is necessary to concentrate the full
power of the projectile upon the resisting body.

This is one reason adduced in favour of the hollow Express
bullet, which smashes up into minute films of lead when it strikes
the hard muscles of an animal, owing to its extreme velocity, and
the Weakness of its parts through the hollowness of its centre.

I contend, on the contrary, that the bullet has committed

I THE RIFLE OF A PAST HALF CENTURY 11

suicide by destroying itself, although its fragments may have fatally
torn and injured the vital organs of the wounded animal. The
bullet has ceased to exist, as it is broken into fifty shreds ; there-
fore it is dead, as it is no longer a compact body, — in fact, it has
disappeared, although the actual striking energy of a very inferior
bullet may have been expended upon the animal.

If the animal is small and harmless, this should be the desired
result. If, on the other hand, the animal should be large and
dangerous, there cannot be a greater mistake than the hollow
Express projectile.

I have frequently heard persons of great experience dilate with
satisfaction upon the good shots made with their little '450 hollow
Express exactly behind the shoulder of a tiger or some other animal.
I have also heard of their failures, which were to themselves some-
times incomprehensible. A solid Express *577 never fails if the
direction is accurate towards a vital part. The position of the
animal does not signify; if the hunter has a knowledge of compara-
tive anatomy (which he must have, to be a thoroughly successful
shot) he can make positively certain of his game at a short distance,
as the solid bullet will crash through muscle, bone, and every
opposing obstacle to reach the fatal organ. If the animal be a
tiger, lion, bear, or leopard, the bullet should have the power to
penetrate, but it should not pass completely through. If it should
be a wapiti, or sambur stag, the bullet should also remain within,
retained in all cases under the skin upon the side opposite to that
of entrance. How is this to be managed by the same rifle burning
the same charge of powder with a solid bullet %

The penetration must be arranged by varying the material of
the bullet. A certain number of cartridges should be loaded with
bullets of extreme hardness, intended specially for large thick-
skinned animals ; other bullets should be composed of softer metal,
which would expand upon the resisting muscles but would not pass
completely through the skin upon the opposite side. The cartridges
would be coloured for distinction.

If the metal is pure lead, the bullet "577, with an initial
velocity of 1650 feet per second, will assuredly assume the form of
a button mushroom immediately upon impact, and it will increase
in diameter as it meets with resistance upon its course until, when
expended beneath the elastic hide upon the opposite side, it will
have become fully spread like a mature mushroom, instead of the
button shape that it had assumed on entrance. I prefer pure lead
for tigers, lions, sambur deer, wapiti, and such large animals which
are not thick-skinned, as the bullet alters its form and nevertheless

12 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

remains intact, the striking energy being concentrated within the

body.

The difference in the striking energy of a hollow bullet from
that of a solid projectile is enormous, owing to the inequality in
weight The hollow bullet wounds mortally, but it does not always
kill neatly. I have seen very many instances where the -500
hollow Express with 5 drams of powder has struck an animal well
behind the shoulder, or sometimes through the shoulder, and not-
withstanding the fatal wound, the beast has galloped off as though
untouched, for at least a hundred yards, before it fell suddenly,
and died.

Tli is is clumsy shooting. The solid bullet of pure lead would
have killed upon the spot, as the bullet would have retained its
substance although it altered its form, and the shock would have
been more severe. The hollow bullet exhibits a peculiar result in
a post-mortem examination : the lungs may be hopelessly torn and
ragged, the liver and the heart may be also damaged, all by the
same projectile, because it has been converted into small shot
immediately upon impact. Frequently a minute hole will be
observed upon the entrance, and within an inch beneath the skin a
large aperture will be seen where an explosion appears to have
taken place by the breaking-up of the lead, all of which has
splashed into fragments scattering in every direction.

Common sense will suggest that although such a bullet will kill,
it is not the sort of weapon to stop a dangerous animal when in full
charge. Weak men generally prefer the hollow Express because
the rifle is lighter and handier than the more formidable weapon,
and the recoil is not so severe, owing to the lightness of the bullet.

My opinion may be expressed in a few words. If you wish
the bullet to expand, use soft lead, but keep the metal solid. If
you wish for great penetration, use hard solid metal, either J^- tin
or y|- quicksilver. Even this will alter its form against the bones
of a buffalo, but either of the above will go clean through a wapiti
stag, and would kill another beyond it should the rifle be -577
fired with 6 drams of powder.

The same rifle will not drive a soft leaden solid bullet through
a male tiger if struck directly through the shoulder ; it will be
found flattened to a mushroom form beneath the skin upon the
other side, having performed its duty effectively, by killing the
tiger upon the spot, and retaining intact the metal of which it was
composed.

A post-mortem inquiry in the latter case would be most satis-
factory. If the bullet shall have struck fair upon the shoulder-

I THE RIFLE OF A PAST HALF CENTURY 13

joint, it will be observed that although it has retained its substance,
the momentum has been conveyed to every fragment of crushed
bone, which' will have been driven forward through the lungs
like a charge of buckshot, in addition to the havoc created by the
large diameter of an expanded *577 bullet. Both shoulders will
have been completely crushed, and the animal must of course be
rendered absolutely helpless. This is a sine qua non in all shoot-
ing. Do not wound, but kill outright ; and this you will generally
do with a "577 solid bullet of pure lead, or with a Paradox bullet
If ounce hard metal and 4^ drams of powder. This very large
bullet is sufficiently formidable to require no expansion.

Gunmakers will not advise the use of pure lead for bullets, as
it is apt to foul the barrel by its extreme softness, which leaves a
coating of the metal upon the surface of the rifling. For military
purposes this objection would hold good, but so few shots are
fired at game during the day, that no disadvantage could accrue,
and the rifle would of course be cleaned every evening.

The accidents which unfortunately so often happen to the
hunters of dangerous game may generally be traced to the defect
in the rifles employed. If a shooter wishes to amuse himself in
Scotland among the harmless red deer, let him try any experiments
that may please him ■ but if he is a man like so many who leave
the shores of Great Britain for the wild jungles of the East, or of
Africa, let him at once abjure hollow bullets if he seeks dangerous
game. Upon this subject I press my opinion, as I feel the
immense responsibility of advice should any calamity occur. It is
only a few months since the lamented Mr. Ingram was killed by
an elephant in the Somali country, through using a *450 Express
hollow bullet against an animal that should at least have been
attacked with a No. 10. I submit the question to any admirer of
the hollow Express. "If he is on foot, trusting only to his
rifle for protection, would he select a hollow Express, no matter
whether *577, -500, or -450 ; or would he prefer a solid bullet to
withstand a dangerous charge 1 "

India is a vast empire, and various portions, according to the
conditions of localities, have peculiar customs for the conduct of
wild sports. In dense jungles, where it would be impossible to
see the game if on foot, there is no other way of obtaining a shot
than by driving. The gunners are in such case placed at suit-
able . intervals upon platforms called mucharns, securely fitted
between convenient forks among the branches of a tree, about 10
or 12 feet above the ground. From this post of vantage the
gunner can see without being seen, and, thoroughly protected from

14 WILD BEASTS AND" THEIR WAYS chap.

all danger, he may amuse himself by comparing the success of his
shooting with the hollow Express or with the solid bullet at the
animals that pass within his range, which means a limit of about
50 yards. I contend that at the short distance named, a tiger
should never escape from a solid bullet ; he often escapes from the
hollow bullet for several reasons.

It must be remembered that animals are rarely seen distinctly
in a thick jungle, countless twigs and foliage intercept the bullet,
and the view, although patent to both open eyes, becomes misty
and obscure when you shut one eye and squint along the barrel.
You then discover that although you can see the dim shadow of
your game, your bullet will have to cut its way through at least
twenty twigs before it can reach its goal. A solid bullet may
deflect slightly, but it will generally deliver its message direct,
unless the opposing objects are more formidable than ordinary
small branches. A hollow bullet from an Express rifle will fly
into fragments should it strike a twig the size of the little finger.
This is quite sufficient to condemn the hollow projectile without
any further argument.

While writing the above, I have received the Pioneer, 24th
June 1888, which gives the following account of an escape from a
tiger a few weeks ago by Mr. Cuthbert Fraser, and no better
example could be offered to prove the danger of a hollow bullet.
It will be seen that a solid bullet would have killed the tiger on
the spot, as it would have penetrated to the brain, instead of
which it broke into the usual fragments wThen striking the hard
substance of the teeth, and merely destroyed one eye. The bullet
evidently splashed up without breaking the jaw, as the wounded
animal was not only capable of killing the orderly, but Mr. Fraser
" heard, in fact, the crunching of the man's bones." He says
" that he felt that he had the tiger dead when he fired, but the
Express bullet unfortunately broke up." He had fired the left-
hand barrel into the tiger's chest without the slightest result in
checking the onset ; had that been a solid bullet it would have
penetrated to the heart or lungs.

Adventuee with a Tiger.

The following experience of a sportsman in the Deccan is from
the Secunderabad paper of 14th June 1888 : —

' ' Mr. Cuthbert Fraser had a most miraculous escape from a tiger the
other day at Amraoti. The lucky hero of this adventure is a District
Superintendent of Police in Berar. He is well remembered in Secundera-

I THE RIFLE OF A PAST HALF CENTURY 15

bad as Superintendent of the Cantonment Police before Mr. Crawford. A
son of Colonel Hastings Fraser, one of the Frasers of Lovat, he has proved
his possession of that nerve and courage which rises to the emergency of
danger — on which qualities more than all else the British Empire in India
has been built, and on which, after all is said, in the last resort, it must
be still held to rest. To quote the graphic account of a correspondent, the
escape was about as narrow as man ever had. Mr. Fraser was told by his
orderly that a wounded tiger was lying dead with his head on the root of
a tree. The orderly having called him up, he went to the spot. Mr.
Fraser then sent the orderly and another man with his second gun back,
and knelt down to look. Just then the tiger roared and came at him from
about eighteen feet off : he waited till the tiger was within five feet of him
and fired. As the tiger did not drop, he fired his second shot hurriedly.
The first shot had hit exactly in the centre of the face but just an inch too
low. It knocked the tiger's right eye out and smashed all the teeth of
that side of the jaw. The second shot struck the tiger in the chest, but
too low. What happened then Mr. Fraser does not exactly know, but he
next found himself lying in front of the tiger, one claw of the beast's right
foot being hooked into his left leg, in this way trying to draw Mr. Fraser
towards him ; the other paw was on his right leg. Mr. Fraser's chin and
coat were covered with foam from the beast's mouth. He tried hard to
draw himself out of the tiger's clutches. Fortunately the beast was not
able to see him, as Mr. Fraser was a little to one side on the animal's blind
side and the tiger's head was up. Suddenly seeing Mr. Fraser's orderly
bolting, he jumped up and went for the man, and catching him he killed
him on the spot. Mr. Fraser had lost his hat, rifle, and all his cartridges,
which had tumbled out of his pocket. He jumped up, however, and ran
to the man who had his second gun, and to do so had to go within
eight paces of the spot where the tiger was crouching over his orderly.
He heard, in fact, the crunching of the man's bones and saw the tiger
biting the back of the head. He now took the gun from his man. The
latter said that he had fired both barrels into the tiger — one when he was
crouching over Mr. Fraser, and the other when he was over the prostrate
body of the orderly. The man had fired well and true, but just too far
back, in his anxiety not to hit the man he would save, instead of the
tiger. When afterwards asked if he was not afraid to hit the Sahib, ' I
was very much afraid indeed,' he replied, 'but dil mazbut karke lagaya ;
I nerved myself for the occasion. ' ' A good man and true ! ' a high officer
writes, ' who after firing never moved an inch till Mr. Fraser came to him,
although close to the tiger all the while. He is one of the Gawilghur
Rajputs — a brave race, Ranjit Singh, a good name.' The man said he had
no more cartridges left and so they both got a little farther from the tiger,
as the orderly was evidently done for. Afterwards they found one more
cartridge for the gun and tried to recover the - body, but it was no use.
The tiger was lying close, most of the buffaloes had bolted and the Kurkoos
would not help. Mr. Fraser then sent six miles off for an elephant. But
the animal did not arrive till dark, so Mr. Fraser went home in great grief
about the poor orderly and at having to leave the body. His own wound
was bleeding a great deal, it being a deep claw gash. Next day they got
the body and the tiger dead, lying close to each other. Perhaps no
narrower escape than Mr. Fraser's has ever been heard of. To the ex-
cellent shot which knocked the beast's eye out he undoubtedly owes his
life. He says that he felt that he had the tiger dead when he fired, but

16 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, i

thr Express bullet unfortunately broke up. Probably, he thinks a 12-bore
would have reached the brain."

I could produce numerous instances where failures have occurred,
and I know sportsmen of long experience who have given up the
use of hollow bullets except against such small game as black-buck
and other antelopes or deer.

So much for the Express hollow bullet, after which it is at the
option of all persons to please themselves ; but personally I should
decline the company of any friend who wished to join me in the
pursuit of dangerous game if armed with such an inferior weapon.
In another portion of this volume I shall produce a striking in-
stance of the result.

The magazine rifle, which is destined to become the military
arm of the future, can hardly merit a place among sporting rifles,
as it must always possess the disadvantage of altering its balance
as the ammunition is expended. The Winchester Company have,
I believe, produced a great improvement in a rifle of this kind,
••400, which carries a charge of 110 grains of powder; but even so
small a bore must be unhandy if the rifle is arranged to contain a
supply of cartridges. For my own use I am quite contented with
one "577, a -400, and a No. 12 Paradox — all solid bullets, but
varying in hardness of metal according to the quality of game ; for
the largest animals a pair of No. 8 rifles with hard bullets and 14
drams of powder.

I can say nothing more concerning rifles for the practical use of
sportsmen, although a volume might be devoted to their history
and development. Shot-guns are too well understood to merit a
special notice.

CHAPTER II

THE ELEPHANT (ELEPHAS)

This animal has interested mankind more than any other, owing
to the peculiar combination of immense proportions with extra-
ordinary sagacity. The question has frequently been raised
" Whether the elephant or the dog should be accepted as superior
in intelligence 1 " My own experience would decide without hesi-
tation— The Dog is man's companion ; the Elephant is his slave.

We all know the attachment and fidelity of the dog, who
appears to have been created specially to become the friend of the
human race. He attaches himself equally to the poor man and the
rich, and shares our fortunes "for better, for worse," clinging
with heroic loyalty to his master when all other friends may have
abandoned him. The power of memory is wonderfully exhibited,
considering the shortness of life which Nature, by some mischance,
has accorded to man's best friend.

" While thus Florinda spake, the dog who lay
Before Rusilla's feet, eyeing him long
And wistfully, had recognised at length,
Changed as he was and in those sordid weeds,
His royal master. And he rose and lick'd
His withered hand, and earnestly looked up
With eyes whose human meaning did not need
The aid of speech ; and moan'd, as if at once
To court and chide the long-withheld caress . . .

Disputing, he withdrew. The watchful dog

Followed his footsteps close. But he retired

Into the thickest grove ; there yielding way

To his o'erburthen'd nature, from all eyes

Apart, he cast himself upon the ground,

And threw his arms around the dog, and cried

While tears stream'd down. Thou Theron, thou hast known

Thy poor lost master ... Theron, only thou ! "

Southey's Roderick, last of the Goths.

13 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

In case of danger the dog will defend his master, guided by his
own unaided intelligence; he at once detects and attacks the
enemy. In wild sports he shares the delight of hunting equally
with his master, and the two are inseparable allies. The day is
over, and he lies down and sleeps before the fire at his master's
feet, and dreams of the dangers and exploits ; he is a member of
his master's household.

The elephant is, in my opinion, overrated. He can be educated
to perform certain acts, but he would never volunteer his services.
There is no elephant that I ever saw who would spontaneously
interfere to save his master from drowning or from attack. An
enemy might assassinate you at the feet of your favourite elephant,
but he would never attempt to interfere in your defence; he
would probably run away, or remain impassive, unless guided' and
instructed by his mahout. This is incontestable ; the elephant
will do nothing useful unless he is specially ordered to perform
a certain work or movement.

While condemning this apathetic character, we must admit
that in the elephant the power of learning is extraordinary, and
that it can be educated to perform wonders ; but such performances
are only wonderful as proving the necessary force of direction and
guidance by a superior power, to which the animal is amenable.

I have had very many years' experience with elephants, both
Asiatic and African, and in my opinion they are naturally timid
Although in a wild state the males are more or less dangerous
especially in Africa, the herd of elephants will generally retreat
should they even wind an unseen enemy. This timidity is increased
by domestication, and it is difficult to obtain an elephant suffi-
ciently staunch to withstand the attack of any wild animal Thev
will generally turn tail, and not only retreat gracefully, but will

12 5 X i18^?6 ^ ?aniC) t0 the Sreat danSer of their riders
should the locality be forest.

The difference in species is distinct between the Asiatic and the
African. It is at a 1 times difficult to give the measurement of a
dead animal, especially when so enormous, as the pressure of
weight when alive would reduce the height afforded by measure
ment when the body is horizontal J measure"

Amltalftt'Tl^i^ elephant Jumb0 that was Bold to
America by the Zoological Society of London, was brought up in

eSKr^jS fStenCe' 7hen * was abouT4U?eet
before Tt left Fn! n/ le^\an ,was carefu% weighed and measured
Dctoie it left England, with the result, of height at shoulder 11
feet; weight, six tons and a half. The'girth of the Woof when

I— I

ii THE ELEPHANT 19

the pressure of the animal's weight was exerted, was exactly half
the perpendicular height of the elephant. I have seen very much
larger animals in Africa, but there is nothing in India to approach
the size of Jumbo.

There is no reason why the African elephants should not be
tamed and made useful, but the difficulty lies in obtaining them
in any great numbers. The natives of Africa are peculiarly savage,
and their instincts of destruction prevent them from capturing and
domesticating any wild animals. During nine years' experience
of Central Africa I never saw a tamed creature of any kind, not
even a bird, or a young antelope in possession of a child. The
tame elephant would be especially valuable to an explorer, as it
could march through streams too deep for the passage of oxen,
and in swimming rivers it would be proof against the attacks of
crocodiles. So few African elephants have been tamed in propor-
tion to those of Asia that it would be difficult to pronounce an
opinion upon their character when domesticated, but it is generally
believed by their trainers that the Indian species is more gentle
and amenable to discipline. The power of the African is far in
excess of the Asiatic. Nine feet at the highest portion of the
back is a good height for an Indian male, and eight feet for the
female, although occasionally they are considerably larger. There
are hardly any elephants that measure ten feet in a direct perpen-
dicular, although the mahouts pretend to fictitious heights by
measuring with a tape or cord from the spine, including the curve
of the body.

As Jumbo was proved to have attained the height of eleven
feet although in captivity from infancy, it may be easily imagined
that in a wild state the African elephant will attain twelve feet,
or even more. I have myself seen many animals that would have
exceeded this, although it would be impossible to estimate their
height with accuracy.

The shape of the African variety is very peculiar, and differs
in a remarkable manner from the Asiatic. The highest point is
the shoulder, and the back is hollow ; in the Indian the back is
convex, and the shoulder is considerably lower. The head of the
African is quite unlike that of the Indian ; and the ears, which
in the former are enormous, completely cover the shoulder when
thrown back. The best direction for a vital shot at an African
elephant is at the extremity of the ear when flapped against the
side. A bullet thus placed will pass through the centre of the
lungs. The Indian elephant has many more laminae in the teeth
than the African, constituting a larger grinding surface, as the

oo WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

food is different The African feeds upon foliage and the succulent
roots of the mimosa and other trees, which it digs up with its
powerful tusks; the forests are generally evergreen, and being full
of lap, the bark is easier to masticate than the skeleton trees of
India during the hottest season. Both the Indian and African
varieties have only four teeth, composed of laminaa of intensely
hard enamel, divided by a softer substance which prevents the
surface from becoming smooth with age j the two unequal materials
retain their inequality in wear, therefore the rough grinding surface
is maintained notwithstanding the work of many years. A gland
at the posterior of the jaw supplies a tooth-forming matter, and
the growth of fresh laminae is continuous throughout life ; the
younger laminae form into line, and march forward until incor-
porated and solidified in the tooth.

It is impossible to define exactly the limit of old age, as there
can be little doubt that captivity shortens the duration of life to a
great degree. We can only form an opinion from the basis of
growth when young. As an elephant cannot be fully developed
in the perfection of ivory until the age of forty, I should accept
that age in a wild animal as the period of a starting-point in life,
and I should imagine that the term of existence would be about a
hundred and fifty years.

The life of an elephant in captivity is exactly opposed to its
natural habits. A wild Indian elephant dreads the sun, and is
seldom to be found exposed in the open after dawn of day. It
roams over the country in all directions during night, and seeks
the shelter of a forest about an hour before the sun rises. It
feeds heartily, but wastefully, tearing down branches, half of
which it leaves untouched ; it strips the bark off those trees which
it selects as tasteful, but throws wilfully away a considerable
portion. Throughout the entire night the elephant is feeding, and
it is curious to observe how particular this animal is in the choice
of food. Most wild animals possess a certain amount of botanical
knowledge which guides them in their grazing ; the only exception
is the camel, who would poison himself through sheer ignorance
and depraved appetite, but the elephant is most careful in its
selection of all that is suitable to its requirements. It is astonish-
ing how few of the forest trees are attractive to this animal.
Some are tempting from their foliage, others from their bark (vide
the powerfully astringent Catechu), some from the succulent roots,
and several varieties from the wood, which is eaten like the sugar-
cane. There is one kind of tree the wood of which alone is eaten
after the rind has been carefully stripped off.

ii THE ELEPHANT 21

The elephant, being in its wild state a nocturnal animal, must
be able to distinguish the various qualities of trees by the senses
of smell and touch, as in the darkness of a forest during night it
would be impossible to distinguish the leaves. There are few
creatures who possess so delicate a sense of smell ; wild elephants
will wind an enemy at a distance of a thousand yards, or even
more, should the breeze be favourable. The nerves of the trunk
are peculiarly sensitive, and although the skin is thick, the
smallest substance can be discovered, and picked up by the tiny
proboscis at the extremity.

A wound upon any portion of the trunk must occasion intense
pain, and the animal instinctively coils the lower portion beneath
its chest when attacked by a tiger. This delicacy of nerve renders
the elephant exceedingly timid after being wounded, and it is a
common and regrettable occurrence that an elephant which has
been an excellent shikar animal before it has been injured, becomes
useless to face a tiger after it has been badly clawed. I cannot
understand the carelessness of an owner who thus permits a good
elephant to work unprotected. In ancient days the elephants
were armoured for warlike purposes to protect them from spears
and javelins, and nothing can be easier than to arrange an elastic
protective hood, which would effectually safeguard the trunk and
head from the attack of any animal.

I had an excellent hood arranged for a large tusker which was
lent to me by the Commissariat. The first layer of material was
the soft but thick buff leather of sambur deer. This entirely
covered the head, and was laced beneath the throat ; at the same
time it was secured by a broad leather strap and buckle around
the neck. A covering for about three feet from the base of the
trunk descended from the face and was also secured by lacing.
The lower portion of the trunk was left unprotected, as the animal
would immediately guard against danger by curling it up when
attacked. Upon this groundwork of buff leather I had plates of
thick and hard buffalo hide, tanned, overlapping like slates upon
a roof. This armour was proof against either teeth or claws, as
neither could hold upon the slippery and yielding hard surface of
the leather tiles ; at the same time the elephant could move its
trunk with ease. Two circular apertures were cut out for the
eyes, about six inches in diameter.

An elephant, if well trained, would be sufficiently sagacious to ap-
preciate this protection should it find itself unharmed after a home
charge by a tiger or other dangerous beast; and such a quality
of armour would add immensely to its confidence and steadiness.

WILD LEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Although the elephant is of enormous strength it is more or
lees a delicate animal, and is subject to a variety of ailments. A
common disease is a swelling in the throat, which in bad cases
prevents it from feeding. Another complaint resembles gout m
the legs, which swell to a distressing size, and give exquisite pain,
especially when touched. This attack is frequently occasioned by
allowing elephants, after a long march under a hot sun, to wade
belly-deep in cool water in order to graze upon the aquatic

station.

Few animals suffer more from the sun's rays than the elephant,
whose nature prompts it to seek the deepest shade. Its dark
Colour and immense surface attract an amount of heat which
becomes almost insupportable to the unfortunate creature when
forced to carry a heavy load during the hot season in India. Even
w ithout a greater weight than its rider, the elephant exhibits signs
of distress when marching after 9 a.m. At such times it is
disagreeable, as the animal has a peculiar habit of sucking water
through the trunk from a supply contained within the stomach,
and this it syringes with great force between its fore legs, and
against its flanks to cool its sides with the ejected spray. The
rider receives a portion of the fluid in his face, and as the action
is repeated every five minutes, or less, the operation is annoying.

It is a curious peculiarity in the elephant that it is enabled to
suck up water at discretion simply by doubling the trunk far down
the throat, and the fluid thus procured has no disagreeable smell,
although taken direct from the creature's stomach. In every way
the elephant is superior to most animals in the freedom from any
unpleasant odour. Its skin is sweet, and the hand retains no
smell whatever, although you may have caressed the trunk or any
other portion of the body. It is well known that a horse is ex-
ceedingly strong in odour, and that nothing is more objectionable
than the close proximity of a stable, or even of a large number of
horses picqueted in the open, — I have frequently been camped
where fifty or sixty elephants were for several days in the same
position within a hundred yards of the tents, and still there was
no offensive scent.

The food of an elephant is always fresh and clean, and the
digestive functions are extremely rapid. The mastication is a
rough system of grinding, and the single stomach and exceedingly
short intestines simplify the process of assimilation. The rapidity
of the food passage necessitates a consumption of a large amount,
and no less than 600 lbs. of fodder is the proper daily allowance for
an elephant.

ii THE ELEPHANT 23

There have been frequent discussions upon the important sub-
ject of elephant-feeding. Mr. G. P. Sanderson, the superintendent
of the keddah department in Assam, has declared against the
necessity of allowing a ration of grain in addition to the usual
fodder. This must naturally depend upon the quality of the green
food. If the locality abounds in plantains, the stems of those
plants are eagerly devoured, and every portion except the outside
rind is nourishing. Even then the waste is excessive should the
stems be heedlessly thrown down before the animal. It will
immediately proceed to strip long fibrous ribbons from the stem by
placing one foot upon the extremity, and then tearing off the
alternate layers like the skin of an onion. These it converts into
playthings, throwing them over its back and neck until it is dressed
in dangling necklaces, which by degrees, after serving as toys, are
ultimately devoured. The proper method of feeding an elephant
with plantains where an allowance of rice is added, is by splitting
the entire stem through the centre, and then cutting it into
transverse sections about two feet in length. As each layer is
detached, it resembles a delicately coloured trough, nearly white ;
this is doubled up in the centre and it at once forms a hollow tube,
similar to a very thick drain tile. A handful of rice is placed
within, and it is secured by tying with a fibrous strip from the
plantain stem. A large pile of these neat packages is prepared for
every elephant, and, when ready, the mahout sits by the heap and
hands the parcels one by one to the ever-expectant trunk.

The delicacy of an elephant's palate is extraordinary, and the
whims of the creature are absurd in the selection or rejection of
morsels which it prefers or dislikes. I once saw a peculiar instance
of this in an elephant that belonged to the police at Dhubri on the
Brahmaputra. This animal had a large allowance of rice, there-
fore about three-quarters of a pound were placed within each tube
of plantain stem. A lady offered the elephant, when being fed, a
very small sweet biscuit, about an inch and a half in diameter.
This was accepted in the trunk, but almost immediately rejected
and thrown upon the ground. The mahout, fearing that his
elephant had behaved rudely in thus refusing a present from a
lady's hand, picked up the biscuit and inserted it in the next
parcel of rice and plantain stem. This was placed within the
elephant's mouth. At the first crunch the animal showed evident
signs of disgust, and at once spat out the whole of the contents.
There lay a complete ruin of the neat package, which had been
burst by the power of the great jaws ; but among the scattered rice
that had been ejected we perceived the biscuit which had caused

24 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

tlic second iustance of bad behaviour. So utterly disgusted was
the elephant with this tiny foreign substance that it endeavoured
to cleause its mouth from every grain of rice, as though polluted
by the contact, and for several minutes it continued to insert its
trunk and rake out each atom from its tongue and throat.

The adaptation of the trunk to many purposes is very interesting.
I had an elephant who would eat every particle of rice in a round
bamboo basket by sucking it up the trunk and then blowing it
into its mouth. The basket was close-grained and smooth inside,
but although brimful at the commencement of operations, it was
emptied by the elephant as though it had been cleansed with a dry
sponge.

A distinct rule for feeding elephants cannot be laid down with-
out exceptions rendered necessary by peculiarities of localities and
the amount of hard work required from the animal. If the elephant
is simply turned out to grass for a season, it will thrive upon such
natural herbage as bamboos, the foliage of the banyan, peepul, and
other varieties of the Ficus family ; but if it is expected to travel
and perform good work, it is usual in the Commissariat department
to allow each elephant seven and a half seers of flour, equal to 15
lbs. avoirdupois. In addition to this, 600 lbs. of green fodder are
given, and about 1 lb. of ghee (buffalo butter), with salt and jaggery
(native sugar). During a jungle expedition I have always doubled
the allowance of flour to 30 lbs. daily for each animal. This is
made into large flat cakes like Scotch " scones," weighing 2 lbs.
each. The elephants are fed at about an hour before sunset, and
then taken to drink water before actual night. Cleanliness is in-
dispensable to the good health and condition of the elephant. It
should bathe daily, and the entire body should be well scoured with
a piece of brick or a soft quality of sandstone. This operation is
much enjoyed, and the huge animal, obeying the command, lies
down upon its side and accommodates its carcase to the scrubbing
process by adapting its position to the requirements of the operator.
It will frequently bury its head completely beneath the water, and
merely protrude the extremity of its trunk to breathe above the
surface. The coolie is most particular in scrubbing every portion
of the animal, after which it will usually stand within the tank or
river and shower volumes of water from its trunk over its back
and flanks. When well washed, it appears a thoroughly clean
black mass, but in a few minutes it proceeds to destroy its personal
beauty by throwing clouds of dust upon its back, which, adhering
to the moisture occasioned by its recent bath, converts the late
clean animal into a brown mound of earth.

ii THE ELEPHANT 25

There is no quadruped not absolutely amphibious that is so
thoroughly at home in the water as the elephant. In a wild state
it will swim the largest rivers, and it delights in morasses, where
it rolls in the deep mud like a pig or buffalo, and thus coats its
hide with a covering of slime, which protects it from the attacks
of flies and the worry of mosquitoes. When in a domestic state,
the elephant is shy of trusting itself upon unsound earth or quick-
sands, as it appears to have lost the confidence resulting from an
independent freedom among the jungles, and marshy valleys teem-
ing with aquatic vegetation. It will also refuse to cross a bridge
unless of solid masonry, and it is curious to observe the extreme
care with which it sounds the structure, either by striking with
the coiled extremity of the trunk or by experimenting with the
pressure of one foot, before it ventures to trust its whole weight
upon the suspected floor.

It is difficult to describe the limit of an elephant's swimming
powers ; this must depend upon many circumstances, whether it
is following the stream or otherwise, but the animal can remain
afloat for several hours without undue fatigue. The displacement
of an elephant's carcase is less than the weight of water, although
it swims so deeply immersed that it would appear to float with
difficulty. An elephant shot dead within the water will float
immediately, with a considerable portion of one flank raised so
high above the surface that several men could be supported, as
though upon a raft. The body of a hippopotamus will sink like a
stone, and will not reappear upon the surface for about two hours,
until the gas has to a certain degree distended the carcase : thus
the hippopotamus is of a denser and heavier material than the
elephant, although it is an aquatic animal.

When tame elephants cross a river they are conducted by their
drivers, who stand upon their backs, either balancing themselves
without assistance, or supported by holding a cord attached to the
animal's neck. It is very interesting to watch the passage of a
large river by a herd of these creatures, who to a stranger's eye
would appear to be in danger of drowning, although in reality
they are merely gamboling in the element which is their delight.
I have seen them cross the Brahmaputra when the channel was
about a mile in width. Forty elephants scrambled down the
precipitous bank of alluvial deposit and river sand : this, although
about thirty-five feet high, crumbled at once beneath the fore-foot
of the leading elephant, and many tons detached from the surface
quickly formed a steep incline. Squatting upon its hind-quarters,
and tucking its hinder knees beneath its belly, while it supported

26 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

its head upon its trunk and outstretched fore legs, it slid and
scrambled to the bottom, accompanied by an avalanche of earth
and dust, thus forming a good track for the following herd.

It is surprising to see in how few minutes a large herd of
elephants descending a steep place will form a road. I have fre-
quently seen them break down an alluvial cliff in the manner
described, where at first sight I should have thought it impossible
for an elephant to descend. Once within the river the fun began
in earn est. After a march in the hot sun, it was delightful to
bathe in the deep stream of the Brahmaputra, and the mighty
forms splashed and disported themselves, sometimes totally sub-
merged, with the drivers standing ankle-deep upon their hidden
backs, which gave them the appearance of walking upon the
surface. A tip of the trunk was always above water, and occa-
sionally the animal would protrude the entire head, but only to
plunge once more beneath the stream. In this way, swimming at
great speed, and at the same time playing along their voyage, the
herd crossed the broad river, and we saw their dusky forms
glittering in the sunlight as they rose wetted from their bath, and
waded majestically along the shallows to reach an island ; from
which they again started upon a similar journey to cross another
channel of the river.

The first impression of a stranger when observing the conduct
of a mahout or driver is sympathy for the animal, which is
governed through the severe authority of the iron spike. This
instrument is about twenty inches long, and resembles somewhat
an old-fashioned boat-hook, being a sharp spike at the extremity
beyond the keen-pointed hook ; it can thus be used either to drive
the elephant forward by digging the point into its head, or to pull
it back by hooking on to the tender base of the ears. These
driving-hooks weigh from about 4 to 6 lbs., and are formidable
weapons ; some are exceedingly ancient, and have been preserved
for a couple of centuries or more, such specimens being highly
artistic, and first-rate examples of the blacksmith's work.
Although we may commence our experience by pitying the
animal that is subjected to such harsh treatment, we quickly
discover that without the hook the elephant is like the donkey
without the stick. The fact of his knowing that you possess the
power, or propeller, is sufficient to ensure comparative obedience
but it would be impossible to direct the movements of an elephant
by simple kindness without the power to inflict punishment. This
fact alone will prove that the elephant does not serve man through
affection, but that it is compelled through fear. It is curious to

ii THE ELEPHANT 27

witness the absurd subjection of this mighty animal even by a
child. I have frequently seen a small boy threaten a large
elephant with a stick, and the animal has at once winced ; and,
curling the trunk between the legs, it has closed its eyes and
exhibited every symptom of extreme terror when struck repeatedly
upon the trunk and face. The male is generally more uncertain
than the female. It would at first sight appear that for shooting
purposes the bull elephant would be preferred for its greater
strength and courage. There can be no doubt that a pair of long
tusks is an important protection, and not only forms a defence
against the attack of a tiger or other animal, but is valuable for
offensive purposes ; yet, notwithstanding this advantage, the
female is generally preferred to the male, as being more docile and
obedient.

The males differ in character, but they are mostly uncertain in
temper during a period varying from two to four months every
year. At such occurrences of disturbance the animal requires care-
ful treatment, and the chains which shackle the fore legs should be
of undoubted quality. Some elephants remain passive throughout
the year, while others appear to be thoroughly demented, and,
although at other seasons harmless, would, when "must," destroy
their own attendant and wreak the direst mischief. At such a
crisis the mahout must always be held responsible for accidents, as
the animal, if properly watched and restrained, would be incapable
of active movements, and would of course be comparatively harm-
less. Upon many occasions, through the neglect of the attendant,
an elephant has been left unchained, or perhaps secured with an
old chain that has been nearly worn through a link ; the escape of
the animal under such circumstances has led to frightful casualties,
usually commencing with the destruction of the mahout, who may
have attempted a recapture. The approach of the " must " period
is immediately perceived by a peculiar exudation of an oily nature
from a small duct upon either temple ; this somewhat resembles
coal-tar in consistence, and it occupies an area of about four inches
square upon the surface of the skin. There is a decided odour in
this secretion somewhat similar to the same exudation from the
neck of the male camel.

I have known male elephants which were remarkably docile
throughout all seasons, but even these had to be specially regarded
during the period of "must," as there was no means of foretelling
a sudden and unexpected outbreak of temper. Many males are at
all times fretful, and these expend their ill-nature in various ways ;
if chained, they kick up the earth, and scatter the dust in all

•j. WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAr.

directions ; they are never quiet for one moment throughout the
day, but continue to swing their heads to and fro, and prick for-
ward their cars, exhibiting a restlessness of spirit that is a suffi-
cient warning to any stranger. Such elephants should always
be approached with caution, and never directly in front, but at
the side.

An elephant is frequently treacherous, and if the person should
stand unheedingly before it, a sudden slap with the trunk might
be the consequence. For the same reason, it would be dangerous
to approach the heels of such an animal, as a kick from an elephant
is rather an extensive movement, and it is extraordinary that so
colossal a limb as the hind leg can be projected with such velocity,
equalling that of a small pony.

Discussions have frequently arisen concerning the maximum
speed of an elephant ; this is difficult to decide exactly, as there
can be no question that the animal in a wild state will exert a
greater speed than can be obtained from it when domesticated.
The African variety is decidedly faster than the Asiatic ; the legs
being longer, the stride is in proportion ; and as the habits of the
African lead it to wander over large tracts of open country instead
of confining its rambles to secluded forests, this peculiarity would
naturally render the animal more active, and tend to accelerate its
movements. I consider that the African elephant is capable of a
speed of fifteen miles an hour, which it could keep up for two or
three hundred yards, after which it would travel at about ten miles
an hour, and actually accomplish the distance within that period.
The Asiatic elephant might likewise attain a speed of fifteen miles
for perhaps a couple of hundred yards, but it would not travel far
at a greater pace than eight miles an hour, and it would reduce
that pace to six after the first five miles.

The proof of an elephant's power of great speed for a short
distance is seldom seen except in cases where the animal is infuri-
ated, and gives chase to some unfortunate victim, who seldom
escapes his fate by flight. For a short burst of fifty or one
hundred yards an elephant might occasionally attain a pace exceed-
ing fifteen miles an hour, as I have frequently, when among rough
ground, experienced a difficulty in escaping when on horseback;
and in my young days, when a good runner, I have been almost
caught when racing along a level plain as smooth as a lawn with a
savage elephant in full pursuit. An active man upon good ground
can run for a short distance at the rate of eighteen miles an hour ;
this should clear him from the attack of most elephants ; but
unfortunately the good ground is scarce, and the elephant is

it THE ELEPHANT 29

generally discovered in a position peculiarly favourable to itself,
where the roughness of the surface and the tangled herbage render
it impossible for a man to run at full speed without falling.

We have recently seen a distressing example in the death of
the lamented Mr. Ingram in Somali-land, who, although well
mounted, was overtaken by an infuriated wild elephant and killed.
This was a female, and it appears that Mr. Ingram, having followed
her on horseback, had fired repeatedly with a rifle only *450. The
animal charged, and owing to the impediments of the ground, which
was covered with prickly aloes, the horse could not escape, and
Mr. Ingram was swept off the saddle and impaled upon the
elephant's tusks.

The African differs from the Asiatic in the formation of ivory,
the tusks of the former being both thicker and heavier; the
females also possess tusks, whereas those of the Asiatic variety
have merely embryo tusks, which do not project more than two or
three inches beyond the lips. I had a tusk of an African elephant
that weighed 149 lbs. I have seen in Khartoum a pair that
weighed 300 lbs., and I saw a single tusk of 172 lbs. In 1874
a tusk was sold at the ivory sale in London that weighed 188 lbs.
These specimens are exceptions to the general rule, as the average
weight in a full-grown African male would be about 140 lbs. the
pair, or 75 lbs. for one tusk and 65 lbs. for the fellow, which is
specially employed for digging.

The African variety is an industrious digger, as it feeds upon
the succulent roots of many trees, especially those of the mimosa
family. The right tusk is generally used in these operations more
than the left ; accordingly it is lighter from continual wear, and
it is known by the Arabs as the " hadam " or servant. As the
African elephant is a root-eater it is far more destructive than the
Asiatic. It is astonishing to observe the waste of trees that are
upturned by a large herd of these animals, sometimes out of sheer
wantonness, during their passage through a forest. The dense
tops of mimosas are a great attraction, and there can be no doubt
that elephants work collectively to dig out and to overthrow the
trees that would be too large for the strength of a single animal.
I have seen trees between two and three feet in diameter that
have been felled for the sake of the roots and tender heads ; these
have shown unmistakable signs of an attack by several elephants,
as the ground has been ploughed by tusks of different sizes to tear
up the long straggling roots which were near the surface, and the
deep marks of feet around the centre of operations, of various
diameters, have proved the co-operation of members of the herd.

30 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

I once saw an elephant strike a large timber tree with its fore-
head to shake down the fruit. This was a peculiar example t>f
the immense power that can be exerted when required. We were
waiting near the margin of the White Nile, about half an hour
before sunset, expecting the arrival of water-buck, when a rumbling
sound and a suppressed roar in the jungle were accompanied by
the breaking of a branch, which denoted the approach of elephants.
Presently they emerged from the forest in several directions, and
one, which appeared to be the largest I had ever seen, advanced
to within 120 yards of our position without perceiving us, as we
were concealed behind a bush upon some rising ground close to
the river's bank. This elephant had enormous tusks, but as we
had only small-bore rifles, I was contented to watch, without dis-
turbing the magnificent animal before me.

There was a very large and lofty tree quite three feet in
diameter; upon the upper branches grew the much-loved fruit,
similar in appearance to good-sized dates, and equally as sweet and
aromatic (Balanites Egyptiaca). Elephants will travel great
distances to arrive at a forest where such fruit is produced in
quantity, and they appear to know the season when the crop will
be thoroughly ripe. Upon this occasion, the elephant, having
picked up the single fruits which lay scattered upon the ground,
presently looked up, and being satisfied with the appearance of the
higher boughs, he determined to shake down a plentiful supply.
Retiring for a few feet, he deliberately rammed his forehead against
the stem, with such force as to shake the tree from top to bottom,
causing a most successful shower of the coveted fruit, which he
immediately commenced to eat.

Commander R. N. J. Baker was my companion, and we agreed
that any person who might have taken refuge in the branches of
that large tree must have held on exceedingly tight to have
avoided a fall, so severe was the concussion.

When it is considered that a large bull elephant weighs between
six and seven tons, which weight is set in movement by the
muscular exertion of the animal, there is at once an explanation
of the force against a tree, which, although large, would hardly
exceed that weight.

The memory of elephants must be peculiarly keen, as they
remember the seasons for visiting certain districts where some par-
ticular food is produced in attractive quantities. In the southern
district of Ceylon, between Yalld river and the sea-coast, there are
great numbers of the Bael tree, the fruit of which resembles a
large cricket-ball. The shell is hard, and when ripe it becomes

ii THE ELEPHANT 31

brown, and can only be broken by a sharp blow with some hard
substance. The contents are highly aromatic, consisting of a
brownish substance exceedingly sweet, and mixed with small seeds
resembling those inside a pear. There is a strong flavour of
medlar in this fruit, and it is much esteemed for medicinal pro-
perties, especially in cases of diarrhoea. Although elephants refuse
the Bael fruit unless quite ripe, they will invariably arrive in great
numbers during the favourable season in the southern districts of
Ceylon. The question arises, " How can an animal remember the
month without an almanack 1 "

There is no doubt that animals possess in many instances a far
greater degree of reason than is generally admitted, with which
the exercise of memory is so closely allied that it is difficult to
separate or define the attributes. An elephant will remember
those who have shown kindness, perhaps for a longer period than
it will others who may have offended. After seven months'
absence in England, an elephant that I had from the Commissariat
on my previous visit to India recognised me at once upon my
return. I had been in the habit of feeding this animal with sugar-
canes and other choice food almost daily during several months'
companionship in the jungle ; this was not forgotten, and " cupboard
love " was harboured in its memory with the expectation that the
feeding would be repeated.

In the same manner, but perhaps in a lesser degree, the elephant
will remember those whom it dislikes, and during the season of
"must" it would be exceedingly dangerous for such persons to
venture within reach of the animal's trunk. Stories are numerous
concerning the animosity of elephants against their mahouts or
other attendants who have cruelly treated them ; but, on the other
hand, the animals frequently exhibit a wild ferocity towards those
who have been innocent of harshness. As characters vary among
human beings, and some persons when intoxicated become suddenly
brutal, although when sober they have been mild in reputation, so
also we find conflicting natures among elephants, and the insane
excitement of the " must " period varies in intensity in different
animals.

There was a well-known elephant some years ago in the
Balaghat district of the Central Provinces which became historical
through the extraordinary malignity of its disposition. Having
escaped from the fetters, it killed the mahout, and at once made
off towards the forests. It is a curious example of nature that
creatures (ferce naturae) have a tendency to return to their original
state of savagedom when the opportunity is offered. If an

32 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

elephant is seized with a panic when upon open ground, it will
rush for the nearest jungle, probably with the intention of con-
cealment. The animal in question returned to its wild state
directly it had escaped from confinement, but the domestication of
many years appears to have sharpened its intellect, and to have
exaggerated its powers for mischief and cunning. It became the
scourge, not only of the immediate neighbourhood, but of a con-
siderable portion of a district which included an area of a hundred
miles in length by forty or fifty in width.

No village was safe from the attack of this infuriated beast.
It would travel great distances, and appear at unexpected intervals,
suddenly presenting itself to the horrified villagers, who fled in all
directions, leaving their homes and their supplies of grain to be
demolished by the omnipotent intruder, who tore down their
dwellings, ransacked their stores of corn, and killed any unfortunate
person who came within its reach.

There was a cruel love of homicide in this animal that has
rarely been recorded. Not only would it attack villages in pursuit
of forage, but it was particularly addicted to the destruction of the
lofty watching-places in the fields, occupied nightly by the villagers
to scare wild animals from their crops. These watch-houses are
generally constructed upon strong poles secured by cross-pieces, on
the top of which, about sixteen feet from the ground, is a small
hut upon a platform. This is thatched to protect the occupant
from the heavy dew or rain. From such elevated posts the
watchers yell and scream throughout the night to frighten the
wild beasts. To attack and tear down such posts was the delight
of this bloodthirsty elephant. Instead of being scared by the
shouts of the inmates, it was attracted by their cries, and, unseen
in the dark, it was upon them almost before they were aware of its
presence. The strong posts upon which the constructions had been
raised offered no resistance to the attack, and the miserable
watchers found themselves hurled to the ground together with the
ruins of their upturned shelter. In another moment they were
either caught and stamped to death, or chased through the darkness
by the pursuing elephant, and when captured they were torn limb
from limb, as the brute exhibited a cruel satisfaction in placing one
foot upon the victim, and then tearing with its trunk an arm, a
leg, or the head from the mangled body.

In this manner the elephant killed upwards of twenty people
throughout the district, and it became absolutely necessary, if
possible, to destroy it.

This was at last effected by Colonel Bloomfield and a friend,

n THE ELEPHANT 33

who determined at all hazards to hunt it down by following through
the jungles, guided by the reports of the natives, who were on the
look-out in all directions. The animal showed peculiar cunning,
as it never remained in the same place, but travelled a considerable
distance immediately after the committal of some atrocity, and
concealed itself within the jungles until prompted to another raid
in some new direction. I am indebted to Colonel Bloomfield for
an interesting description of the manner in which, after many days
of great fatigue and patience, he at length succeeded, with the
assistance of native trackers, in discovering this formidable oppon-
ent, asleep within a dense mass of thorns and grass in the heart of
an extensive jungle. The elephant awoke before they could dis-
tinctly see its form, owing to the extreme thickness of the covert,
but the fight commenced. There was a considerable difference
between the attack upon defenceless villagers, who fled before it in
hopeless panic, and a stand-up fight with two experienced European
shikaris armed with the best rifles; the terror of the district
quickly showed its appreciation of discretion, and, badly wounded,
it retreated through the forest, well followed by the determined
hunters. Again and again it was overtaken, and a shot was taken
whenever the dense jungle afforded an opportunity. At length,
maddened by pursuit and wounds, it turned to charge, thereby
exposing itself in an open place, and both bullets crashed into its
brain, the shot from Colonel Bloomfield's rifle passing completely
through its head.

It would be impossible to determine whether such an elephant
could have been subdued and re-domesticated had its capture been
effected. There are many cases on record where a "must"
elephant has committed grievous depredations, after killing those
who were its ordinary attendants, but when re -captured, the
temporary excitement has passed away, and the animal has become
as harmless as it was before the period of insanity. Mr. G-. P
Sanderson, the superintendent of the Government keddahs in
Assam, gives a vivid description of an elephant that escaped after
killing its mahout and several villagers in the neighbourhood
This animal, like Colonel Bloomfield's elephant, already described
became the terror of the district, and destroyed many villagers'
until it was decided by the authorities to attempt its destruction '

Mr. Sanderson was of opinion that it was too valuable to be
heedlessly sacrificed ; he therefore determined to capture it alive
if possible, through the aid of certain clever elephants belonging to
the keddah establishment. *

The police of the district were ordered to obtain the necessary

31 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

information, ami the malefactor was reported after a few days to
have destroy ed another village, where it remained, devouring the
rice and grain in the absence of the panic-stricken villagers.

No time was Lost in repairing to the spot with three highly-
trained elephants, two of which were females; the third was a
well-known lighting male, a tusker named Moota Gutche', who was
usually employed to dominate the obstreperous wild elephants when
refractory in the keddah enclosures. The necessary ropes and
chains were prepared, and the small but experienced party started,
Mr Sanderson being armed only with a long spear, and riding on
the pad, well girthed upon the back of Moota Gutche'.

A short hour's march brought them in sight of a ruined village
on a level plain, which skirted a dense forest. When within a
quarter of a mile, a large male elephant was discovered restlessly
walking to and fro as though keeping guard over the ruins he had
made. This was the culprit taken in the act.

Leaving the two females in the rear, with instructions to follow
upon a given signal, Mr. Sanderson on Moota Giitchd advanced
slowly to the encounter. The rogue elephant did not appear to
notice them until within about 200 yards ; it then suddenly halted,
and turning round, -it faced them as though in astonishment at
being disturbed. This attitude did not last very long, as Moota
Gutche" still advanced until within ninety or a hundred paces.
The elephants now faced each other, and Moota Gutche' began to
lower his head when he observed his antagonist backing a few
paces, which he well knew was the customary preparation for a
charge. " Reculez pour mieux sauter " was well exemplified when
in another moment the vagrant elephant dashed forward at great
speed to the attack, trumpeting and screaming with mad fury. In
the meantime Moota Gutchd coolly advanced at a moderate pace.
The shock of the encounter was tremendous. The spear flew out
of the rider's hands with the collision, but Moota Gutche' was a
trained tighter, and having lowered his head, which had for the
moment exposed his mahout, he quickly caught his opponent under
the throat with its neck between his tusks, and then bearing up-
wards, he forced the head of his adversary high in the air ; now
driving forwards with all his strength, he hurled the other back-
wards, and with a dexterous twist he threw it upon its side and
pinned it to the ground. In an instant Mr. Sanderson slipped off
and secured the hind legs with a strong rope. The two females
quickly arrived, and within a few minutes the late terror of the
neighbourhood was helplessly fettered, and was led captive between
the females towards the camp from which it had escaped, assisted,

II

THE ELEPHANT 35

when obstreperous, by the tusks of Moota Gutche' applied
behind.

This elephant completely recovered from its temporary madness,
and became a useful animal, affording a striking example of the
passing insanity of the male passion, and the power of careful
management in subduing a brute of such stupendous force.

After this incident Moota Gutchd with about forty of the
keddah elephants, was kindly lent to me by Mr. Sanderson during
a shooting excursion of twenty-five days upon the " churs " or islands
of the Brahmaputra river south of Dhubri. In India the tiger is
so commonly associated with the elephant that in describing one it
is impossible to avoid a connection with the other.

Moota Gutche' was a peculiar character, not altogether amiable,
but it was as well to have him upon your own side. During the trip
my friend Sanderson was ill with fever, and could not accompany
me. I was therefore at the disadvantage of being the only gun in
a long line of elephants, which would on ordinary occasions have
been manned by at least four guns. At first I imagined that my
trip would be a failure, as I knew a mere nothing of the language,
and the elephants and their mahouts were alike strangers to me,
but I soon discovered that their excellent training as keddah
servants constantly employed in the capture of wild elephants
under their indefatigable superintendent, Mr. Sanderson, rendered
them capable almost instinctively of understanding all my ways,
and we became excellent friends, both man and beast.

I arranged my long line of elephants according to their paces
and dispositions, and each day they preserved the same positions,
so that every mahout knew his place, and the elephants were
accustomed to the animals upon the right and left. In the centre
were the slowest, and upon either flank were the fastest elephants,
while two exceedingly speedy animals, with intelligent mahouts,
invariably acted as scouts, generally a quarter of a mile ahead on
either flank.

My own elephant was accompanied on one side by Moota
Gutche', on the other by a rough but dependable character whose
name I have forgotten. I kept these always with me, as they
were useful in the event of a tiger that would not bolt from the
dense wild-rose thickets, in which case our three elephants could
push him out.

This arrangement was perfect, and after a few days' experience
our line worked with the precision of well-drilled cavalry ; some-
times, with extra elephants, I had as many as fifty in the field.
The result of this discipline was that no tiger or leopard ever

36 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

escaped if once on foot ; although hunted in some instances for
hours, the animal was invariably killed. A remarkable instance
of this occurred at the large island of Bargh Chur, which includes
several thousand acres, the greater portion being covered with
enormous grass and dense thickets of tamarisk, which, in the hot
season, is the cool and loved resort of tigers. There were also
extensive jungles in swampy portions of the island, so intermixed
with reeds and marsh grass of twelve or fourteen feet high, that it
was difficult to penetrate, even upon an elephant.

I was out at the usual early hour, shortly after sunrise, the
shikaris having returned to camp with the news that none of the
bullocks tied up for baits during the preceding night had been
killed ; it therefore remained to try our fortune by simply beating
the high grass jungle in line, on speculation, and in the same
manner to drive the occasional dense coverts of feathery tamarisk.

We had proceeded with a line of about five-and-thirty elephants,
well extended ten yards apart, and in this manner we had
advanced about a mile, when our attention was attracted by a
native calling to us from a large ant-hill which enabled him to be
distinguished above the grass. We immediately rode towards
him, and were iuformed that a tiger had killed his cow the night
before, and had dragged the body into jungle so dense that he had
been afraid to follow. This was good news ; we therefore took
the man upon an elephant as our guide towards the reported spot.

The elephants continued to advance in line, occasionally dis-
turbing wild pigs and hog deer, which existed in great numbers,
but could hardly have been shot even had I wished, as the grass
was so thick and long that the animals could not be seen ; there
were only signs of their disturbance by the sudden rush and the
waving of the grass just in front of the advancing elephants, who
were thus kept in continual excitement.

In about twenty minutes we emerged from the high grass upon
a great extent of highly cultivated land, where the sandy loam
had been reduced to the fine surface of a well-kept garden.
Bordering upon this open country was an extensive jungle com-
posed of trees averaging about a foot in diameter, but completely
wedged together among impenetrable reeds fully eighteen feet in
length, and nearly an inch in thickness, in addition to a network
of various tough creepers, resulting from a rich soil that was a
morass during the rainy season. Although the reeds appeared
tolerably dry, they would not burn, as there were signs among
some half-scorched places where attempts had been recently made
to fire the jungle.

ii THE ELEPHANT 37

Our guide soon pointed to the spot where his cow had been
dragged by the tiger into this formidable covert. There was no
mistake about the marks, and the immense tracks in the soft
ground proved the size and sex of the destroyer.

Nobody questioned the fact of the tiger being at home, and the
only question was " how to beat him out." The jungle was quite
a mile in length without a break in its terrible density ; it was
about half a mile in width, bounded upon one side by the cleared
level ground in cultivation, and on the other by the high grass
jungle we had left, but this had been partially scorched along the
edge in the attempts to burn.

A good look-out would have spied any animal at a hundred
and fifty yards had it attempted to leave the jungle.

As the country was a dead level, it was difficult to forecast the
retreat of a tiger when driven from such a thicket, and it was a
serious question whether it would be possible to dislodge him.

Whenever you commence a drive, the first consideration should
be, "If the animal is there, where did it come from?" — as it will
in all probability attempt to retreat to that same locality. There
was no possibility of guessing the truth in such a country of dense
grass, and with numerous islands of the same character throughout
this portion of the Brahmaputra, but there was one advantage in
the fact that one side was secure, as the tiger would never break
covert upon the cultivated land; there remained the opposite
side, which would require strict watching, as he would probably
endeavour to slink away through the high grass to some distant
and favourite retreat.

I therefore determined to take my stand at the end of the thick
jungle which we had passed upon arrival, at the corner where it
joined the parched grass that had been fire-scorched, and near the
spot where the cow had been dragged in. I accordingly sent the
elephants round to commence the drive about two hundred yards
distant, entering from the cultivated side and driving towards me,
as I concluded the tiger in such massive jungle would not be far
from the dead body. At the same time, I sent two scouting
elephants to occupy positions outside the jungle on the high grass
side, within sight of myself ; I being posted on my elephant at the
corner, so that I commanded two views — the end, and the grass
side.

My signal, a loud whistle, having been given, the line of
elephants advanced towards my position. The crashing of so
many huge beasts through the dense crisp herbage sounded in the
distance like a strong wind, varied now and then by the tearing

38 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

crunch as some opposing branches were torn down to clear the

way.

I was mounted upon a female elephant, a good creature named
Nielmonne*, who was reputed to be staunch, but as the line of
beaten approached nearer, and the varied sounds increased in
intensity, she became very nervous and restless, starting should a
small deer dart out of the jungle, and evidently expecting moment-
arily tin' appearance of the enemy. There are very few elephants
that will remain unmoved when awaiting the advance of a line of
beaters, whether they may be of their own species or human beings.
On this occasion the rushing sound of the yielding jungle, which
was so thick as to test the elephants' powers in clearing a passage
through it, was presently varied by a sharp trumpet, then by
a low growl, followed by that peculiar noise emitted by elephants
when excited, resembling blows upon a tambourine or kettle-
drum. This is a sound that invariably is heard whenever an
elephant detects the fresh scent of a tiger ; and Nielmonne', instead
of standing quiet, became doubly excited, as she evidently under-
stood that the dreaded game was on foot, and advancing before
the line.

As I was posted at the sharp angle of the corner, I presently
observed several elephants emerge upon my left and right, as the
line advanced with wonderful regularity, and so close were the
animals together that it was most unlikely any tiger could have
broken back.

My servant Michael was behind me in the howdah. He was a
quiet man, who thoroughly understood his work, and seldom spoke
without being first addressed. On this occasion he broke through
the rule. "Nothing in this beat, sahib," he exclaimed. . . .
" Hold your tongue, Michael, till the cover's beaten out. Haven't
I often told you that you can't tell what's in the jungle until the
last corner is gone through 1 "

Nearly all the elephants were now out, and only about half a
dozen remained in the jungle, all still advancing in correct line,
and perhaps a dozen yards remaining of dense reeds and creepers
forming the acute angle at the extremity. They still came on.
Two or three of the mahouts shouted, "The tiger's behind, we
must go back and take a longer beat." Nothing remained now
except six or seven yards of the sharp corner, and the elephants
marched forward, when a tremendous roar suddenly startled them
in all directions, and one of the largest tigers I have ever seen
sprang forward directly towards Nielmonne', who, I am ashamed
to say, spun round as though upon a pivot, and prevented me

ii THE ELEPHANT 39

from taking a most splendid shot. The next instant the tiger
had bounded back with several fierce roars, sending the line of
elephants flying, and once more securing safety in the almost
impervious jungle from which he had been driven.

This was a most successful drive, but a terrible failure, owing
entirely to the nervousness of my elephant. I never saw a worse
jungle, and now that the tiger had been moved, it would be
doubly awkward to deal with him, as he would either turn vicious
and spring upon an elephant unawares from so dense a covert, or
slink from place to place as the line advanced, but would never
again face the open.

I looked at my watch ; it was exactly half-past eight. The
mahouts suggested that we should not disturb him, but give him
time to sleep, and then beat for him in the afternoon. I did not
believe in sleep after he had been so rudely aroused by a long line
of elephants, but I clearly perceived that the mahouts did not
enjoy the fun of beating in such dreadful jungle, and this they
presently confessed, and expressed a wish to have me in the centre
of the line, as there was no gun with the elephants should the
tiger attack.

I knew that I should be useless, as it would be impossible to
see a foot ahead in such dense bush, but to give them confidence
I put my elephant in line, and sent forward several scouting
elephants to form a line along a narrow footpath which cut the
jungle at right angles about a quarter of a mile distant.

Once more the line advanced, the elephants marching shoulder
to shoulder, and thus bearing down everything before them, as I de-
termined to take the jungle backwards and forwards in this close
order lest the wary tiger might crouch, and escape by lying close.

Several times the elephants sounded, and we knew that he
must be close at hand, but it was absolutely impossible to see any-
thing beyond the thick reedy mass, through which the line of
elephants bored as through a solid obstacle.

Three times with the greatest patience we worked the jungle
in this searching manner, when on the third advance I left the
line, finding the impossibility of seeing anything, and took up my
position outside the jungle on the cultivated land, exactly where
the footpath was occupied by the scout elephants at intervals,
which intersected the line of advance.

Presently there was a commotion among the elephants, two or
three shrill trumpets, then the kettle-drum, and for a moment I
caught sight of a dim shadowy figure stealing through some high
reeds upon the border which fringed the iunde. I immediately

40 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

fired, although the elephant was so unsteady that I could not be
sure of the sin it ; also the object was so indistinct, being concealed
in the high reeds, that I should not have observed it upon any
other occasion than our rigid search. Immediately afterwards, a
shout from one of the mahouts upon a scouting elephant informed
us that the tiger had crossed the path and had gone forward,
having thus escaped from the beat !

Here was fresh work cut out! Up to this moment we had
managed to keep him within an area of a quarter of a mile in
Length, by half a mile in width j he had now got into new ground,
and was in about a three-quarter mile length of the same unbeaten

jungle.

Tin1 re was nothing else to do but to pursue the same tactics,
and we patiently continued to beat forward and backward, again
and again, but without once sighting our lost game. It was half-
past twelve, and the sun was burning hot, the sky being cloudless.
The elephants once more emerged from the sultry jungle j they
were blowing spray with their trunks upon their flanks, from
water sucked up from their stomachs ; and the mahouts were all
down-hearted and in- despair. "It's of no use," they said, "he's
gone straight away, who can tell where ? When you fired, perhaps
you wounded him, or you missed him ; at any rate, he's frightened
and gone clean off, we shall never see him again ; the elephants
are all tired with the extreme heat, and we had better go to the
river for a bath."

I held a council of war, with the elephants in a circle around
me. It is of no use to oppose men when they are disgusted, you
must always start a new idea. I agreed with my men, but I sug-
gested that as we were all hot, and the elephants fatigued, the
tiger must be in much the same state, as we had kept him on the
run since eight o'clock in the morning, I having actually timed the
hour "half-past eight" when he charged out of the last corner.
" Now," said I, "do you remember that yesterday evening I killed
a buck near some water in a narrow depression in the middle of
tamarisk jungle? I believe that is only a continuation of this
horrible thicket, and if the tiger is nearly played out, he would
naturally make for the water and the cool tamarisk. You form in
line in the jungle here, and give me a quarter of an hour's start,
while I go ahead and take up my position by that piece of water.
You then come on, and if the tiger is in the jungle, he will come
forward towards the water, where I shall meet him ; if he's not
there, we shall anyhow be on our direct route, and close to our
camp by the river."

ii THE ELEPHANT 41

This was immediately accepted, and leaving the elephants to
form line, I hurried forward on Nielmonne', keeping in the grass
outside the edge of the long jungle.

I had advanced about three-quarters of a mile, when the
character of the jungle changed to tamarisk, and I felt certain that
I was near the spot of yesterday. I accordingly ordered the mahout
to turn into the thick feathery foliage to the left, in search of the
remembered water. There was a slight descent to a long but
narrow hollow about 50 or 60 yards wide ; this was filled with
clear water for an unknown length.

I was just about to make a remark, when, instead of speaking,
I gently grasped the mahout by the head as I leaned over the
howdah, and by this signal stopped the elephant.

There was a lovely sight, which cheered my heart with that
inexpressible feeling of delight which is the reward for patience and
hard work. About 120 yards distant on my left, the head and
neck of a large tiger, clean and beautiful, reposed above the surface,
while the body was cooling, concealed from view. Here was our
friend enjoying his quiet bath, while we had been pounding away
up and down the jungles which he had left.

The mahout, although an excellent man, was much excited.
" Fire at him," he whispered.

"It is too far to make certain," I replied in the same undertone.

" Your rifle will not miss him ; fire, or you will lose him. He
will see us to a certainty and be off. If so, we shall never see him
again," continued Fazil, the mahout.

"Hold your tongue," I whispered. "He can't see us, the sun
is at our back, and is shining in his eyes — see how green they are."

At this moment of suspense the tiger quietly rose from his bath,
and sat up on end like a dog. I never saw such a sight. His
head was beautiful, and the eyes shone like two green electric
lights, as the sun's rays reflected from them, but his huge body
was dripping with muddy water, as he had been reclining upon the
alluvial bottom.

"Now's the time," whispered the over-eager mahout. "You
can kill him to a certainty. Fire, or he'll be gone in another
moment."/^

"Keep quiet, you fool, and don't move till I tell you." For
quite a minute the tiger sat up in the same position ; at last, as.
though satisfied that he was in safety and seclusion, he once more
lay down with only the head and neck exposed above the surface.

" Back the elephant gently, but do not turn round," I whispered.
Immediately Nielmonne' backed through the feathery tamarisk

42 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

without the slightest sound, and we found ourselves outside the
jungle. We could breathe freely.

"Goon now, quite gently, till I press your head ; then turn to
the right, descending through the tamarisk, till I again touch
your puggery " (turban).

I counted the elephant's paces as she moved softly parallel with
the jungle, until I felt sure of my distance. A slight pressure
upon the mahout's head, and Nielmonne' turned to the right. The
waving plumes of the dark-green tamarisk divided as we gently
moved forward, and in another moment we stopped. There was
the tiger in the same position, exactly facing me, but now about
75 paces distant.

" Keep the elephant quite steady," I whispered ; and, sitting
down upon the howdah seat, I took a rest with the rifle upon the
front bar of the gun-rack. A piece of tamarisk kept waving in the
wind just in front of the rifle, beyond my reach. The mahout
leaned forward and gently bent it down. Now, all was clear. The
tiger's eyes were like green glass. The elephant for a moment
stood like stone. I touched the trigger.

There was no response to the loud report of 6 drams of powder
from the '577 rifle, no splash in the unbroken surface of the water.
The tiger's head was still there, but in a different attitude, one-
half below the surface, and only one cheek, and one large eye still
glittering like an emerald, above.

"Run in quick," — and the order was instantly obeyed, as
Nielmonne' splashed through the pool towards the silent body of
the tiger. There was not a movement of a muscle. I whistled
loud, then looked at my watch — on the stroke of 1 p.m. From
8.30 till that hour we had worked up that tiger, and although
there was no stirring incident connected with him, I felt very
satisfied with the result.

In a short time the elephants arrived, having heard the shot,
followed by my well-known whistle. Moota Gutche' was the first
to approach ; and upon observing the large bright eye of the tiger
above water, he concluded that it was still alive ; he accordingly
made a desperate charge, and taking the body on his tusks, he sent
it flying some yards ahead ; not content with this display of
triumph, he followed it up, and gave it a football-kick that lifted
it clean out of the water. This would have quickly ended in a
war-dance upon the prostrate body, that would have crushed it and
destroyed the skin, had not the mahout, with the iron driving-hook,
bestowed some warning taps upon the crown of Moota Glitches
head that recalled him to a calmer frame of mind. A rope was

if THE ELEPHANT 43

soon made fast to the tiger's neck, and Moota Gutche' hauled it
upon dry ground, where it was washed as well as possible, and well
scrutinised for a bullet-hole.

There was no hole whatever in that tiger. The bullet having
entered the nostril, broken the neck, and run along the body, the
animal consequently had never moved. The first shot, when
obscured in thick jungle, had probably deflected from the interposing
reeds — at all events it missed. This tiger, when laid out straight,
but without being pulled to increase its length, measured exactly
9 feet 8 inches from nose to tail.

CHAPTER III

the elephant {continued)

The foregoing chapter is sufficient to explain the ferocity of the
male elephant at certain seasons which periodically affect the
nervous system. It would be easy to multiply examples of this
cerebral excitement, but such repetitions are unnecessary. The
fact remains that the sexes differ materially in character, and that
for general purposes the female is preferred in a domesticated state,
although the male tusker is far more powerful, and when thoroughly
trustworthy is capable of self-defence against attack, and of energy
in work that would render it superior to the gentler but inferior
female.1

It may be inferred that a grand specimen of a male elephant is
of rare occurrence. A creature that combines perfection of form
with a firm but amiable disposition, and is free from the timidity
which unfortunately distinguishes the race, may be quite invalu-
able to any resident in India. The actual monetary value of an
elephant must of necessity be impossible to decide, as it must
depend upon the requirements of the purchaser and the depth of
his pocket. Elephants differ in price as much as horses, and the
princes of India exhibit profuse liberality in paying large sums for
animals that approach their standard of perfection.

The handsomest elephant that I have ever seen in India belongs
to the Rajah of Nandgaon, in the district bordering upon Reipore.
I saw this splendid specimen among twenty others at the durbar
of the Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces in December
1887, and it completely eclipsed all others both in size and per-
fection of points. The word "points" is inappropriate when
applied to the distinguishing features of an elephant, as anything

1 The female differs from other quadrupeds in the position of her teats,
which are situated upon the breast ^between the fore legs. She is in the habit
of caressing her calf with her trunk during the operation of suckling.

chap, in THE ELEPHANT 45

approaching the angular would be considered a blemish. An
Indian elephant to be perfect should be 9 feet 6 inches in perpen-
dicular height at the shoulder. The head should be majestic in
general character, as large as possible, — especially broad across the
forehead, and well rounded. The boss or prominence above the
trunk should be solid and decided, mottled with flesh-coloured
spots ; these ought to continue upon the cheeks, and for about
three feet down the trunk. This should be immensely massive ;
and when the elephant stands at ease, the trunk ought to touch
the ground when the tip is slightly curled. The skin of the face
should be soft to the touch, and there must be no indentations or
bony hollows, which are generally the sign of age. The ears
should be large, the edges free from inequalities or rents, and
above all they ought to be smooth, as though they had been care-
fully ironed. When an elephant is old, the top of the ear curls,
and this symptom increases with advancing years. The eyes
should be large and clear, the favourite colour a bright hazel. The
tusks ought to be as thick as possible, free from cracks, gracefully
curved, very slightly to the right and left, and projecting not less
than three feet from the lips. The body should be well rounded,
without a sign of any rib. The shoulders must be massive with
projecting muscular development ; the back very slightly arched,
and not sloping too suddenly towards the tail, which should be
set up tolerably high. This ought to be thick and long, the end
well furnished with a double fringe of very long thick hairs or
whalebone-looking bristles. The legs should be short in propor-
tion to the height of the animal, but immensely thick, and the
upper portion above the knee ought to exhibit enormous muscle.
The knees should be well rounded, and the feet be exactly equal
to half the perpendicular height of the elephant when measured in
their circumference, the weight pressing upon them whilst standing.

The skin generally ought to be soft and pliable, by no means
tight or strained, but lying easily upon the limbs and body.

An elephant which possesses this physical development should
be equal in the various points of character that are necessary to a
highly-trained animal.

When ordered to kneel, it should obey instantly, and remain
patiently upon the ground until permitted to rise from this uneasy
posture. In reality the elephant does not actually kneel upon its
fore knees, but only upon those of the hinder legs, while it pushes
its fore legs forward and rests its tusks upon the ground. This
is a most unnatural position, and is exceedingly irksome. Some
elephants are very impatient, and they will rise suddenly without

46 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

orders while the ladder is placed against their side for mounting.
Upon one occasion a badly-trained animal jumped up so suddenly
that Lady Baker, who had already mounted, was thrown off on
one side, while I, who was just on the top of the ladder, was
thrown down violently upon the other. A badly-tutored elephant
is exceedingly dangerous, as such vagaries are upon so large a scale
that a fall is serious, especially should the ground be stony.

A calm and placid nature free from all timidity is essential.
Elephants are apt to take sudden fright at peculiar sounds and
sights. In travelling through a jungle path it is impossible to
foretell what animals may be encountered on the route. Some
elephants will turn suddenly round and bolt, upon the unexpected
crash of a wild animal startled in the forest. The scent or, still
worse, the roar of a bear within 50 yards of the road will scare
some elephants to an extent that will make them most difficult of
control. The danger may be imagined should an elephant
absolutely run away with his rider in a dense forest ; if the un-
fortunate person should be in a howdah he would probably be
swept off and killed by the intervening branches, or torn to shreds
by the tangled thorns, many of which are armed with steel-like
hooks.

It is impossible to train all elephants alike, and very few can
be rendered thoroughly trustworthy ; the character must be born
in them if they are to approach perfection.

Our present perfect example should be quite impassive, and
should take no apparent notice of anything, but obey his mahout
with the regularity of a machine. No noise should disturb the
nerves, no sight terrify, no attack for one moment shake the
courage ; even the crackling of fire should be unheeded, although
the sound of high grass blazing and exploding before the advancing
line of fire tries the nerves of elephants more than any other danger.

An elephant should march with an easy swinging pace at the
rate of five miles an hour, or even six miles within that time upon
a good flat road. As a rule, the females have an easier pace than
the large males. When the order to stop is given, instead of
hesitating, the elephant should instantly obey, remaining rigidly
still without swinging the head or flapping the ears, which is its
inveterate and annoying habit. The well-trained animal should
then move backward or forward, either one or several paces, at a
sign from the mahout, and then at once become as rigid as a rock.

Should the elephant be near a tiger, it will generally know the
position of the enemy by its keen sense of smell. If the tiger
should suddenly charge from some dense covert with the usual short

in THE ELEPHANT 47

but loud roars, the elephant ought to remain absolutely still to
receive the onset, and to permit a steady aim from the person in
the howdah. This is a very rare qualification, but most necessary
in a good shikar elephant. Some tuskers will attack the tiger,
which is nearly as bad a fault as running in the opposite direction ;
but the generality, even if tolerably steady, will swing suddenly
upon one side, and thus interrupt the steadiness of the aim.

The elephant should never exercise its own will, but ought to
wait in all cases for the instructions of the mahout, and then obey
immediately.

Such an animal, combining the proportions and the qualities I
have described, might be worth in India about £1500 to any Indian
Eajah, but there may be some great native sportsmen who would
give double that amount for such an example of perfection, — which
would combine the beauty required for a state elephant, with the
high character of a shikar animal.

Native princes and rajahs take a great pride in the trappings
of their state elephants, which is exhibited whenever any pageant
demands an extraordinary display. I have seen cloths of silk so
closely embroidered with heavy gold as to be of enormous value,
and so great a weight that two men could barely lift them. Such
cloths may have been handed down from several generations, as
they are seldom used excepting in the state ceremonies which occur
at distant intervals. A high caste male elephant in its gold
trappings, with head-piece and forehead lap equally embroidered,
and large silver bells suspended from its tusks, is a magnificent
object during the display attending a durbar. At such an occa-
sion there may be a hundred elephants all in their finery, each
differing from the other both in size and in the colours of their
surroundings.

The outfit for an elephant depends upon the work required.
The first consideration is the protection of the back. Although the
skin appears as though it could resist all friction, it is astonishing
how quickly a sore becomes established, and how difficult this is to
heal. The mahouts are exceedingly careless, and require much
supervision • the only method to ensure attention is to hold them
responsible, and to deduct so many rupees from their pay should
the backs of their animals be unsound.

With proper care an elephant ought never to suffer, as the pad
should be made to fit its figure specially. The usual method is to
cover the back from the shoulders to the hips with a large quilted
pad stuffed with cotton, about 2J inches thick. In my opinion,
wool is preferable to cotton, and, instead of this coverlet being

48 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

compact, there should be an opening down the centre, to avoid all
pressure upon the spine. A quilted pad stuffed with wool, 3
inches thick, with an opening down the middle, would rest com-
fortably upon the animal's back, and would entirely relieve the
highly-arched backbone, which would thus be exposed to a free
current of air, and would remain hard instead of becoming sodden
through perspiration. Upon this soft layer the large pad is fixed.
This is made of the strongest sacking, stuffed as tight as possible
with dried reeds of a tough variety that is common in most tanks ;
this is open in the centre and quite a foot thick at the sides, so
that it fills up the hollow, and rests the weight upon the ribs at a
safe distance from the spine.

There are various contrivances in the shape of saddles. The
ordinary form for travelling is the char-jarma j this is an oblong
frame, exceedingly strong, which is lashed upon the pad secured
by girths. It is stuffed with cotton, and neatly covered with,
native cloth. A stuffed back passes down the centre like a sofa,
and two people on either side sit dos-ct-dos, as though in an Irish
car. Iron rails protect the ends, and swing foot-boards support
the feet. This is, in, my opinion, the most comfortable way of
riding, but some care is necessary in proportioning the weights to
ensure a tolerable equilibrium, otherwise, should the route be up
and down steep nullahs, the char-jarma will shift upon one side,
ami become most disagreeable to those who find themselves on the
lower level. Natives prefer a well-stuffed pad, as they are accus-
tomed to sit with their legs doubled up in a manner that would
be highly uncomfortable to Europeaus. Such pads are frequently
covered with scarlet cloth and gold embroidery, while the elephant
is dressed iu a silk and gold cloth reaching to its knees. The face
and head are painted in various colours and devices, exhibiting
great taste and skill on the part of the designer. It is curious to
observe the dexterity with which an otherwise ignorant mahout will
decorate the head of his animal by drawing most elaborate curves
and patterns, that would tax the ability of a professional artist
among Europeans.

The howdah is the only accepted arrangement for sporting
purposes, and much attention is necessary in its construction, as the
greatest strength should be combined with lightness. There ought
to be no doors, as they weaken the solidity of the whole. The
weight of a good roomy howdah should not exceed two hundred-
weight, or at the outside 230 pounds. It must be remembered
that the howdah is not adapted for travelling, as there is a dis-
agreeable swinging motion inseparable from its position upon the

in THE ELEPHANT 49

elephant's back which is not felt upon either the pad or the char-
jarma. The howdah is simply for shooting, as you can fire in any
direction, which is impossible from any other contrivance where
the rider sits in a constrained position.

A good howdah should be made of exceedingly strong and tough
wood for the framework, dovetailed, and screwed together, the
joints being specially secured by long corner straps of the best iron.
The frame ought to be panelled with galvanised wire of the
strongest description, the mesh being one-half inch. The top rail,
of a hard wood, should be strengthened all round the howdah by
the addition of a male bamboo 1 J inch in diameter, securely lashed
with raw hide, so as to bind the structure firmly together, and to
afford a good grip for the hand. As the howdah is divided into two
compartments, the front being for the shooter, and the back part
for his servant, the division should be arranged to give increased
strength to the construction by the firmness of the cross pieces,
which ought to bind the sides together in forming the middle seat ;
the back support of which should be a padded shield of thick
leather, about 15 inches in diameter, secured by a broad strap of
the same material to buckles upon the sides. This will give a
yielding support to the back of the occupant when sitting. The
seat should lift up, and be fitted as a locker to contain anything
required ; and a well-stuffed leather cushion is indispensable. The
gun-rack should be carefully arranged to contain two guns upon the
left,- and one upon the right of the sitter. These must be well and
softly padded, to prevent friction. The floor should be covered
either with thick cork or cork-matting to prevent the feet from
slipping.

It must be remembered that a howdah may be subjected to the
most severe strain, especially should a tiger spring upon the head of
an elephant, and the animal exert its prodigious strength to throw
off its assailant. The irons for fastening the girths should there-
fore be of the toughest quality, and, instead of actual girths, only
thick ropes of cotton ought to be used. A girth secured with a
buckle is most dangerous, as, should the buckle give way, an
accident of the most alarming kind must assuredly occur. The
howdah ought to be lashed upon the elephant by six folds of the
strong cotton rope described, tightened most carefully before start-
ing. It should be borne in mind that much personal attention is
necessary during this operation, as the natives are most careless.
Two or three men ought to sit in the howdah during the process
of lacing, so as to press it down tightly upon the pad, otherwise it
will become loose during the march, and probably lean over to one

E

HO WILD LEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

side, which is uncomfortable to both man and beast. A large
hide of the Bambur deer, well cured and greased so as to be soft
and pliable, Bhould invariably protect the belly of the elephant,
and the flanks under the fore legs, from the friction of the girthing
rope. The breastplate and crupper also require attention. These
ought to be of the same quality of cotton rope as used for the
girths, but that portion of the crupper which passes beneath the
tail Bhould pass through an iron tube bent specially to fit, like the
letter V elongated, U. This is a great safeguard against galling,
and I believe it was first suggested by Mr. G. P. Sanderson.

A fine male elephant, well accoutred with his howdah thoroughly
secured, and a good mahout, is a splendid mount, and the rider
has the satisfaction of feeling that his animal is well up to his
weight I do not know a more agreeable sensation than the start
in the early morning upon a thoroughly dependable elephant, with
all the belongings in first-rate order, and a mahout who takes a
real interest in his work ; a thorough harmony exists between men
and beast, the rifles are in their places, and you feel prepared for
anything that may happen during the hazardous adventures of
tlic day.

But hmv much depends upon that mahout ! It is impossible
for an ordinary bystander to comprehend the secret signs which
are mutually understood by the elephant and his guide — the gentle
pressure of one toe, or the compression of one knee, or the delicate
touch of a heel, or the almost imperceptible swaying of the body
to one side ; the elephant detects every movement, howsoever
slight, and it is thus mysteriously guided by its intelligence ; the
mighty beast obeys the unseen helm of thought, just as a huge
ship yields by apparent instinct to the insignificant appendage
which directs her course — the rudder. All good riders know the
mystery of a "good hand" upon a horse; this is a thing that is
understood, but cannot be described except by a negative. There
are persons who can sit a horse gracefully and well, but who have
not the instinctive gift of hand. The horse is aware of this almost
as soon as the rider has been seated in the saddle. In that case,
whether the horse be first-class or not, there will be no comfort for
the animal, and no ease for the rider.

If such a person puts his horse at a fence, the animal will not
be thoroughly convinced that his rider wishes him to take it.
There are more accidents occasioned by a " bad hand " than by
any other cause. If this is the case with a horse well bitted, what
must be the result should an elephant be guided by a mahout of
uncertain temperament 1 The great trouble when travelling on an

Ill

THE ELEPHANT 51

elephant is the difficulty in getting the mahout to obey an order
immediately, and at the same time to convey that order to the
animal without the slightest hesitation. Natives frequently hesi-
tate before they determine the right from left. This is exasper-
ating to the highest degree, and is destructive to the discipline of
an elephant. There must be no uncertainty; if there is the
slightest vacillation, it will be felt instinctively in the muscles of
the rider, and the animal, instead of obeying mechanically the
requisite pressure of knee or foot, feels that the mahout does not
exactly know what he is about. This will cause the elephant to
swing his head, instead of keeping steady and obeying the order
without delay. In the same manner, when tiger -shooting, the
elephant will at once detect anything like tremor on the part of
his mahout. Frequently a good elephant may be disgraced by the
nervousness of his guide, nothing being so contagious as fear.

Although I may be an exception in the non-admiration of the
elephant's sagacity to the degree in which it is usually accepted,
there is no one who more admires or is so foolishly fond of
elephants. I have killed some hundreds in my early life, but I
have learnt to regret the past, and nothing would now induce me
to shoot an elephant unless it were either a notorious malefactor,
or in self-defence. There is, however, a peculiar contradiction in
the character of elephants that tends to increase the interest in
the animal. If they were all the same, there would be a mono-
tony ; but this is never the case, either among animals or human
beings, although they may belong to one family. The elephant,
on the other hand, stands so entirely apart from all other animals,
and its performances appear so extraordinary owing to the enor-
mous effect which its great strength produces instantaneously, that
its peculiarities interest mankind more than any smaller animal.
Yet, when we consider the actual aptitude for learning, or the
natural habits of the creature, we are obliged to confess that in
proportion to its size the elephant is a mere fool in comparison
with the intelligence of many insects. If the elephant could form
a home like the bee, and store up fodder for a barren season ; if it
could build a nest of comfort like a bird, to shelter itself from
inclement weather ; if it could dam up a river like the beaver, to
store water for the annual drought ; if it could only, like the
ordinary squirrel or field mouse, make a store for a season of
scarcity, — how marvellous we should think this creature, simply
because it is so huge ! It actually does nothing remarkable, unless
specially instructed ; but it is this inertia that renders it so
valuable to man. If the elephant were to be continually exerting

52 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

its natural intelligence, and volunteering all manner of gigantic
performances in the hope that they would be appreciated by its
rider, it would be unbearable; the value of the animal consists in
its capacity to learn, and in its passive demeanour, until directed
by the mahout's commands.

Nothing can positively determine the character of any elephant ;
every animal, I believe, varies more or less in courage according to
its state of health, which must influence the nervous system. The
most courageous man may, if weakened by sickness, be disgusted
with himself by starting at an unexpected sound, — although upon
ordinary occasions he would not be affected. Animals cannot
describe their feelings, and they may sometimes feel " out of sorts "
without being actually ill, but the nervous system may be unstrung.

I once saw a ridiculous example of sudden panic in an otherwise
most dependable elephant. This was a large male belonging to
the Government, which had been lent to me for a few months, and
was thoroughly staunch when opposed to a charging tiger ; in fact,
I believe that Moolah Bux was afraid of nothing, and he was the
best shikar elephant I have ever ridden. One day we were driving
a rocky hill for a tiger that was supposed to be concealed somewhere
among the high grass and broken boulders, and, as the line of
beaters was advancing, I backed the elephant into some thick
jungle, which commanded an open but narrow glade at the foot of
the low hill. Only the face of the elephant was exposed, and as
this was grayish brown, something similar to the colour of the
leafless bushes, we were hardly noticeable to anything that might
break covert.

The elephant thoroughly understood the work in hand ; and as
the loud yells and shouts of the beaters became nearer, Moolah
Bux pricked his ears and kept a vigilant look-out. Suddenly a
hare emerged about 100 yards distant; without observing our
well-concealed position it raced at full speed directly towards us,
and in a few seconds it ran almost between the elephant's legs as
it made for the protection of the jungle. The mighty Moolah
Bux fairly bolted with a sudden terror as this harmless and tiny
creature dashed beneath him, and although he recovered himself
after five or six yards, nevertheless for the moment the monster was
scared almost by a mouse.

It is this uncertainty of character that has rendered the
elephant useless for military purposes in the field since the intro-
duction of firearms. In olden times there can be no doubt that a
grand array of elephantine cavalry, with towers containing archers
on their backs, would have been an important factor when in line

in THE ELEPHANT 53

of battle ; but elephants are useless against firearms, and in our
early battles with the great hordes brought against us by the
princes of India, their elephants invariably turned tail, and added
materially to the defeat of their army.

Only a short time ago, at Munich, a serious accident was
occasioned by a display of ten or twelve elephants during some
provincial fete, when they took fright at the figure of a dragon
vomiting fire, and a general stampede was the consequence,
resulting in serious injuries to fifteen or sixteen persons.

I once had an elephant who ought to have killed me upon
several occasions through sheer panic, which induced him to run
away like a railway locomotive rushing through a forest. This
was the tusker Lord Mayo, who, although a good-tempered harm-
less creature, appeared to be utterly devoid of nerves, and would
take fright at anything to which it was unaccustomed. The sound
of the beaters when yelling and shouting in driving jungle was
quite sufficient to start this animal off in a senseless panic, not
always for a short distance, as on one occasion it ran at full speed
for upwards of a mile through a dense forest, in spite of the
driving-hook of the mahout, which had been applied with a
maximum severity.

It is curious to observe how all the education of an elephant
appears to vanish when once the animal takes fright and bolts for
the nearest jungle. That seems to be the one idea which is an
instinct of original nature, to retreat into the concealment of a
forest.

I was on one occasion mounted upon Lord Mayo in the Balaghat
district when the beaters were not dependable. A tiger had killed
a bullock at the foot of a wooded hill bordered by an open plain.
As the beaters had misbehaved upon several occasions by breaking
their line, I determined to take command of the beat in person. I
therefore formed the line in the open, with every man equidistant,
there being about a hundred and twenty villagers. I had placed
my shikari with a rifle in a convenient position about 200 yards in
advance, upon a mucharn or platform that had been constructed
for myself.

Having after some trouble arranged the beaters in a proper line,
I gave the order for an advance. In an instant the snouts arose,
and three or four tom-toms added to the din.

I was mounted upon Lord Mayo near the centre of the line in
the open glade. No sooner had the noise begun, than a violent
panic seized this senseless brute, and without the slightest warning
it rushed straight ahead for the thick forest at a pace that would

54 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

nearly equal that of a luggage train. It was in vain that the
mahout dug the iron spike into its head and alternately seized its
cars by the unsparing hook, away it ran, regardless of all punishment
or persuasion, until it reached the jungle, and with a crash we
entered in full career !

Fortunately there was no howdah, only a pad well secured by
thick ropes. ' To clutch these tightly, and to dodge the opposing
branches by ducking the head, now swinging to the right, then
doubling down upon the left to allow the bending trees to sweep
across the pad, then flinging oneself nearly over the flank to escape
a bough that threatened instant extermination ; all these gymnastics
were performed and repeated in a few seconds only, as the panic-
stricken brute ploughed its way, regardless of all obstructions,
which threatened every instant to sweep us off its back. The
active mahout of my other elephant, knowing the character of Lord
Mayo, had luckily accompanied us with a spear, and although at
the time I was unaware of his presence, he was exerting himself to
the utmost in a vain endeavour to overtake our runaway elephant.
At first I imagined -that the great pace would soon be slackened,
and that a couple of hundred yards would exhaust the animal's
wind, especially as the ground was slightly rising. Instead of this,
it was going like a steam-engine, and if there had been the usual
amount of thorny creepers we should have been torn to pieces.

"Keep him straight for the hill," I shouted, as I saw we were
approaching an inclination. "Don't let him turn to right or left,
keep his head straight for the steep ground ;" and the mahout,
who had been yelling for assistance, and had lost both his turban
and skull-cap, did all that he could by tunnelling into the brute's
head with his formidable hook to direct it straight up the hill. I
never knew an elephant go at such a pace over rocky ground.
Young trees were smashed down, some branches torn, others bent
forward, which swung backwards with dangerous force, and yet on
we tore without a sign of diminishing speed. How I longed for
an anchor to have brought up our runaway ship head to wind !
We had the coupling chains upon the pad, and my interpreter,
Modar Bux, at length succeeded in releasing these, and in throwing
them down for any person following to make use of. After a run
of quite half a mile, we fortunately arrived at a really steep portion
of the hill, where the rocks were sufficiently large to present a
difficulty to any runaway. The mahout who had been following
our course, breathless and with bleeding feet, here overtook us.
Placing himself in advance of the elephant, who seem determined
to continue its flight among the rocks, he dug the spear deep into

rii THE ELEPHANT 55

the animal's trunk, and kept repeating the apparently cruel thrusts
until at length it stopped. Several men now arrived with the
coupling chains, which were at length with difficulty adjusted, and
the elephant's fore legs were shackled together. It was curious to
observe the dexterous manner in which it resisted this operation,
and had it not been for the dread of the spear I much doubt
whether it could have been accomplished.

This was the first time that I had experienced a runaway
elephant, but I soon found that both my steeds were equally
untrustworthy. A few weeks after this event we had completed
the morning's march and found the camp already prepared for our
arrival, at a place called Kassli, which is a central depot for rail-
way sleepers as they are received from the native contractors.
These were carefully piled in squares of about twenty each, and
covered a considerable area of ground at intervals. A large ox
had died that morning, and as it was within 50 yards of the tent
it was necessary to remove it ; the vultures were already crowded
in the surrounding trees waiting for its decomposition. As usual,
none of the natives would defile themselves by touching the dead
body. I accordingly gave orders that one of the elephants should
drag it about a mile down wind away from the camp. Lord Mayo
was brought to the spot, and the sweeper, being of a low caste,
attached a very thick rope to the hind legs of the ox ; the other
end being made fast to the elephant's pad in such a manner as to
form traces. The elephant did not exhibit the slightest interest
in the proceeding, and everything was completed, the body of the
ox being about six or seven yards behind.

No sooner did Lord Mayo move forward in obedience to the
mahout's command, and feel the tug of the weight attached, than
he started off in a panic at a tremendous pace, dragging the body
through the lanes between the piles of sleepers, upsetting them,
and sending them flying in all directions, as the dead ox caught
against the corners ; and, helter-skelter, he made for the nearest
jungle about 300 yards distant. Fortunately some wood-cutters
were there, who yelled and screamed to turn him back; but
although this had the effect of driving him from the forest, he now
started over the plain down hill, dragging the heavy ox behind as
though it had been a rabbit, and going at such a pace that none
of the natives could overtake him, although by this time at least
twenty men were in full pursuit.

The scene was intensely ridiculous, and the whole village turned
out to enjoy the fun of a runaway elephant with a dead ox bound-
ing over the inequalities of the ground; no doubt Lord Mayo

56 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap

imagined that he was being hunted by the carcase which so per-
sistently followed him wherever he went. There was no danger
to the driver, as the elephant was kept away from the forest.
The ground became exceedingly rough and full of holes from the
Boakage during the rainy season. This peculiar soil is much dis-
liked by elephants, as the surface is most treacherous, and
cavernous hollows caused by subterranean water action render it
unsafe for the support of such heavy animals. ■ The resistance of
the dead ox, which constantly jammed in the abrupt depressions,
began to tell upon the speed, and in a short time the elephant was
headed, and surrounded by a mob of villagers. I was determined
that he should now be compelled to drag the carcase quietly in
order to accustom him to the burden ; we therefore attached the
coupling chains to his fore legs, and drove him gently, turning him
occasionally to enable him to inspect the carcase that had smitten
him with panic. In about twenty minutes he became callous, and
regarded the dead body with indifference.

Although an elephant is capable of great speed, it cannot jump,
neither can it lift all four legs off the ground at the same time ;
this peculiarity renders it impossible to cross any ditch with hard
perpendicular sides that will not crumble or yield to pressure, if
such a ditch should be wider than the limit of the animal's
extreme pace. If the limit of a pace should be 6 feet, a 7 -foot
ditch would effectually stop an elephant.

Although the strength of an elephant is prodigious whenever
it is fully exerted, it is seldom that the animal can be induced to
exhibit the maximum force which it possesses. A rush of a herd
of elephants with a determined will against the enclosure of
palisades used for their capture would probably break through the
barrier, but they do not appear to know their strength, or to act
together. This want of cohesion is a sufficient proof that in a
wild state they are not so sagacious as they have been considered.
I do not describe the kraal or keddah, which is so well known by
frequent descriptions as the most ancient and practical method of
capturing wild elephants ; but although in Ceylon the kraal has
been used from time immemorial, the Singhalese are certainly
behind the age as compared with the great keddah establishments
of India. In the latter country there is a ditch inside the
palisaded enclosure, which prevents the elephants from exerting
their force against the structure ; in Ceylon this precaution is ne-
glected, and the elephants have frequently effected a breach in the
palisade. In Ceylon all the old elephants captured within the
kraal or keddah are considered worthless, and only those of

hi THE ELEPHANT 57

scarcely full growth are valued ; in India all elephants irrespective
of their age are valued, and the older animals are as easily
domesticated as the young.

The keddah establishment at Dacca is the largest in India, and
during the last season, under the superintendence of Mr. G. P.
Sanderson, 404 elephants were captured in the Garo Hills, 132
being taken in one drive. It is difficult to believe that any
district can continue to produce upon this wholesale scale, and it
is probable that after a few years elephants will become scarce in
the locality. Nevertheless there is a vast tract of forest extending
into Burmah, and the migratory habits of the elephant at certain
seasons may continue the supply, especially if certain fruits or
foliage attract them to the locality.

This migratory instinct is beyond our powers of explanation in
the case of either birds, beasts, or fishes. How they communicate,
in order to organise the general departure, must remain a mystery.
It is well known that in England, previous to the departure of the
swallows, they may be seen sitting in great numbers upon the tele-
graph wires, as though discussing the projected journey ; in a few
days after, there is not a swallow to be seen.

I once, and only once, had an opportunity of seeing elephants
that were either migrating, or had just arrived from a migration.
This was between 3° and 4° N. latitude in Africa, between Obbo
and Farajok. We were marching through an uninhabited country
for about 30 miles, and in the midst of beautiful park-like scenery
we came upon the magnificent sight of vast herds of elephants.
These were scattered about the country in parties varying in numbers
from ten to a hundred, while single bulls dotted the landscape with
their majestic forms in all directions. In some places there were
herds of twenty or thirty entirely composed of large tuskers ; in
other spots were parties of females with young ones interspersed,
of varying growths, and this grand display of elephantine life con-
tinued for at least two miles in length as we rode parallel with the
groups at about a quarter of a mile distant. It would have been
impossible to guess the number, as there was no regularity in their
arrangement, neither could I form any idea of the breadth of the
area that was occupied. I have often looked back upon that ex-
traordinary scene, and it occurred to me forcibly in after years,
when I had 3200 elephants' tusks in one station of Central Africa,
which must have represented 1600 animals slain for their fatal ivory.

The day must arrive when ivory will be a production of the
past, as it is impossible that the enormous demand can be supplied.
I have already explained that the African savage never tames a

58 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

wild animal, neither does he exhibit any sympathy or pity, his
desire being, like the gunner of the nineteenth century, to exter-
minate. It may be readily imagined that wholesale destruction is
the result whenever some favourable opportunity delivers a large
herd of elephants into the native hands.

There are various methods employed for trapping, or otherwise
destroying. Pitfalls are the most common, as they are simple,
and generally fatal. Elephants are thirsty creatures, and when in
large herds they make considerable roads in their passage towards
a river. They are nearly always to be found upon the same track
when nightly approaching the usual spot for drinking or for a bath.
It is therefore a simple affair to intercept their route by a series
of deep pitfalls dug exactly in the line of their advance. These
holes vary in shape ; the circular are, I believe, the most effective,
as the elephant falls head, downwards, but I have seen them made
of different shapes and proportions according to the individual
opinions of the trappers.

It is exceedingly dangerous, when approaching a river, to march
in advance of a party without first sending forward a few natives
to examine the route in front. The pits are usually about 12 or
14 feet in depth. These are covered over with light wood, and
crossed with slight branches or reeds, upon which is laid some long
dry grass ; this is covered lightly with soil, upon which some
elephant's dung is scattered, as though the animal had dropped it
during the action of walking. A little broken grass is carelessly
distributed upon the surface, and the illusion is complete. The
night arrives, and the unsuspecting elephants, having travelled
many miles of thirsty wilderness, hurry down the incline towards
the welcome river. Crash goes a leading elephant into a well-
concealed pitfall ! To the right and left the frightened members
of the herd rush at the unlooked-for accident, but there are many
other pitfalls cunningly arranged to meet this sudden panic, and
several more casualties may arise, which add to the captures on
the following morning, when the trappers arrive to examine the
position of their pits. The elephants are then attacked with
spears while in their helpless position, until they at length succumb
through loss of blood.

There is another terrible method of destroying elephants in
Central Africa. During the dry season, when the withered herbage
from 10 to 14 feet in height is most inflammable, a large herd of
elephants may be found in the middle of such high grass that they
can only be perceived should a person be looking down from some
elevated point. If they should be espied by some native hunter,

OS

in THE ELEPHANT 59

he would immediately give due notice to the neighbourhood, and
in a short time the whole population would assemble for the hunt.
This would be arranged by forming a circle of perhaps two miles in
diameter, and simultaneously firing the grass so as to create a ring
of flames around the centre. An elephant is naturally afraid of fire,
and it has an instinctive horror of the crackling of flames when the
grass has been ignited. As the circle of fire contracts in approach-
ing the encirled herd, they at first attempt retreat until they become
assured of their hopeless position ; they at length become desperate,
being maddened by fear, and panic-stricken by the wild shouts of
the thousands who have surrounded them. At length, half-
suffocated by the dense smoke, and terrified by the close approach
of the roaring flames, the unfortunate animals charge recklessly
through the fire, burnt and blinded, to be ruthlessly speared by
the bloodthirsty crowd awaiting this last stampede. Sometimes a
hundred or more elephants are simultaneously destroyed in this
wholesale slaughter. The flesh is then cut into long strips and
dried, every portion of the animal being smoked upon frames of
green wood, and the harvest of meat is divided among the villages
which have contributed to the hunt. The tusks are also shared,
a certain portion belonging by right to the various headmen and
the chief.

When man determines to commence war with the animal king-
dom the result must be disastrous to the beasts, if the human
destroyers are in sufficient numbers to ensure success. Although
firearms may not be employed, the human intelligence must always
overpower the brute creation, but man must exist in numerical
superiority if the wild beasts are to be fairly vanquished by a
forced retreat from the locality. From my own observation I have
concluded that wild animals of all kinds will withstand the dangers
of traps, pitfalls, fire, and the usual methods for their destruction
employed by savages, but they will be rapidly cleared out of an
extensive district by the use of firearms. There is a peculiar effect
in the report of guns which appears to excite the apprehension of
danger in the minds of all animals. This is an extraordinary
instance of the general intelligence of wild creatures, as they must
be accustomed to the reports of thunder since the day of their birth.
Nevertheless they draw a special distinction between the loud peal
of thunder and the comparatively innocent explosion of a firearm.

Many years ago in Ceylon I devoted particular attention to this
subject, especially as it affects the character of elephants. How
those creatures manage to communicate with each other it is im-
possible to determine, but the fact remains that a very few days'

60 AVI LI) BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Bhooting will clear out an extensive district, although the area may
comprise a variation of open prairie with a large amount of forest.
I have frequently observed, in the portion of Ceylon known as the
Park country, the tracks of elephants in great numbers which have
evidently been considerable herds that have joined together in a
genera] retreat from ground which they considered insecure. In
that district I have arrived at the proper season, when the grass
after burning has grown to the height of about 2 feet, and it has
literally been alive with elephants. In a week my late brother
General Valentine Baker and myself shot thirty-two, and I sent a
messenger to invite a friend to join us, in the expectation of extra-
ordinary sport. Upon his arrival after five or six clays, there was
not an elephant in the country, excepting two or three old single
bulls which always infested certain spots.

The reports of so many heavy rifles, which of necessity were
fired every evening at dusk in the days of muzzle-loaders, for the
sake of cleaning, must have widely alarmed the country, but in-
dependently of this special cause there can be no doubt that after
a few days' heavy shooting, the elephants will combine in some
mysterious manner arid disappear from an extensive district. In
many ways these creatures are perplexing to the student of natural
history. It would occur to most people that in countries where
elephants abound we should frequently meet with those that are
sick, or so aged that they cannot accompany the herd. Although
for very many years I have hunted both in Asia and Africa I have
never seen a sick elephant in a wild state, neither have I ever come
across an example of imbecility through age. It is rarely we
discover a dead elephant that has not met with a violent death,
and only once in my life have I by accident found the remains of a
tusker with the large tusks intact. This animal had been killed in
a fight, as there were unmistakable signs of a fearful struggle, the
ground being trodden deeply in all directions.

It is supposed by the natives that when an elephant is mortally
sick it conceals itself in the thickest and most secluded portion of
the jungle, to die in solitude. Most animals have the same instinct,
which induces them to seek the shelter of some spot remote from
all disturbance ; and should we find their remains, it will be near
water, where the thirst of disease has been assuaged at the last
moment.

The ox tribe are subject to violent epidemics, and I have not
only found the bodies of buffaloes in great numbers upon occasions
during some malignant murrain, but they have been scattered
throughout the country in all directions, causing a frightful stench,

in THE ELEPHANT 61

and probably extending the infection. A few years ago there was
an epidemic among the bisons in the Reipore district of India ; this
spread into neighbouring districts over a large extent of country,
and caused fearful ravages, but none of the deer tribe were attacked,
the disease being confined specially to the genus Bos. There are
interesting proofs of the specific poison of certain maladies which
are limited in their action to a particular class of animal. We find
the same in vegetable diseases, where a peculiar insect will attack
a distinct family of plants, or where a special variety of fungoid
growth exerts a similar baneful influence.

Wounded elephants have a marvellous power of recovery when
in their wild state, although they have no gift of surgical know-
ledge, their simple system being confined to plastering their wounds
with mud, or blowing dust upon the surface. Dust and mud
comprise the entire pharmacopoeia of the elephant, and this is
applied upon the most trivial as well as upon the most serious
occasion. If an elephant has a very slight sore back, it will quickly
point out the tender part by blowing dust with its trunk upon the
spot which it cannot reach. Should the mahout have seriously
punished the crown with the cruel driving- hook, the elephant
applies dust at the earliest opportunity. I have seen them, when
in a tank, plaster up a bullet-wound with mud taken from the
bottom. This application is beneficial in protecting the wound
from the attack of flies. The effect of these disgusting insects is
quite shocking when an unfortunate animal becomes fly-blown, and
is literally consumed by maggots. An elephant possesses a
wonderful superiority over all other animals in the trunk, which
can either reach the desired spot directly, or can blow dust upon it
when required. All shepherds in England appreciate the difficulty
when their sheep are attacked by flies, but they can be relieved by
the human hand ; a wild animal, on the contrary, has no allevia-
tion, and it must eventually succumb to its misery. There is a
peculiar fly in most tropical climates, but more especially in Ceylon,
which lays live maggots, instead of eggs that require some time to
hatch. These are the most dreadful pests, as the lively young
maggots exhibit a horrible activity in commencing their work the
instant they see the light ; they burrow almost immediately into
the flesh, and grow to a large size within twenty-four hours, occa-
sioning the most loathsome sores. The best cure for any wound
thus attacked, and swarm img with live maggots, is a teaspoonful
of calomel applied and rubbed into the deep sore.

I have seen the Arabs in the Soudan adopt a most torturing
remedy when a camel has suffered from a fly-blown sore back.

62 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Upon one occasion I saw a camel kneeling upon the ground with
a number of men around it, and I found that it was to undergo
a surgical operation for a terrible wound upon its hump. This
was a hole as large and deep as an ordinary breakfast-cup, which
was alive with maggots. The operator had been preparing a
quantity of glowing charcoal, which was at a red heat. This
was contained in a piece of broken chatty, a portion of a water-
jar, and it was dexterously emptied into the diseased cavity on
the camel's back.

The poor creature sprang to its feet, and screaming with agony,
dashed at full gallop across the desert in a frantic state, with the
fire scorching its flesh, and doubtless making it uncomfortable for
the maggots. Fire is the Arabs' vade mecum ; the actual cautery
is deeply respected, and is supposed to be infallible. If internal
inflammation should attack the patient, the surface is scored with
a red-hot iron. Should guinea-worm be suspected, there is no
other course to pursue than to burn the suffering limb in a series
of spots with a red-hot iron ramrod. The worm will shortly make
its appearance -at one of these apertures after some slight inflam-
mation and suppuration. This fearful complaint is termed
Frendeet in the Soudan, and it is absorbed into the system gener-
ally by drinking foul water. At the commencement of the rainy
season, when the ground has been parched by the long drought of
summer, the surface water drains into the hollows and forms
muddy pools. The natives shun such water, as it is almost
certain to contain the eggs of the guinea-worm. These in some
mysterious manner are hatched within the body if swallowed in
the act of drinking, and whether they develop in the stomach or
in the intestines, it is difficult to determine, but the result is the
same. The patient complains of rheumatic pains in one limb ;
this increases until the leg or arm swells to a frightful extent,
accompanied by severe inflammation and great torment. The
Arab practitioner declares that the worm is at work, and is seek-
ing for a means of escape from the body. He accordingly burns
half a dozen holes with a red-hot iron or ramrod. In a few days
the head of the guinea-worm appears ; it is immediately captured
by a finely -split reed, and by degrees is wound like a cotton
thread by turning the reed every day. This requires delicate
manipulation, otherwise the worm might break, and a portion
remain in the flesh, which would increase the inflammation.
An average guinea -worm would be about 3 feet in length.
Animals do not appear to suffer from this complaint, although
they are subject to the attacks of great varieties of parasites.

in THE ELEPHANT 63

Elephants are frequently troubled with internal worms. I
witnessed a curious instance of the escape of such insects from the
stomach through a hole caused by a bullet, nevertheless the animal
appeared to be in good condition.

It was a fine moonlight night on the borders of Abyssinia that
I sat up to watch the native crops, which were a great attraction
to the wild elephants, although there was no heavy jungle nearer
than 20 miles. It was the custom of these animals to start after
sunset, and to arrive at about ten o'clock in the vast dhurra fields
of the Arabs, who, being without firearms, could only scare them
by shouts and flaming torches. The elephants did not care much
for this kind of disturbance, and they merely changed their position
from one portion of the cultivated land to another more distant,
and caused serious destruction to the crop {Sorghum vulgare),
which was then nearly ripe. The land was rich, and the dhurra
grew 10 or 12 feet high, with stems as thick as sugar-cane, while
the large heads of corn contained several thousand grains the size
of a split-pea. This was most tempting food for elephants, and
they travelled nightly the distance named to graze upon the crops,
and then retreated before sunrise to their distant jungles.

I do not enjoy night shooting, but there was no other way of
assisting the natives, therefore I found myself watching, in the
silent hours of night, in the middle of a perfect sea of cultivation,
unbroken for many miles. There is generally a calm during the
night, and there was so perfect a stillness that it was almost
painful, the chirp of an insect sounding as loud as though it were
a bird. At length there was a distant sound like wind, or the
rush of a stream over a rocky bed. This might have been a
sudden gust, but the sharp crackling of brittle dhurra stems
distinctly warned us that elephants had invaded the field, and
that they were already at their work of destruction.

As the dhurra is sown in parallel rows about 3 feet apart, and
the ground was perfectly flat, there was no difficulty in approach-
ing the direction whence the cracking of the dhurra could be dis-
tinctly heard. The elephants appeared to be feeding towards us
with considerable rapidity, and in a few minutes I heard the sound
of crunching within 50 yards of me. I immediately ran along the
clear passage between the tall stems, and presently saw a black
form close to me as it advanced in the next alley to my own. I
do not think I was more than four or five yards from it when it
suddenly turned its head to the right, and I immediately took a
shot behind the ear. I had a white paper sight upon the muzzle
of the large rifle (No. 10), which was plainly distinguished in the

64 WILD HEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

bright moonlight) and the elephant fell stone dead without the
slightest struggle.

After some delay from the dispersion of my men who carried
spare guns, I re-loaded, and followed in the direction which the
herd had taken.

Although upon the qui vive, they had not retreated far, as they
were unaccustomed to guns, and they were determined to enjoy
their sapper after the long march of 20 miles to the attractive
dhurra fields. I came up with them about three-quarters of a
mile from the first shot ; here there was the limit of cultivation,
and all was wild prairie land ; they had retreated by the way they
had arrived, with the intention, no doubt, of returning again to
the dhurra when the disturbing cause should have disappeared. I
could see the herd distinctly as they stood in a compact body
numbering some ten or twelve animals. The only chance was to
run straight at them in order to get as near as possible before they
should start, as I expected they would, in panic. Accordingly I
ran forward, when, to my surprise, two elephants rushed towards
me, and I was obliged to fire right and left. One fell to the
ground for a moment, but recovered ; the other made no sign,
except by whirling round and joining the herd in full retreat.

That night I used a double- barrel muzzledoader (No. 10), with
conical bullet made of 12 parts lead, 1 part quicksilver, 7 drams
of powder.

Some days later we heard native, reports concerning an elephant
that had been seen badly wounded, and very lame.

Forty-two days after this incident I had moved camp to a place
called Geera, 22 miles distant. It was a wild uninhabited district
at that time on the banks of the Settite river, with the most
impervious jungle of hooked thorns, called by the Arabs "kittul."
This tree does not grow higher than 25 feet, but it spreads
to a very wide flat-topped head, the branches are thick, the wood
immensely strong and hard, while the thorns resemble fish-hooks
minus the barb. This impenetrable asylum was the loved resort
of elephants, and it was from this particular station that they made
their nocturnal raids upon the cultivated district more than 20
miles distant in a direct line.

We slept out that night upon the sandy bed of a small stream,
which at that season of great heat had evaporated. Upon waking
on the following morning we found the blankets wet through with
the heavy dew, and the pillows soaking. Having arranged the camp,
I left Lady Baker to give the; necessary orders, while I took my rifles
and a few good men for a reconnaissance of the neighbourhood.

in THE ELEPHANT 65

The river ran through cliffs of rose-coloured limestone ; this
soon changed to white ; and we proceeded down stream examining
the sandy portions of the bed for tracks of game that might have
passed during the preceding night. After about a mile we came
upon tracks of elephants, which had apparently come down to drink
at our side of the river, and had then returned, I felt sure, to the
thorny asylum named Tuleet.

There was no other course to pursue but to follow on the
tracks ; this we did until we arrived at the formidable covert to
which I have alluded. It was impossible to enter this except at
certain places where wild animals had formed a narrow lane, and
in one of these by-ways we presently found ourselves, sometimes
creeping, sometimes walking, but generally adhering firmly every
minute to some irrepressible branch of hooked thorns, which gave
us a pressing invitation to " wait a bit." In a short time we found
evident signs that the elephants were near at hand. The natives
thrust their naked feet into the fresh dung to see if it was still
warm. This was at length the case, and we advanced with extra
care. The jungle became so thick that it was almost impossible
to proceed. I wore a thick flaxen shirt which would not tear.
This had short sleeves, as I was accustomed to bare arms from a
few inches above the elbow. Not only my shirt, but the tough
skin of my arms was every now and then hooked up fast by these
dreadful thorns, and at last it appeared impossible to proceed.
Just at that moment there was a sudden rush, a shrill trumpet,
and the jungle crashed around us in magnificent style to those who
enjoy such excitement, and a herd of elephants dashed through the
dense thicket and consolidated themselves into a mighty block as
they endeavoured to force down the tough thorny mass ahead of
them. This was a grand opportunity to run in, but a phalanx of
opposing rumps like the sterns of Dutch vessels in a crowd rendered
it impossible to shoot, or to pass ahead of the perplexed animals.
A female elephant suddenly wheeled round, and charged straight
into us ; fortunately I killed her with a forehead shot exactly below
the boss or projection above the trunk. I now took a spare rifle,
the half-pounder, and fired into the flank of the largest elephant
in the herd, just behind the last rib, the shot striking obliquely,
thus aimed to reach the lungs, as I could not see any of the fore
portion of the body.

The dense compressed thorny mass of jungle offered such resist-
ance that it was some time before it gave way before the united
pressure of these immense animals. At length it yielded as the
herd crashed through, but it then closed again upon us and made

F

GQ WILD BEASTS AND TITEIR WAYS chap.

following impossible. However, we felt sure that the elephant I
had hit with the half-pound explosive shell would die, and after
creeping through upon the tracks with the greatest difficulty for
about 150 yards, we found it lying dead upon its side.

The whole morning was occupied in cutting up the flesh and
making a post-mortem examination. We found the inside partially
destroyed by the explosive shell, which had shattered the lungs,
but there was an old wound still open where a bullet had entered
the chest, and missing the heart and lungs in an oblique course,
it had passed through the stomach, then through the cavity of the
body beneath the ribs and flank, and had penetrated the fleshy
mass inside the thigh. In that great resisting cushion of strong
muscles the bullet had expended its force, and found rest from its
extraordinary course of penetration. After some trouble, I not
only traced its exact route, but I actually discovered the projectile
embedded in a foul mass of green pus, which would evidently have
been gradually absorbed without causing serious damage to the
animal. To my surprise, it was my own No. 10 two-groove conical
bullet, composed of 12 parts lead and 1 of quicksilver, which
I had fired when this elephant had advanced towards me at night,
forty-two days ago, "and 22 miles, as far as I could ascertain, from
the spot where I had now killed it. The superior size of this
animal to the remainder of the herd had upon both occasions
attracted my special attention, hence the fact of selection, but I
was surprised that any animal should have recovered from such a
raking shot. The cavity of the body abounded with hairy worms
about 2 inches in length. These had escaped from the stomach
through the two apertures made by the bullet ; and upon an
examination of the contents, I found a great number of the same
parasites crawling among the food, while others were attached to
the mucous membrane of the paunch. This fact exhibits the
recuperative power of an elephant in recovering from a severe
internal injury.

The natives of Central Africa have a peculiar method of de-
stroying them, by dropping a species of enormous dagger from the
branch of a tree. The blade of this instrument is about 2 feet in
length, very sharp on both edges, and about 3 inches in width at
the base. It is secured in a handle about 18 inches long, the top
of which is knobbed ; upon this extremity a mass of well-kneaded
tenacious clay mixed with chopped straw is fixed, weighing 10 or
12 lbs., or even more. When a large herd of elephants is dis-
covered in a convenient locality, the hunt is thus arranged : — A
number of men armed with these formidable drop -spears or

in THE ELEPHANT 67

daggers ascend all the largest and most shady trees throughout the
neighbouring forest. In a great hunt there may be some hundred
trees thus occupied. When all is arranged, the elephants are
driven and forced into the forest, to which they naturally retreat
as a place of refuge. It is their habit to congregate beneath large
shady trees when thus disturbed, in complete ignorance of the fact
that the assassins are already among the branches. When an
elephant stands beneath a tree thus manned, the hunter drops his
weighted spear-head so as to strike the back just behind the
shoulder. The weight of the clay lump drives the sharp blade up
to the hilt, as it descends from a height of 10 or 12 feet above
the animal. Sometimes a considerable number may be beneath
one tree, in which case several may be speared in a similar manner.
This method of attack is specially fatal, as the elephants, in retreat-
ing through the forest, brush the weighted handle of the spear-
blade against the opposing branches ; these act as levers in cutting
the inside of the animal by every movement of the weapon, and
should this be well centred in the back there is no escape.

There is no animal that is more persistently pursued than the
elephant, as it affords food in wholesale supply to the Africans,
who consume the flesh, while the hide is valuable for shields j the
fat when boiled down is highly esteemed by the natives, and the
ivory is of extreme value. No portion of the animal is wasted in
Africa, although in Ceylon the elephant is considered worthless,
and is allowed to rot uselessly upon the ground where it fell
to die.

The professional hunters that are employed by European traders
shoot the elephant with enormous guns, or rifles, which are gener-
ally rested upon a forked stick driven into the ground. In this
manner they approach to about 50 yards' distance, and fire, if
possible simultaneously, two shots behind the shoulder. If these
shots are well placed, the elephant, if female, will fall at once, but
if a large male, it will generally run for perhaps 100 or more yards
until it is forced to halt, when it quickly falls, and dies from
suffocation, if the lungs are pierced.

The grandest of all hunters are the Hamran Arabs, upon the
Settite river, on the borders of Abyssinia, who have no other weapon
but the heavy two-edged sword. I gave an intimate account of
these wonderful Nimrods many years ago in the Nile Tributaries
of Abyssinia, but it is impossible to treat upon the elephant
without some reference to these extraordinary people.

Since I visited that country in 1861, the published account of
those travels attracted several parties of the best class of ubiquitous

68 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Englishmen, and I regret to hear that all those mighty hunters who
accompanied me have since been killed in the desperate hand-to-
hand encounters with wild elephants. Their life is a constant
warfare with savage beasts, therefore it may be expected that the
termination is a death upon their field of battle, invariably
sword in hand.

James Bruce, the renowned African traveller of the last century,
was the first to describe the Agagheers of Abyssinia, and nothing
could be more graphic than his description both of the people and
the countries they inhabit, through which I have followed in
Brace's almost forgotten footsteps, with the advantage of possess-
ing his interesting book as my guide wheresoever I went in 1861.
Since that journey, the deplorable interference of England in
Egypt which resulted in the abandonment of the Soudan and the
sacrifice of General Gordon at Khartoum has completely severed
the link of communication that we had happily established, which
had laid the foundations for future civilisation. The splendid
sword-hunters of the Hamran Arabs, who were our friends in
former days, have been converted into enemies by the meddling
of the British Government with affairs which they could not
understand. It is painful to look back to the past, when Lady
Daker and myself, absolutely devoid of all escort, passed more
than twelve months in exploring the wildest portions of the
Soudan, attended only by one Egyptian servant, assisted by some
Arab boys whom we picked up in the desert among the Arab
tribes. In those days the name of England was respected, although
not fairly understood. There was a vague impression in the Arab
mind that it was the largest country upon earth ; that its Govern-
ment was the emblem of perfection ; that the military power of
the country was overwhelming (having conquered India) ; and that
the English people always spoke the truth, and never forsook their
friends in the moment of distress. There was also an idea that
England was the only European Power which regarded the Mussul-
mans with a friendly eye, and that, were it not for British protec-
tion, the Russians would eat the Sultan and overthrow the
mosques, to trample upon the Mohammedan power in Con-
stantinople. England was therefore regarded as the friend and
the ally of the Mohammedans ; it was known that we had together
fought against the Russians, and it was believed that we were
always ready to fight in the same cause when called upon by the
Sultan. All British merchandise was looked upon as the ne plus
ultra of purity and integrity; there could be no doubt of the
quality of goods, provided that they were of English manufacture.

in THE ELEPHANT 69

An Englishman cannot show his face among those people at
the present day. The myth has been exploded. The golden
image has been scratched, and the potter's clay beneath has been
revealed. This is a terrible result of clumsy management. We
have failed in every way. Broken faith has dissipated our char-
acter for sincerity, and our military operations have failed to
attain their object, resulting in retreat upon every side, to be
followed up even to the sea- shores of the Eed Sea by an enemy
that is within range of our gun-vessels at Souakim. This is a
distressing change to those who have received much kindness and
passed most agreeable days among the Arab tribes of the Soudan
deserts, and I look back with intense regret to the errors we have
committed, by which the entire confidence has been destroyed
which formerly was associated with the English name. The
countries which we opened by many years of hard work and
patient toil throughout the Soudan, even through the extreme
course of the White Nile to its birthplace in the equatorial regions,
have been abandoned by the despotic order of the British Govern-
ment, influenced by panic instead of policy ; telegraphic lines which
had been established in the hitherto barbarous countries of
Kordofan, Darfur, the Blue Nile territories of Senaar, and through-
out the wildest deserts of Nubia to Khartoum, have all been
abandoned to the rebels, who under proper management should
have become England's friends.

This has been our civilising influence (T), by which we have
broken down the work of half a century, and produced the most
complete anarchy where five and twenty years ago a lady could
travel in security. England entered Egypt in arms to re-establish
the authority of the Khedive ! We have dislocated his Empire,
and forsaken the Soudan.

CHAPTER IV

the elephant {continued)

The experience of modern practice has hardly decided the vexed
question " whether the African species is more difficult to train
than the gentle elephant of Asia." In a wild state there can be
no doubt that the African is altogether a different animal both in
appearance and in habits ; it is vastly superior in size, and although
of enormous bulk, it is more active and possesses greater speed
than the Asiatic variety. Not only is the marked difference in
shape a distinguishing peculiarity, — the hollow back, the receding
front, the great size of the ears, — but the skin is rougher, and
more decided in the bark-like appearance of its texture.

The period of gestation is considered to be the same as the
Asiatic elephant, about twenty-two months, but this must be
merely conjecture, as there has hitherto been no actual proof. My
own experience induces me to believe that the African elephant is
more savage, and although it may be tamed and rendered docile,
it is not so dependable as the Asiatic. Only last year I saw an
African female in a menagerie who had killed her keeper, and was
known to be most treacherous. Her attendant informed me that
she was particularly fond of change, and would welcome a new
keeper with evident signs of satisfaction, but after three or four
days she would tire of his society and would assuredly attempt to
injure him, either by backing and squeezing him against the wall,
or by kicking should he be within reach of her hind legs.

Few persons are aware of the extreme quickness with which
an elephant can kick, and the great height that can be reached by
this mischievous use of the hind foot. I have frequently seen an
elephant kick as sharp as a small pony, and the effect of a blow
from so ponderous a mass propelled with extreme velocity may be
imagined. This is a peculiar action, as the elephant is devoid of
hocks, and it uses the knees of the hind legs in a similar manner

chap, iv THE ELEPHANT 71

to those of a human being, therefore a backward kick would
seem unnatural ; but the elephant can kick both backwards and
forwards with equal dexterity, and this constitutes a special means
of defence against an enemy, which seldom escapes when exposed to
such a game between the fore and hind feet of the infuriated animal.

Although it is generally believed that an elephant moves the
legs upon each side simultaneously, like the camel, it does not
actually touch the ground with each foot upon the same side at
exactly the same moment, but the fore foot touches the surface
first, rapidly followed by the hind, and in both cases the heel is
the first portion of the foot that reaches its destination. The
effect may be seen in the feet of an elephant after some months'
continual marching upon hard ground : the heels are worn thin
and are quite polished, as though they had been worn down by the
friction of sand-paper, — in fact, they are in the same condition as
the heels of an old boot.

The Indian native princes do not admire the African elephant,
as it combines many points which are objectionable to their peculiar
ideas of elephantine proportions. According to their views, the
hollow back of an African elephant would amount to a deformity.
The first time that I ever saw a large male of that variety I was
of the same opinion. I was hunting with the Hamran Arabs in a
wild and uninhabited portion of Abyssinia, along the banks of the
Settite river, which is the main stream of the Atbara, the chief
affluent of the Nile.

As before stated, I have already published an account of these
wonderful hunters in the Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia, and it is
sufficient to describe them as the most fearless and active followers
of the chase, armed with no other weapon than the long, straight,
two-edged Arab sword, with which they attack all animals, from
the elephant and rhinoceros to the lion and buffalo. The sword
is sharpened to the finest degree, and the blade is protected for
about six inches above the cross-hilt with thick string, bound
tightly round so as to afford a grip for the right hand, while the
left grips the hilt in the usual manner. This converts the ordinary
blade into a two-handed sword, a blow from which will sever a
naked man into two halves if delivered at the waist. It may be
imagined that a quick cut from such a formidable weapon will at
once divide the hamstring of any animal. The usual method of
attacking the elephant is as follows : — Three, or at the most four
mounted hunters sally forth in quest of game. When the fresh
tracks of elephants are discovered they are steadily followed up
until the herd, or perhaps the single animal, is found. If a large

72 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

male with valuable tusks, it is singled out aud separated from the
herd. The leading hunter follows the retreating elephant, accom-
panied by his companions in single file. After a close hunt, keep-
ing within 10 yards of the game, a sudden halt becomes necessary
as the elephant turns quickly round and faces its pursuers.

The greatest coolness is required, as the animal, now thoroughly
roused, is prepared to charge. The hunters separate to right and
left, leaving the leader to face the elephant. After a few moments,
during which the hunter insults the animal by shouting uncompli-
mentary remarks concerning the antecedents of its mother, and
various personal allusions to imaginary members of the family,
the elephant commences to back a half-dozen paces as a preliminary
to a desperate onset. This is the well-known sign of the coming
charge. A sharp shrill trumpet ! and, with its enormous ears
thrown forward, the great bull elephant rushes towards the
apparently doomed horse. As quick as lightning the horse is
turned, and a race commences along a course terribly in favour of
the elephant, where deep ruts, thick tangled bush, and the branches
of opposing trees obstruct both horse and rider. Everything now
depends upon the sure-footedness of the horse and the cool dexterity
of the rider. For the first 100 yards an elephant will follow at
20 miles an hour, which keeps the horse flying at top speed before
it. The rider, even in this moment of great danger, looks behind
him, and adapts his horse's pace so narrowly to that of his pursuer
that the elephant's attention is wholly absorbed by the hope of
overtaking the unhappy victim.

In the meantime, two hunters follow the elephant at full
gallop; one seizes his companion's reins and secures the horse,
while the rider springs to the ground with the same agility as a
trained circus-rider, and with one dexterous blow of his flashing
sword he divides the back sinew of the elephant's hind leg about
16 inches above the heel. The sword cuts to the bone. The
elephant that was thundering forward at a headlong speed suddenly
halts ; the foot dislocates when the great weight of the animal
presses upon it deprived of the supporting sinew. That one cut
of the sharp blade disables an animal which appeared invincible.

As the elephant moves both legs upon the same side simultane-
ously, the disabling of one leg entirely cripples all progress, and
the creature becomes absolutely helpless. The hunter, having
delivered his fatal stroke, springs nimbly upon one side to watch
the effect, and then without difficulty he slashes the back sinew
of the remaining leg, with the result that the animal bleeds to
death. This is a cruel method, but it requires the utmost dexterity

iv THE ELEPHANT 73

and daring on the part of the hunters, most of whom eventually
fall victims to their gallantry.

I was accompanied by these splendid sword -hunters of the
Hamran Arabs in 1861 during my exploration of the Nile tribu-
taries of Abyssinia ; and upon the first occasion that I was intro-
duced to an African male elephant, the animal was standing at the
point of a long sandbank which had during high water formed the
bed of the river, where a sudden bend had hollowed out the inner
side of the curve and thrown up a vast mass of sand upon the
opposite shore. This bank was a succession of terraces, each about
4 feet high, formed at intervals during the changes in the level of
the retreating' stream. The elephant was standing partly in the
water drinking, and quite 100 yards from the forest upon the bank.
The huge dark mass upon the glaring surface of white sand stood
out in bold relief and exhibited to perfection the form and pro-
portions of the animal ; but it was so unlike the Indian elephant
of my long experience that I imagined some accident must have
caused a deformity of the back, which was deeply hollowed, instead
of being convex like the Asiatic species. I whispered this to my
hunters, who did not seem to understand the remark ; and they
immediately dismounted, exclaiming that the loose sand was too
deep for their horses, and they preferred to be on foot.

It was difficult to approach this elephant, as there was no cover
whatever upon the large area of barren sand ; the only method was
to keep close to the level of the water below the terraces, as the
head of the animal was partially turned away from us whilst
drinking. I had a very ponderous single rifle weighing 22 lbs.,
which carried a conical shell of half a pound, with a charge of 16
drams of powder. The sand was so deep that any active movement
would have been impossible with the load of so heavy a weapon ;
I therefore determined to take a shoulder shot should I be able to
arrive unperceived within 50 yards. Stooping as low as possible,
and occasionally lying down as the ever -swinging head moved
towards us, we at length arrived at the spot which I had determined
upon for the fatal shot. Just at that moment the elephant per-
ceived us, but before he had made up his mind, I fired behind the
shoulder, and as the smoke cleared, I distinctly saw the bullet-hole,
with blood flowing from the wound. I think the elephant would
have charged, but without a moment's hesitation my gallant Ham-
rans rushed towards him sword in hand in the hope of slashing
his hamstring before he could reach the forest. This unexpected
and determined onset decided the elephant to retreat, which he
accomplished at such a pace, owing to the large surface of his feet

74 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

upon the loose sand, that the active hunters were completely dis-
tanced, although they exerted themselves to the utmost in their
attempts to overtake him.

The wound through the shoulder was fatal, and the elephant
fell dead in thick thorny jungle, to which it had hurried as a
secure retreat. This was a very large animal, but as I did not
actually measure it, any guess at the real height would be mis-
leading. As before noted, the measurement of the African elephant
Jumbo, when sold by the Zoological Society of London, was 11
feet in height of shoulder, and 6 tons 10 cwts. nett when weighed
before shipment at the docks. That animal might be accepted as
a fair specimen, although it would be by no means unusual to see
wild elephants which greatly exceed this size.

The peculiar shape of head renders a front shot almost impossible,
and the danger of hunting the African elephant is greatly enhanced
by this formation of the skull, which protects the brain and offers
no denned point for aim.

I have never succeeded in killing a male African elephant by
the forehead shot, although it is certainly fatal to the Asiatic
variety if placed rather low, in the exact centre of the boss or pro-
jection above the trunk. Should an African elephant charge, there
is no hope of killing the animal by a direct shot, and the only
chance of safety for the hunter is the possession of good nerves and
a powerful double-barrelled rifle, No. 8 or No. 4, with 14 drams
of powder and a well-hardened bullet. The right-hand barrel will
generally stop a charging elephant if the bullet is well placed very
low, almost in the base of the trunk. Should this shot succeed in
turning the animal, the left-hand barrel would be ready for a shot
in the exact centre of the shoulder; after which, time must be
allowed for the elephant to fall from internal haemorrhage.

There is no more fatal policy in hunting dangerous game than a
contempt of the animal, exhibited by a selection of weapons of inferior
calibre. Gunmakers in London of no practical experience, but who
can only trust to the descriptions of those who have travelled in
wild countries, cannot possibly be trusted as advisers. Common
sense should be the guide, and surely it requires no extraordinary
intelligence to understand that a big animal requires a big bullet,
and that a big bullet requires a corresponding charge of powder,
which necessitates a heavy rifle. If the hunter is not a Hercules,
he cannot wield his club ; but do not permit him to imagine that
he can deliver the same knock-down blow with a lighter weapon,
simply because he cannot use the heavier.

AVe lost only last year one of the most daring and excellent men,

iv THE ELEPHANT 75

who was an excellent representative of the type which is embraced
in the proud word " Englishman " — Mr. Ingram — who was killed
by a wild female elephant in Somali -land, simply because he
attacked the animal with a *450 rifle. Although he was mounted,
the horse would not face some prickly aloes which surrounded it,
aud the elephant, badly but not really seriously wounded, was
maddened by the attack, and, charging home, swept the unfortunate
rider from his saddle and spitted him with her tusks.

This year (1889) we have to lament the death of another fine
specimen of our countrymen, the Hon. Guy Dawnay, who has been
killed by a wild buffalo in East Africa. The exact particulars will
never be ascertained, but it appears that he was following through
thick jungle a wounded buffalo, which suddenly turned and was
not stopped by the rifle.

I cannot conceive anything more dangerous than the attack of
such animals with an inferior weapon. Nothing is more common
than the accounts of partially experienced beginners, who declare
that the 450 bore is big enough for anything, because they have
happened to kill a buffalo or rhinoceros by a shoulder shot with
such an inferior rifle. If the animal had been facing them, it
would have produced no effect whatever, except to intensify the
charge by maddening the already infuriated animal.

This is the real danger in the possession of what is called a
" handy small-bore," when in wild countries abounding in dangerous
game. You are almost certain to select for your daily companion
the lightest and handiest rifle, in the same manner that you may
use some favourite walking-stick which you instinctively select
from the stand that is filled with a variety.

All hunters of dangerous animals should accustom themselves
to the use of large rifles, and never handle anything smaller than a
•577, weighing 12 lbs., with a solid 650 grain hard bullet, and at
the least 6 drams of powder. I impress this upon all who chal-
lenge the dangers of the chase in tropical climates. No person of
average strength will feel the weight of a 12 lb. rifle when accus-
tomed to its use. Although this is too small as a rule for heavy
game, it is a powerful weapon when the bullet is hardened by a
tough mixture of antimony or quicksilver. A shoulder shot from
such a rifle will kill any animal less than an elephant, and the
front shot, or temple, or behind the ear, will kill any Asiatic
elephant.

I would not recommend so small a bore for heavy thick-skinned
game, but the -577 rifle is a good protector, and you need not fear
any animal in your rambles through the forest when thus armed,

76 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

whereas the -450 and even the '500 would be of little use against
a charging buffalo.

At the same time it must be distinctly understood that so light
a projectile as 650 grains will net break the bone of an elephant's
leg, neither will it penetrate the skull of a rhinoceros unless just
behind the ear. This is sufficient to establish the inferiority of
small-bores.

I have seen in a life's experience the extraordinary vagaries of
rifle bullets, and for close ranges of 20 yards there is nothing, in
my opinion, superior to the old spherical hardened bullet with a
heavy charge of powder. The friction is minimised, the velocity is
accordingly increased, and the hard round bullet neither deflects
nor alters its form, but it cuts through intervening branches and
goes direct to its aim, breaking bones and keeping a straight course
through the animal. This means death.

At the same time it must be remembered that a -577 rifle
may be enabled to perform wonders by adapting the material of
the bullet to the purpose specially desired. No soft -skinned
animal should be shot with a hardened bullet, and no hard-skinned
animal should be shot with a soft bullet.

You naturally wish to kill your animal neatly — to double it up
upon the spot. This you will seldom or never accomplish with a
very hard bullet and a heavy charge of powder, as the high velocity
will drive the hard projectile so immediately through the animal
that it receives no striking energy, and is accordingly unaware of a
fatal wound that it may have received, simply because it has not
sustained a shock upon the impact of a bullet which has passed
completely through its body.

To kill a thin-skinned animal neatly, such as a tiger, lion, large
deer, etc. etc., the bullet should be pure lead, unmixed with any
other metal. This will flatten to a certain degree immediately
upon impact, and it will continue to expand as it meets with re-
sistance in passing through the tough muscles of a large animal,
until it assumes the shape of a fully developed mushroom, which,
after an immense amount of damage in its transit, owing to its
large diameter, will remain fixed beneath the skin upon the side
opposite to its place of entry. This bestows the entire striking
energy of the projectile, and the animal succumbs to the tremendous
shock, which it would not have felt had the bullet passed through,
carrying on its striking energy until stopped by some other object
beyond.

I must repeat that although gunmakers object to the use of
pure lead for rifle bullets, upon the plea that lead will form a

iv THE ELEPHANT 77

coating upon the inner surface of the barrel, and that more accurate
results will be obtained in target practice by the use of hardened
metal, the argument does not apply to sporting practice. You
seldom fire more than half a dozen shots from each barrel during
the day, and the rifle is well cleaned each evening upon your return
to camp. The accuracy with a pure leaden bullet is quite sufficient
for the comparatively short ranges necessitated by game-shooting.
The arguments of leading the barrel, etc., cannot be supported, and
the result is decidedly in favour of pure lead for all soft-skinned
animals.

The elephant requires not only a special rifle, but the strongest
ammunition that can be used without injury to the shooter by
recoil. It is impossible to advocate any particular size of rifle, as
it must depend upon the strength of the possessor. As a rule I
do not approve of shells, as they are comparatively useless if of
medium calibre, and can be only effective when sufficiently large
to contain a destructive bursting charge. I have tried several
varieties of shells with unsatisfactory results, excepting the half-
pounder, which contained a bursting charge of 8 drains of the finest
grained powder.

This pattern was my own invention, as I found by experience
that the general defect of shells was the too immediate explosion
upon impact. This would cause extensive damage to the surface,
but would fail in penetration.

Picrate of potash was at one time supposed to combine an
enormous explosive power with perfect safety in carriage, as the
detonating shells were proof against the blow of a hammer, and
would only explode upon impact through the extreme velocity of
their discharge from a rifle-barrel. These were useless against an
elephant, as they had no power of penetration, and the shell
destroyed itself by bursting upon the hard skin. I tried these
shells against trees, but although the bark would be shattered over
an extensive area, upon every occasion the projectile failed to
penetrate the wood, as it had ceased to exist upon explosion on the
surface.

My half-pound shell was exceedingly simple. A cast-iron
bottle, similar in shape to a German seltzer-water, formed the core,
around which the lead was cast. The neck of the iron bottle pro-
jected through the pointed cone of the projectile, and formed a
nipple to receive the percussion-cap. In external appearance the
shell was lead, the iron bottle being concealed within. Half an
ounce of the finest grained powder was inserted through the nipple
by means of a small funnel ; this formed the bursting charge. The

78 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

cap was only adjusted previous to loading, as a necessary precaution.
This halt 'pound shell was propelled by a charge of 16 drams of
01 ►arse-grained powder.

I never fired this rifle without killing the animal, but the weapon
could not be claimed as a pleasant companion, the recoil being
terrific. The arrangement of the cap upon a broad-mouthed nipple
prevented the instantaneous explosion that would have taken place
with a picrate of potash shell. A fraction of a second was required
to explode the cap upon impact, and for the cap to ignite the burst-
ing charge ; this allowed sufficient time for the shell to penetrate
to the centre of an elephant before the complete ignition had taken
place. The destruction occasioned by the half-ounce of powder
confined within the body of an elephant may be imagined.

I tried this shell at the forehead of a hippopotamus, which was
an admirable test of penetration before bursting. It went through
the brain, knocked out the back of the skull, and exploded within
the neck, completely destroying the vertebrae of the spine, which
were reduced to pulp, and perforating a tunnel blackened with gun-
powder several feet in length, along which I could pass my arm to
the shoulder. The terminus of the tunnel contained small frag-
ments of lead and iron, pieces of which were found throughout the
course of the explosion.

The improvements in modern rifles will, within the next half-
century, be utterly destructive to the African elephant, which is
unprotected by laws in the absence of all government. For many
ages these animals have contended with savage man in unremitting
warfare, but the lance and arrow have been powerless to extermin-
ate, and the natural sagacity of the elephant has been sufficient to
preserve it from wholesale slaughter among pitfalls and other
snares. The heavy breechloading rifle in the hands of experienced
hunters is a weapon which nothing can withstand, and the elephants
will be driven far away into the wilderness of an interior where
they will be secure from the improved firearms of our modern
civilisation.

It is much to be regretted that no system has been organised in
Africa for capturing and training the wild elephants, instead of
harrying them to destruction. In a country where beasts of burden
are unknown, as in equatorial Africa, it appears incredible that the
power and the intelligence of the elephant have been completely
ignored. The ancient coins of Carthage exhibit the African
elephant, which in those remote days was utilised by the Cartha-
ginians j but a native of Africa, if of the Xegro type, will never
tame an animal, he only destroys.

IV

THE ELEPHANT 79

When we consider the peculiar power that an elephant possesses
for swimming long distances, and for supporting long marches
under an enormous weight, we are tempted to condemn the apathy-
even of European settlers in Africa, who have hitherto ignored the
capabilities of this useful creature. The chief difficulty of African
commerce is the lack of transport. The elephant is admirably
adapted by his natural habits for travelling through a wild country
devoid of roads. He can wade through unbridged streams, or swim
the deepest rivers (without a load), and he is equally at home either
on land or water. His carrying power for continued service would
be from 12 to 14 cwts. ; thus a single elephant would convey about
1300 lbs. of ivory in addition to the weight of the pad. The value
of one load would be about £500. At the present moment such
an amount of ivory would employ twenty-six carriers ; but as these
are generally slaves who can be sold at the termination of the
journey, they might be more profitable than the legitimate transport
by an elephant.

Although the male elephant will carry a far greater load than
the female, through its superior size and strength, it would be
dangerous to manage upon a long journey should it take place dur-
ing the period of " must." I have heard the suggestion that an
elephant should be castrated, as the operation would affect the
temper of the animal and relieve it from the irritation of the
" must " period ; but such an operation would be impossible, as the
elephant is peculiarly formed, and, unlike other animals, it has
neither scrotum nor testicles externally. These are situated within
the body, and could not be reached by surgery.

It is well known that the entire males of many domestic animals
are naturally savage. The horse, bull, boar, and the park-fed stag
are all uncertain in their tempers and may be pronounced unsafe ;
but the male elephant, although dangerous to a stranger and
treacherous to his attendants, combines an extraordinary degree of
cowardice with his natural ferocity. A few months ago I witnessed
a curious example of this combination in the elephant's character.
A magnificent specimen had been lent to me by the Commissariat
Department at Jubbulpur; this was a high caste bull elephant
named Bisgaum that was well known as bad-tempered, but was
supposed to be courageous. He had somewhat tarnished his
reputation during the last season by turning tail upon a tiger that
rushed out of dense bush and killed a coolie within a few yards of
his trunk ; but this momentary panic was excused, and the blame
was thrown upon the mahout. The man was dismissed, and a
first-rate Punjaubi driver was appointed in his stead. This man

80 WILD BEASTS AND TIIEIR WAYS chap.

assured ine that the elephant was dependable; I accordingly
accepted him, and he was ordered to carry the hqwdah throughout
the expedition.

In a very short experience we discovered the necessity of giving
Bisgaum a wide berth, as he would fling out his trunk with ex-
treme quickness to strike a person within his reach, and he would
kick out sharply with his hind leg whenever a native ventured to
approach his rear. He took a fancy to me, as I fed him daily
with sugar-canes, jaggery, and native chupatties (cakes), which
quickly established an understanding between us; but I always
took the precaution of standing by his side instead of in his front,
and of resting my left hand upon his tusk while I fed him with
the right. Every morning at daylight he was brought to the tent
with Demoiselle (the female elephant), and they both received from
my own hands the choice bits which gained their confidence.

My suspicions were first aroused by his peculiar behaviour upon
an occasion when we had killed two tigers ; these were young
animals, and although large, there was no difficulty in arranging
them upon the pad, upon which they were secured by ropes, when
the elephant kneeling down was carefully loaded. Hardly had
Bisgaum risen to his feet, when, conscious of the character of the
animals upon his back, and, I suppose, not quite certain that life
was actually extinct, he trumpeted a shrill scream, and shook his
immense carcase like a wet dog that has just lauded from the
water. This effect was so violent that one tiger was thrown some
yards to the right, while the other fell to the ground on the left,
and without a moment's warning, the elephant charged the lifeless
body, sent it flying by a kick with his fore foot, and immediately pro-
ceeded to dance a war-dance, kicking with his hind legs to so great
a height that he could have reached a tall man's hat. A vigorous
application of the driving-hook by the mahout, who was a powerful
man, at length changed the scene, and the elephant at once de-
sisted from his attack upon the dead tiger, and rushed madly upon
one side, where he stood nervously looking at the enemy as though
he expected it would show signs of life.

This did not look promising for an encounter with a live tiger,
as it would have been absolutely impossible to shoot from that
elephant's back.

A short time after this occurrence, when upon my usual re-
connaissance through the jungles in the neighbourhood of the
camp, I came upon the fresh tracks of a large tiger close to the
banks of the Bearmi river, and I gave the necessary instructions
that a buffalo should be tied up as a bait that same evening.

rv THE ELEPHANT 81

Early on the following morning the news was brought by the
shikaris that the buffalo had been killed, and dragged into a
neighbouring ravine. As the river was close by, there could be no
doubt that the tiger would have drunk water after feasting on the
carcase, and would be lying asleep somewhere in the immediate
neighbourhood.

The mucharns (platforms in trees) had already been prepared
in positions where the tiger was expected to pass when driven, as
he would make for the forest-covered hills which rose within half
a mile of the river.

The spot was within twenty minutes of the camp ; the elephants
were both ready, with simple pads, as the howdah was ill adapted
for a forest ; and we quickly started.

Three mucharns had been prepared ; these were about 100
yards apart in a direct line which guarded a narrow glade between
the jungle upon the river's bank and the main body of the forest
at the foot of a range of red sandstone hills ; these were covered
to the summit with trees already leafless from the drought.

The mucharn which fell to my share was that upon the right
flank when facing the beat ; this was in the open glade opposite
a projecting corner of the jungle. On the left, about 70 yards
distant, was a narrow strip of bush connected with the jungle,
about 4 yards wide, which terminated in a copse about 30 yards
in diameter ; beyond this was open glade for about 40 yards width
until it bounded the main forest at the foot of the hill-range.

We took our places, and I was assured by the shikaris that the
tiger would probably break covert exactly in my front.

It is most uncomfortable for a European to remain squatted in
a mucharn for any length of time ; the limbs become stiffened, and
the cramped position renders good shooting anything but certain.
I have a simple wooden turnstool, which enables me to shoot in
any required direction ; this is most comfortable.

I had adjusted my stool upon a thick mat to prevent it from
slipping, and having settled myself firmly, I began to examine the
position to form an opinion concerning the most likely spot for the
tiger to emerge from the jungle.

The beat had commenced, and the shouts and yells of a long
line of 150 men were gradually becoming more distinct. Several
peacocks ran across the open glade : these birds are always the
forerunners of other animals, as they are the first to retreat.

Presently I heard a rustle in the jungle, and I observed the legs
of a sambur deer, which, having neared the edge, now halted to
listen to the beaters before venturing to break from the dense

G

82 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

covert. The beaters drew nearer, and a large doe sambur, instead
of rushing quickly forward, walked slowly into the open, and stood
within 10 yards of me upon the glade. She waited there for
several minutes, and then, as if some suspicion had suddenly
crossed her mind, gave two or three convulsive bounds and dashed
back to the same covert from which she had approached.

It struck me that the sambur had got the wind of an enemy,
otherwise she would not have rushed back in such sudden haste;
she could not have scented me, as I was 10 or 12 feet above the
ground, and the breeze was aslant. . . . Then, if a tiger were in
the jungle, why should she dash back into the same coverU

I was reflecting upon these subjects, and looking out sharp
towards my left and front, when I gently turned upon my stool to
the right ; there was the tiger himself ! who had already broken
from the jungle about 75 yards from my position. He was slowly
jogging along as though just disturbed (possibly by the sambur),
keeping close to the narrow belt of bushes already described.
There was a footpath from the open glade which pierced the belt ;
I therefore waited until he should cross this favourable spot. I
fired with the "577 rifle just as he was passing across the dusty
track. I saw the dust fly from the ground upon the other side. as
the hardened bullet passed like lightning through his flank, but I
felt that I was a little too far behind his shoulder, as his response
to the shot was a bound at full gallop forwards into the small
clump of jungle that projected into the grassy open. My turnstool
was handy, and I quickly turned to the right, waiting with the
left-hand barrel ready for his reappearance upon the grass-land in
the interval between the main jungle and the narrow patch.
There was no time to lose, for the tiger appeared in a few seconds,
dashing out of the jungle, and flying over the open at tremendous
speed. This was about 110 yards distant; aiming about 18
inches in his front, I fired. A short but spasmodic roar and a
sudden convulsive twist of his body showed plainly that he was
well hit, but with unabated speed he gained the main forest, which
was not more than 40 yards distant. If that had been a soft
leaden bullet he would have rolled over to the shot, but I had seen
the dust start from the ground when I fired, and I knew that the
hard bullet had passed through without delivering the shock
required.

The beaters and shikaris now arrived, and having explained the
incident, we examined the ground for tracks, and quickly found the
claw-marks, which were deeply indented in the parched surface of
fine sward. We followed these tracks cautiously into the jungle.

iv THE ELEPHANT 83

Our party consisted of Colonel Lugard, the Hon. D. Leigh, myself,
and two experienced shikaris. Tiger -shooting is always an
engrossing sport, but the lively excitement is increased when you
follow a wounded tiger upon foot. We now slowly advanced upon
the track, which faintly showed the sharp claws where the tiger
had alighted in every bound. The jungle was fairly open, as the
surface was stony, and the trees for want of moisture in a rocky
soil had lost their leaves ; we could thus see a considerable distance
upon all sides. In this manner we advanced about 100 yards
without finding a trace of blood, and I could see that some of my
people doubted the fact of the tiger being wounded. I felt certain
that he was mortally hit, and I explained to my men that the hard
bullet would make so clean a hole through his body that he would
not bleed externally until his inside should be nearly full of blood.
Suddenly a man cried "koon" (blood), and he held up a large
dried leaf of the teak-tree upon which was a considerable red
splash : almost immediately after this we not only came upon a
continuous line of blood, but we halted at a place where the
animal had lain down ; this was a pool of blood, proving that the
tiger would not be far distant.

I now sent for the elephants, as I would not permit the shikaris
to advance farther upon foot. The big tusker Bisgaum arrived,
and giving my Paradox gun to my trustworthy shikari Kerim Bux,
he mounted the pad of that excitable beast to carry out my orders,
" to follow the blood until he should find the tiger, after which he
was to return to us." We were now on the top of a small hill
within an extensive forest range, and directly in front the ground
suddenly dipped, forming a V-shaped dell, which in the wet season
was the bed of a considerable torrent. It struck me that if the
tiger were still alive he would steal away along the bottom of the
rocky watercourse ; therefore, before the elephant should advance,
and perhaps disturb him, we should take up a positioii on the right
to protect the nullah or torrent-bed; this plan was accordingly
carried out.

We had not been long in our respective positions when a shot
from the direction taken by the elephant, followed instantly by a
short roar, proved that the tiger had been discovered, and that he
was still alive. My female elephant Demoiselle, upon hearing the
sound, trembled beneath me with intense excitement, while the
other female would have bolted had she not been sharply reminded
by the heavy driving-hook. Several shots were now fired in
succession, and after vainly endeavouring to discover the where-
abouts of the tiger, I sent Demoiselle to obtain the news while we

84 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

kept guard over the ravine. No tiger having appeared, I stationed
natives in trees to watch the nullah while we ascended the hill on
foot, directing our course through the forest to the place from
whence the shots had been fired. We had hardly advanced 80
yards before we found both the elephants on the top of the steep
shoulder of the hill, where several of our men were upon the
boughs of surrounding trees. Bisgaum was in a state of wild
excitement, and Kerim Bux explained that it was impossible to
shoot from his back, as he could not be kept quiet. Where was
the tiger? that was the question. " Close to us, Sahib !" was the
reply ; but on foot we could see nothing, owing to high withered
grass and bush. I clambered upon the back of the refractory
Bisgaum, momentarily expecting him to bolt away like a locomotive
engine, and from that elevated position I was supposed to see the
tiger, which was lying in the bottom of the ravine about 100 yards
distant. There were so many small bushes and tufts of yellow
grass that I could not distinguish the form for some minutes ; at
length my eyes caught the object. I had been looking for orange
and black stripes, therefore I had not noticed black and white, the
belly being uppermost, as the animal was lying upon its back,
evidently dying.

The side of the rocky hill was so steep and slippery that the
elephants could not descend ; I therefore changed my steed and
mounted Demoiselle, from the back of which I fired several shots
at the tiger until life appeared to be extinct. The ground was so
unfavourable that I would not permit any native to approach near
enough to prove that the animal was quite dead. I therefore
instructed Bisgaum's mahout to make a detour to the right until
he could descend with his elephant into the flat bottom of the
watercourse, he was then to advance cautiously until near enough
to see whether the tiger breathed. At the same time I rode
Demoiselle carefully as near as we could safely descend among the
rocks to a distance of about 40 yards ; it was so steep that the
elephant was impossible to turn. From this point of vantage I
soon perceived Bisgaum's bulky form advancing up the dry torrent-
bed. The rocks were a perfectly flat red sandstone, which in
many places resembled artificial pavement ; this was throughout
the district a peculiar geological feature, the surface of the stone
being covered with ripple-marks, and upon this easy path Bisgaum
now approached the body of the tiger, which lay apparently dead
exactly in his front.

Suddenly the elephant halted when about 15 yards from the
object, which had never moved. I have seen wild savages frenzied

BISGAUM CHARGES TJIE DYING TIGER.

P. 85.

iv THE ELEPHANT 85

by the exciting war- dance, but I never witnessed such an instance
of hysterical fury as that exhibited by Bisgaum. It is impossible
to describe the elephantine antics of this frantic animal ; he kicked
right and left with his hind legs alternately, with the rapidity of a
horse ; trumpeting and screaming, he threw his trunk in the air,
twisting it about, and shaking his immense head, until, having
lashed himself into a sufficient rage, he made a desperate charge
at the supposed defunct enemy, with the intention of treating the
body in a similar manner to that a few days previous. But the
tiger was not quite dead ; and although he could not move to get
away, he seized with teeth and claws the hind leg of the maddened
elephant, who had clumsily overrun him in the high excitement,
instead of kicking the body with a fore foot as he advanced.

The scene was now most interesting. We were close specta-
tors looking down upon the exhibition as though upon an arena.
I never saw such fury in an elephant ; the air was full of stones
and dust, as he kicked with such force that the tiger for the
moment was lost to view in the tremendous struggle, and being
kicked away from his hold, with one of his long fangs broken short
off to the gum, he lay helpless before his huge antagonist, who,
turning quickly round, drove his long tusks between the tiger's
shoulders, and crushed the last spark of life from his tenacious
adversary.

This was a grand scene, and I began to think there was some
real pluck in Bisgaum after all, although there was a total want
of discipline ; but just as I felt inclined to applaud, the victorious
elephant was seized with a sudden panic, and turning tail, he
rushed along the bottom of the watercourse at the rate of 20
miles an hour, and disappeared in the thorny jungle below at a
desperate pace that threatened immediate destruction to his
staunch mahout. Leaving my men to arrange a litter with poles
and cross-bars to carry the tiger home, I followed the course of
Bisgaum upon Demoiselle, expecting every minute to see the body
of his mahout stretched upon the ground. At length, after about
half a mile passed in anxiety, we discovered Bisgaum and his
mahout both safe upon an open plain ; the latter torn and bleed-
ing from countless scratches while rushing through the thorny
jungle.

On the following day the elephant's leg was much swollen,
although the wounds appeared to be very slight. It is probable
that a portion of the broken tooth remained in the flesh, as the
leg festered, and became so bad that the elephant could not travel
for nearly a fortnight afterwards. The mahouts are very obstinate,

86 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, iv

and insist upon native medicines, their famous lotion being a
decoction of Mhowa blossoms, which in my opinion aggravated the
inflammation of the wound.

I returned Bisgaum to the Commissariat stables at Jubbulpur
directly that he could march, as he was too uncontrollable for
sporting purposes. Had any person been upon his back during his
stampede he would have been swept off by the branches and killed ;
the mahout, sitting low upon his neck, could accommodate his
body to avoid the boughs.

The use of the elephant in India is so closely associated with
tiger-shooting that I shall commence the next chapter with the
tiger.

CHAPTER V

THE TIGER (FELIS TIGRIS)

There is no animal that has exercised the imagination of mankind
to the same degree as the tiger. It has been the personification
of ferocity and unsparing cruelty.

In Indian life the tiger is so closely associated with the
elephant (as the latter is used in pursuit), that I select this animal
in sequence to the former, from which in the ideas of sporting
Indians it is almost inseparable.

It is necessary to commence the description of the tiger with its
birth. The female rarely produces more than three, and generally
only two. These arrive at maturity in about two years.

There is a considerable difference in the size of the male and
female. I have both measured and weighed tigers, and I have
found a great difference in their proportions, such as may be seen
not only in many varieties of animals, but also in human beings ;
it is therefore difficult to decide upon the actual average tiger, as
they vary in separate localities, according to the quantity of wild
animals in the jungles which constitute their food. If the tiger
has been born in jungles abounding with wild pigs and other
animals, he will have been well-fed since the day of his birth,
therefore he will be a well-developed animal.

A well-grown tigress may weigh an average of 240 lbs. live
weight. A very fine tiger will weigh 440 lbs., but if very fat, the
same tiger would weigh 500 lbs. I have no doubt there may be tigers
that exceed this by 50 lbs., but I speak according to my experience.
The length of a tiger will depend upon the system of measure-
ment. I always carry a tape with me, and I measure them before
they are skinned, by laying the animal upon the ground in a straight
line, and not allowing it to be stretched by pulling at the head or
tail, but taking it naturally as it lies, measuring from nose to tip
of tail. I have found that a tiger of 9 feet 8 inches is about 2

88 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

inches above the average. The same tiger may be stretched to
measure 10 feet.

No person who examines skins only can form any idea of the
true proportions of a tiger. The hide, when stripped from a tiger
of 9 feet 7 inches, weighs 45 lbs. if the animal is bulky. The
head, skinned, weighs 25 lbs. These weights are taken from an
animal which weighed 437 lbs. exclusive of the lost blood, which
was quite a gallon, estimated at 10 lbs. This would have brought
the weight to 447 lbs. The hide of this tiger, which measured
9 feet 7 inches when upon the animal, was 1 1 feet 4 inches in
length when cured. I have measured many tigers, and the skins
are always stretched to a ridiculous length during the process of
curing ; these would utterly mislead any naturalist who had not
practical experience of the live animal.

The tiger of zoological gardens is a long lithe creature with
little flesh, and, from the lack of exercise, the muscles are badly
developed. Such a specimen affords a poor example of the grand
animal in its native jungles, whose muscles are almost ponderous
in their development from the continual exertion in nightly
rambles over long distances, and in mortal struggles when wrest-
ling with its prey. A well-fed tiger is by no means a slim figure,
but on the contrary it is exceedingly bulky, broad in the shoulders,
back, and loins, with an extraordinary girth of limbs, especially in
the forearm and wrist. The muscles are tough and hard, and
there are two peculiar bones unattached to the skeleton frame ;
these are situated in the flesh of either shoulder, apparently to
afford extra cohesion of the parts, resulting in additional strength
when striking a blow or wrestling with a heavy animal.

There is a great difference in the habits of tigers ; some exist
upon the game of the jungles, others prey specially upon the flocks
and herds belonging to the villagers ; the latter are generally
exceedingly heavy and fat. A few are designated " man-eaters " ;
these are sometimes naturally ferocious, and having attacked a
human being, they may have devoured the body and thus have
acquired a taste for human flesh ; or they may have been wounded
upon more than one occasion and have learnt to regard man as a
natural enemy ; but more frequently the man-eater is a wary old
tiger, or more probably a tigress, that, having haunted the neigh-
bourhood of villages, and carried off some unfortunate woman when
gathering firewood or the wild products of the jungles, has dis-
covered that it is far easier to kill a native than to hunt for the
scarce jungle game ; the animal therefore adopts the pursuit of
man, and seldom attempts to molest the native's cattle.

v THE TIGER 89

A professed man-eater is the most wary of animals, and is very
difficult to kill, not because it is superior in strength, but through
its extreme caution and cunning, which renders its discovery a
work of long labour and patient search. An average native does
not form a very hearty meal. If a woman, she will have more
flesh than a man about the buttocks, which is the portion both in
animals and human beings which the tiger first devours. The man-
eater will seize an unsuspecting person by the neck, and will then
drag the body to some retreat in which it can devour its prey in
undisturbed security. Having consumed the hind-quarters, thighs,
and the more fleshy portions, it will probably leave the body, and
will never return again to the carcase ; but will seek a fresh victim,
perhaps at some miles' distance, in the neighbourhood of another
village. Their cautious habits render it almost impossible to
destroy a cunning man-eater, as it avoids all means of detection.
In this peculiarity the ordinary man-eating tiger differs from all
others, as the cattle-killer is almost certain to return on the follow-
ing night to the body which it only partially devoured after the
first attack. If the hunter has the taste and patience for night
shooting, he will construct a hiding-place within 10 yards of the
dead body. This should be arranged before noon, in order that no
noise should disturb the vicinity towards evening, when the tiger
may be expected to return. A tree is not a favourable stand for
night shooting, as the foliage overhead darkens the sight of the
rifle. Three poles of about 5 inches diameter and 12 feet in
length should be sunk as a triangle, the thickest ends placed 2 feet
in the ground. The poles should be 4 feet apart, and when firmly
inserted will represent a scaffolding 10 feet high. Bars and
diagonal pieces must be firmly lashed to prevent the structure from
swaying. Within a foot of the top three strong cross-bars will be
lashed, to support a corduroy arrangement of perfectly straight
level bars, quite close together to form a platform. A thickly
folded rug will carpet the rough surface, upon which the watcher
will sit upon a low turnstool that will enable him to rest in com-
fort, and turn without noise in any required direction. A bamboo
or other straight stick will be secured as a rail around the platform,
upon which some branches may be so arranged as to form a screen
that will conceal the watcher from the view of an approaching
tiger. This arrangement is called a "mucharn."

When a tiger is driven before beaters it seldom or never looks
upwards, but merely regards the surface as it advances ; but when
approaching a " kill " (the term applied to the animal which has
been killed) the tiger is exceedingly cautious, and surveys every-

90 "WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

thing connected with the locality before it ventures to recommence
the feast. Even then, when assured of safety, it seldom eats, the
carcase where it lies, but seizing it by the throat, it drags the prey
some 15 or 20 yards from the spot before it indulges in the meal.
I have already described that the first meal consists of the buttocks
and hind-quarters ; the second visit is devoted to the fore-quarters,
after which but little remains for the vultures and jackals.

It is essential that the night watcher should be raised about 10
feet above the ground, otherwise the tiger would probably obtain
his scent.

Night shooting is not attractive to myself, and I very seldom
have indulged in such wearisome shikar. There is no particular
satisfaction in sitting for hours in a cramped position, with mos-
quitoes stinging you from all directions, while your eyes are strain-
ing through the darkness, transforming every shadow into the
expected game. Even should it appear, unless the moon is bright
you will scarcely define the animal. I have heard well-authenticated
accounts of persons who have patiently watched until they fell
asleep from sheer weariness, and when they awoke, the dead bullock
was no longer there, the tiger having dragged it away without
disturbing the tired watcher. There are several methods of
rendering the muzzle-sights of the rifle visible in partial darkness.
A simple and effective arrangement is by a piece of thick white
paper. This should be cut into a point and fastened upon the
barrel with a piece of beeswax, or shoemaker's wax, in addition to
being tied with strong waxed packthread, thus —

If a bright starlight night and there is no foliage above the rifle,
the white paper will be distinctly seen, especially if the light is
behind the shoulder. A piece of lime made into thick paste, and
stuck upon the muzzle-sight, is frequently used by native hunters ;
but if it is at hand, there is nothing so effective as luminous paint ;
this can be purchased in stoppered bottles and will last for years.
A small supply wrould be always useful in an outfit.

A man-eating tiger requires peculiar caution, not only lest it
should observe the presence of the hunter, but he must remember
that if upon the ground he himself becomes a bait for this exceed-

v THE TIGER 01

ingly stealthy animal, which can approach without the slightest
noise, and attack without giving any notice of its presence. A
curious example of this danger was given a few years ago in the
Nagpur district. A tigress had killed so many people that a large
reward was offered for her destruction ; she had killed and dragged
away a native, but being disturbed, she had left the body without
eating any portion. The shikaris considered that she would prob-
ably return to her prey during the night, if left undisturbed upon
the spot where she had forsaken it. There were no trees, nor any
timber that was suitable for the construction of a mucharn ; it was
accordingly resolved that four deep holes should be dug, forming
the corners of a square, the body lying in the centre. Each hole
was to be occupied by a shikari with his matchlock. The watchers
took their positions. Nothing came ; until at length the moon
went down, and the night was dark. The men were afraid to get
out of their hiding-places to walk home through the jungles that
were infested by the man-eater ; they remained in their holes, and
some of them fell asleep.

When daylight broke, three of the shikaris issued from their
positions, but the fourth had disappeared ; his hole was empty !
A few yards distant, his matchlock was discovered lying upon the
ground, and upon the dusty surface were the tracks of the tiger,
and the sweeping trace where the body had been dragged as the
man-eater carried it along. Upon following up the track, the
remains of the unlucky shikari were discovered, a considerable
portion having been devoured ; but the tigress had disappeared.
This cunning brute had won the game, and she was not killed until
twelve months afterwards, although many persons devoted them-
selves to her pursuit.

Many incredible stories have been told concerning the power of
a tiger in carrying away his prey, and I have heard it positively
stated by persons who should have known better, that a tiger can
carry off a native cow simply through the strength of the jaws
and neck. This is ridiculous, as the height of the cow exceeds
that of the tiger, therefore a portion of the body must drag upon
the ground. The cattle of India are exceedingly small, and are
generally lean, the weight of an ordinary cow would hardly exceed
350 or 400 lbs. ; as an average male tiger weighs about the same,
it can of course drag its own weight by lifting the body partially
in its mouth, and thus relieving the friction upon the ground. In
this manner it is astonishing to see the strength exerted in
pulling and lifting a dead bullock over projecting roots of trees,
rocky torrent beds, and obstructions that would appear to be

92 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chai\

insurmountable ; but it is absurd to suppose that a tiger can actu-
ally lift and carry a full-grown cow or bullock in its jaws without
leaving a trace of the drag upon the surface.

Many persons when in pursuit of tigers are accustomed to tie
up a small buffalo of four or six months old for bait ; the natives will
naturally supply the poorest specimen of their herds, unless it is
specially selected ; therefore it may be quite possible for a large
male tiger to carry so small an animal without allowing any portion
of the body (excepting the legs) to drag upon the ground. As a
rule the tiger will not attempt to carry, but it will lift and pull
simultaneously if the body is heavy.

The attack of a large tiger is terrific, and the effect may be well
imagined of an animal of such vast muscular proportions, weighing
between 400 and 500 lbs., springing with great velocity, and ex-
erting its momentum at the instant that it seizes a bullock by the
neck. It is supposed by the natives that the tiger, when well
fastened upon the crest, by fixing its teeth in the back of the neck
at the first onset, continues its spring so as to pass over the animal
attacked. This wrenches the neck suddenly round, and as the
animal struggles, the dislocation is easily effected. The tiger then
changes the hold to underneath the throat, and drags the body to
some convenient retreat, where the meal may be commenced in
security. With very few exceptions the tiger breaks the neck of
every animal it kills. Some persons have imagined that this is
done by a blow of the paw, but this is an error. The tiger does
not usually strike (like the lion), but it merely seizes with its claws,
and uses them to clutch firm hold, and to lacerate its victim. I
have seen several examples of the tiger's attack upon man, and in
no instance has the individual suffered from the shock of any blow ;
the tiger has seized, and driven deeply its claws into the flesh, and
with this tremendous purchase it has held the victim, precisely as
the hands of a man would clutch a prisoner ; at the same time it
has taken a firm hold with its teeth, and either killed its victim by
a crunch of the jaws, or broken the shoulder-blade. In attacking
man, the tiger generally claws the head, and at the same moment
it fixes its teeth upon the shoulder. An Indian is generally slight,
and shallow in the chest, therefore the widespread jaws can in-
clude both chest and back when seized in the tiger's mouth. I
have seen men who were thus attacked, and each claw has cut
down to the skull, leaving clean incisions from the brow across the
forehead and over the scalp, terminating at the back of the neck.
These cuts were as neatly drawn across the skull as though done
by a sharp pruning-knife ; but the wounded men recovered from

v THE TIGER 93

the clawing; the fatal wound was the bite, which through the
back and chest penetrated to the lungs.

It is surprising that so few casualties occur when we consider
the risks that are run by unprotected natives wandering at all
seasons through the jungles, or occupied in their daily pursuits,
exposed to the attacks of wild animals. The truth is that the
tiger seldom attacks to actually kill, unless it is driven, or wounded
in a hunt. It will frequently charge with a short roar if suddenly
disturbed, but it does not intend to charge home, and a shout from
a native will be sufficient to turn it aside : it will then dash forward
and disappear, probably as glad to lose sight of the man as he is
at his escape from danger. Of course there are many exceptions
when naturally savage tigers, without being man-eaters, attack and
destroy unoffending natives without the slightest provocation ;
upon such occasions they leave the body uneaten, neither do they
return to it again.

Although the tiger belongs to the genus Felis, it differs from the
cat in its peculiar fondness for water. In the hot season the
animal is easily discovered, as it invariably haunts the banks of
rivers, when all the brooks are dry and the tanks have disappeared
through evaporation! The tiger loves to wallow in shallow water,
and to roll upon the dry sand after a muddy bath ; it will swim
large rivers, and in the Brahmaputra, where reedy and grassy islands
interrupt the channel in a bed of several miles width, the tigers
travel over considerable distances during the night, swimming from
island to island, and returning to the mainland if no prey is to be
found during the night's ramble.

The tiger is by no means fond of extreme heat ; it is found in
northern China, Manchuria, and the Corea, where the winters are
severe. In those climates during winter the skin is very beautiful,
consisting of thick fur instead of hair, and the tail is comparatively
bushy. Well-preserved skins of that variety are worth £20 apiece
and are prized as rarities. In the hot season of India the tiger is
by no means happy : it is a thirsty animal, and being nocturnal, it
quickly becomes fatigued by the sun's heat, and the burning surface
of the soil if obliged to retreat before a line of beaters. The pads
of the feet are scorched by treading upon heated sandy or stony
ground, and the animal is easily managed in a beat by those who
are thoroughly experienced in its habits, although during the winter
season, when water is abundant in all the numerous nullahs and
pools, there is no animal more difficult to discover than the tiger.
It may be easily imagined that the dense green foliage of Indian
jungles renders all objects difficult to perceive distinctly, and the

94 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

striped skin of a tiger harmonises in a peculiar manner with dry-
sticks, yellowish tufts of grass, and the remains of burnt stumps,
which are so frequently the family of colours that form the sur-
roundings of the animal. In this covert the tiger with an almost
noiseless tread can approach or retreat, and be actually within a
few yards of man without being seen. Although a ferocious beast,
it is most sensitive to danger, and the slightest noise will induce
it to alter the direction of its course when driven before a line of
heaters. Its power of scent is excellent, therefore it is always
advisable if possible to arrange that the beaters shall advance down
wind. If they do, the tiger may be generally managed so adroitly
that it will be driven in the required direction ; but if the beaters
are travelling up the wind, the tiger must necessarily follow the
same course, and it will probably obtain the scent of the guns that
are in positions to intercept it, in which case it will assuredly dash
back through the line of beaters, and escape from the beat.

In the hot season very few trees retain their leaves, and the
jungles that were impervious screens during the cooler months
become absolutely naked ; an animal can then be discerned at 100
yards' distance. The surface of the ground is then covered with
dried and withered leaves, which have become so crisp from the
extreme heat that they crackle when trod upon like broken glass.
It will be readily understood that any form of shooting excepting
driving is quite impossible uuder these conditions, as no person
could approach any animal on foot owing to the noise occasioned
by treading upon the withered leaves.

The habits of the tiger being thoroughly understood, it becomes
necessary under all circumstances to employ the village shikari.
This man is generally more or less ignorant and obstinate, but he
is sure to know his own locality and the peculiar customs of the
local tiger. It is one of the mysterious characteristics of this
animal that it invariably selects particular spots in which it will
lay up ; to these secure retreats it will retire ; therefore, should a
fresh track be discovered upon the sandy bed of a nullah or upon a
dusty footpath in the jungles, it may be safely inferred that the
tiger is lying in one or other of its accustomed haunts. The village
shikari will quickly determine from what direction - the tiger has
arrived ; he will then suggest the probable route that the animal
will take whenever it may be disturbed.

Should the tiger be killed, another will occupy its place a few
months later, and this will assuredly assume the same habits as
its predecessor ; it will frequent the same haunts, lay up in the
same spots, and drink at the same places ; although it may have

v THE TIGER 95

never associated with or even seen the tiger which formerly occupied
the same locality.

I have already described the keen power of scent possessed by
this wary animal, which necessitates extreme caution, and the
placing of the guns in positions elevated about 10 feet above the
ground. It is seldom of any use to drive jungles upon speculation,
although it not infrequently happens, where tigers are plentiful,
that when driving for deer the grander game unexpectedly appears,
and presents itself suddenly before the astonished hunter. The
recognised system of tiger- hunting by driving is as follows. We
will say that the party of three may have arrived at a village, after
having received intimation that a native cow had been carried off
within the last few days. The first operation is to send natives
in all directions to look for tracks, and to discover the place where
the animal last drank.

At least two elephants should accompany the party, even
though the thick jungle country may be ill adapted for shooting
from these useful creatures. One of these should be, if possible,
a really dependable animal, that would advance steadily and
quietly up to a wounded tiger. The great danger of this branch
of sport arrives when a tiger may have been wounded, and it has
to be tracked up on foot, and eventually beaten out of the dense
thorny cover of its retreat. A staunch elephant is then indispens-
able, and the real excitement commences when the beaters are
sent for safety up the adjoining trees, and the hunter, absolutely
certain that the dangerous game, although invisible, is close before
him, advances calmly to the attack, knowing that the tiger will
be ready to spring upon the elephant the moment that they shall
be vis-a-vis.

In the absence of any elephant, .the pursuit of a wounded tiger
by following up the blood -track on foot is a work of extreme
danger. The native shikaris generally exhibit considerable hardi-
hood, and, confident in their activity, they ascend trees from which
they have a clear view in front for some 30 or 40 yards. They
descend if the coast is clear, cautiously advance, and then again
they mount upon the branches of some favourable tree and scan
the ground before them. In this manner they continue to
approach until they at length discern the wounded animal. If the
hunter is clever at climbing, he may then take a steady shot from
a good elevation ; but if not, he must take his chance, and
knowing the exact position of the tiger, he must endeavour to
make certain of its sudden death by placing a bullet either in the
brain or the back of the neck.

9G WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

A newly-arrived party, having heard that some native cow has
been carried oft' within a week, will make a reconnaissance of the
surrounding country upon their elephants, and will examine every
watercourse for tracks. We will suppose that after some hours of
diligent search the long-wished-for pugs or footmarks have been
discovered. Now the science of the chase must be exhibited, and
the habits of the tiger carefully considered. The first considera-
tion will be the drinking-place. If the middle of the dry season,
say the beginning of May, the heat will be intense, and the hot
wind will feel as though it had passed over a heated brick-kiln.
The water will have entirely disappeared, unless a river shall be
permanent in the neighbourhood. It will be necessary to procure
two or perhaps three buffaloes to tie up in various positions not
far from water, as baits for the tiger during the hours of night,
when it will be wandering forth from its secure retreat and search-
ing for its expected prey. The buffaloes should be at least twelve
months old ; I prefer them when eighteen months, as they are
then heavy animals and would afford two hearty meals, each suffi-
cient to gorge the tiger to an extent that, after drinking, would
render it lazy and inclined to sleep. Great care should be taken
in the selection of these buffaloes. The natives will assuredly
offer their skinny and unhealthy animals ; but a tiger, unless
nearly starved, will frequently refuse to attack a miserable skeleton,
and like ourselves it prefers a fat and appetising attraction. It
must be distinctly remembered that after the tiger has devoured
the hind-quarters of the animal it has killed, it requires a deep
draught of water; it is therefore necessary that the buffalo as
bait should be tied up somewhere within a couple of hundred yards
of a drinking-place, as the least distance ; otherwise, instead of
lying down somewhere near the remains of its prey, it must
wander to a great distance to drink. The stomach, being full of
flesh, will naturally become distended with water, and the gorged
tiger will not be in the humour to undertake a return journey of
perhaps a mile to watch over the remains of its kill ; it will there-
fore lie down in some thick covert near the spot by the nullah
where it recently drank, instead of returning to repose in the
neighbourhood of its recent victim. This will throw out the
calculations of the shikari, who would expect that the tiger will
be lying somewhere near the spot where it dragged the buffalo.
The beat will under such false conditions be arranged to include
an area in which the tiger is supposed to be asleep after its great
meal, but in reality it may be a mile or two away in some un-
known direction near the water. Great precaution is necessary in

v THE TIGER 97

making all preliminary arrangements. It is a common custom of
native shikaris to tie up a buffalo where four paths meet, as the
tiger would be walking along one of these during the night, and it
could not help seeing the alluring bait. I do not admire this
plan, as, although the probability is that the buffalo will be killed,
there is every likelihood of disturbance after the event, when
natives would be passing along the various routes. The slightest
noise would alarm the tiger, and instead of remaining quietly near
the carcase, it would slink away and be no more seen.

Natives are very inquisitive, and should the tiger have killed
the bait, and dragged the buffalo away to some deep nullah, the
shikari and his companion are often tempted to creep along the
trace until they perhaps see the tiger in the act of devouring the
hind-quarters. This is quite contrary to the rules of hunting, as
the tiger is almost certain to detect their presence if they are so
near, in which case it is sure to retreat to some undisturbed locality
beyond the area of the beat.

There is constant disappointment in driving for tigers owing to
the stupidity or exaggerated zeal of the shikari ; and if the hunter
is thoroughly experienced, it is far better that he should conduct
the operations personally.

Success depends upon many little details which may appear
trivial, but are nevertheless important. When a buffalo is tied up
for bait, it must be secured by the fetlock of a fore foot, and care
must be taken that the rope is sufficiently strong to prevent the
buffalo from breaking away ; at the same time it must not be
strong enough to prevent the tiger from breaking it when the
animal is killed, and the carcase is to be dragged to the nearest
nullah (or ravine). If the rope is too powerful, the tiger cannot
dispose of the body ; it will therefore eat the hind-quarters where
it lies, and at once retreat to water, instead of concealing the prey
and lying down in the vicinity. In such a case the remains of the
body will be exposed to the gaze of vultures and jackals, who will
pick the bones clean in a few hours, and destroy all chance of the
tiger's return. When the dead body is concealed beneath dense
bushes in a deep ravine, the vultures cannot discover it, as they
hunt by sight, and the tiger has no anxiety respecting the security
of its capture ; it will therefore sleep in peace within a short
distance, until awakened by the shouts of a line of beaters.

If the buffalo is tied with a rope around the neck, a tiger will
frequently refuse to molest it, as it fears a trap. I have seen
occasions when the tiger has walked round and round the buffalo,
as exhibited by the tracks upon the surface, but it has been afraid

H

98 AVILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

to make its spring, beiug apprehensive of some hidden danger. I
have also seen a dead vulture lying close to the body of a buffalo,
evidently killed by a blow from the tiger's paw when trespassing
upon the feast. It is a good arrangement to secure both fetlocks
of a buffalo with a piece of strong cord about a foot or 16 inches
apart, independently of the weaker cord which ties the animal to
either a stake or tree. Should the buffalo break away during the
night, it cannot wander far, as the bushes will quickly anchor the
rope which confines the fore legs ; the tiger would then assuredly
attack the straying animal and kill it within the jungles. In such
a case the drive should take place without delay, as the dead
buffalo will certainly be hidden in the nearest convenient spot, and
the tiger will be somewhere in the neighbourhood.

During the hot season it will be advisable to defer the drive
till about 10 a.m., at which time the tiger will be asleep. The
mucharns or watching-places in various trees should have been
previously constructed before the buffaloes were tied up in their
different positions, to be ready should the tiger kill one of the baits,
and thus to avoid noise during the construction. This is a matter
of very great importance which is frequently neglected by the
native shikari, who postpones the building of mucharns until the
tiger shall have killed a buffalo. In that case the noise of axes
employed in chopping the wood necessary for building the platforms
is almost sure to alarm the tiger, who will escape unseen, and the
beat will take place in vain.

I never allow mucharns to be built by wood felled in the
immediate neighbourhood, but I have it prepared in camp, and
transported by coolies to the localities when required. By this
method the greatest silence may be observed, which is absolutely
necessary to ensure a successful drive.

In order to prepare these platforms, they should be laid upon
the ground, three long thick pieces to form a triangle, and cross-
bars in proportionate lengths. If the latter are straight and strong, •
from sixteen to twenty will be necessary to complete a strong
mucharn. It is impossible to devote too much attention to the
construction of these watching-places. The natives are so light,
and they are so comfortable when squatting for hours in a position
that would cramp a European, that it is dangerous to accept the
shikari's declaration when he reports that everything is properly
arranged. Upon many occasions tigers are missed because the
shooter is so completely cramped that he cannot turn when the
animal suddenly appears in view. A large, firm, and roomy
mucharn fixed upon the boughs of a tree that will not wave before

v THE TIGER 99

a gust of wind, is the proper platform to ensure a successful
shot.

I have frequently been perched in a mere heron's nest, formed
of light wood arranged upon most fragile boughs ; this wretched
contrivance has swayed before the wind to an extent that would
have rendered accurate aim impossible; fortunately upon such
occasions I have never obtained a shot.

Although driving may read as an unexciting spOrt, it is quite
the contrary if the hunter takes sufficient interest in the operations
to attend to every detail personally. When all is in readiness after
the tiger has killed a buffalo, there is much art required in the
conduct of the drive. Natives vary in different districts ; some
are clever and intelligent, and take an immense interest in the
sport, especially if they are confident in the generosity of their
employer. In other districts there may be abundant game, but
the natives are cowardly, and nothing will persuade them to keep
an unbroken line, upon the perfection of which the success of the
drive depends.

As a rule, there is no great danger in the steady advance of a
line of men, provided they are at close intervals of five or eight
yards apart, and that they keep this line intact. It is a common
trick, when the beaters are nervous, to open out the line in gaps,
and the men resolve themselves into parties of ten or twenty,
advancing in knots, at the same time howling and shouting their
loudest to keep up the appearance of a perfect line. In such
cases the tiger is certain to break back through one ot the inviting
gaps, and the drive is wasted.

To drive successfully, the beaters must not only keep a rigid
line, but they must thoroughly understand the habits of the
animal, and the positions of the posted guns. If the drive is
thoroughly well organised, there should be eight or ten men who
are experienced in the sport ; these should take the management of
the beat, and being distributed at intervals along the line, they
should direct the operations.

A few really clever shikaris should be able (with few exceptions
to the rule) to drive the tiger to any required position, so as to
bring it within shot of any particular mucharn. This may be
effected without extraordinary difficulty. The drive should be
arranged to include three parts of a circle. If there are three guns,
their positions would depend upon the quality and conditions of the
ground, leaving intervals of only 80 or 100 yards at farthest be-
tween the three mucharns. From either flank, commencing only
50 yards from each mucharn, a native should be posted in a tree,

100 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

and this system of watchers should be continued until they meet
the extreme ends of the right and left flanks of the beating line.
It will be seen that by this method there is a chain of communica-
tion established throughout the line, both flanks being in touch
with the right and left mucharns by watchers in the trees only 50
yards apart. The tiger, if within the beat, will be completely
encircled, as it will have the guns in front, the line of beaters in a
semicircle behind, and a chain of watchers in trees from 30 to 50
yards apart from either side of the line to within sight of the
mucharns. If the jungle should be tolerably open, the tiger cannot
move without being seen by somebody. It now has to be driven
before the beaters, and it should be induced to select a particular
direction that will bring it within distance of one particular
mucharn.

Each man who may be perched in the trees, which form a chain
from the right and left extremities of the line, will be provided
with several pieces of exceedingly dry and brittle sticks ; he will
hold these in readiness for use whenever he may observe the tiger.
If he sees that the animal wishes to pass through the line, and
thereby escape from the beat, he simply breaks a small stick in
half; the sound of a snap is quite sufficient to divert the tiger
from its course ; it will generally stop and listen for a few moments,
and then being alarmed by the unusual sound, it will again move
forward, this time in the required direction, towards the guns. In
this manner the animal is gradually guided by the unseen watchers
in the trees, and is kept under due control, without any suspicion
upon its part that it is being conducted to the fatal spot within 30
or 40 yards of the deadly aim of an experienced rifle. This lead-
ing of the tiger requires considerable skill, as much discretion is
necessary in breaking the stick at the proper moment, or increasing
the noise should it be deemed expedient. As a rule, the slightest
sound is sufficient to attract the attention of a driven tiger, as the
animal is well aware that the shouts of a line of beaters are in-
tended to scare it from the neighbourhood; it is accordingly in
high excitement, and it advances like a sly fox slowly and
cautiously, occasionally stopping, and turning its head to listen to
the cries of the approaching enemy. Any loud and sudden noise
would induce it to turn and charge back towards the rear, in which
case it is almost certain to escape from the beat.

Some tigers are more clever than others, and having escaped
upon more than one occasion, they will repeat the dodge that has
hitherto succeeded. It is a common trick, should the jungle be
dense and the ground much broken, for the tiger to crouch when

o

o

v THE TIGER 101

it hears the beaters in the distance, instead of going forward in the
direction of the guns. This is a dangerous stratagem, as the wary-
animal will lie quietly listening to the approaching line, and having
waited until the beaters are within a few yards of its unexpected
lair, it will charge back suddenly with a terrific roar, and dash at
great speed through the affrighted men, perhaps seizing some
unfortunate who may be directly in its path. I have known tigers
that have been hunted many times, but who have always escaped
by this peculiar dodge, and such animals are exceedingly difficult
to kill. In such cases I am of opinion that no shouts or yells
should be permitted, but that the line should advance, simply
beating the steins of trees with their sticks ; at the same time six
or eight natives with their matchlocks should be placed at intervals
along the line to fire at the tiger should it attempt to break through
the rear. This may sometimes, but rarely, succeed in turning it,
and compelling it to move in the required direction. It is a
curious fact that "breaking back" is a movement general to all
animals, which have an instinctive presentiment of danger in the
front, if alarmed by the sound of beaters from behind. If once
they determine upon a stampede to the rear, nothing will stop
them, but they will rush to destruction and face any opposition
rather than move forward before the line. The tiger in such cases
is extremely dangerous, although when retreating in an ordinary
manner before the beaters it would seldom attack a human being,
but, on the contrary, it would endeavour to avoid him. It is
frequently the custom of tigers to remain together in a family, the
male,- female, and a couple of half or three parts grown young ones.
We cannot positively determine whether the male always remains
with his family under such circumstances, or whether he merely
visits them periodically • I am inclined to the latter opinion, as I
think the female may be attractive during her season, which
induces the male to prolong his visit, although at other periods he
may be leading an independent life. Good fortune specially
attends some favoured sportsmen, who have experienced the
intensity of happiness when a complete family of tigers has marched
past their position in a drive, and they have bagged every individual
member. This luck has never waited upon me, but I have seen
three out of the four secured, the big and wary male, having
modestly remained behind, escaping by breaking back through the
line of beaters.

The tigress remains with her young until they are nearly full-
grown, and she is very assiduous in teaching her cubs to kill their
prey while they are extremely young. I have seen an instance of

102 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS crap.

such schooling when two buffaloes were tied up about a quarter of
a mile apart ; one was killed, and although these two baits were
mere calves, it had evidently been mangled about the neck and
throat in the endeavour to break the neck. This had at length
been effected by the tigress, as proved by the larger marks of teeth,
while the wounds of smaller teeth and claws in the throat and
back of neck showed that the cub had been worrying the buffalo
fruitlessly, until the mother had interfered to complete the kill.
The other buffalo calf had been attacked, and severely lacerated
about the nape of the neck and throat, but it was still alive, and
was standing up at the post to which it had been tied. This
proved that the cub had been practising upon both these unlucky
animals, and that the tigress had only interfered to instruct her
pupil upon the last occasion. A dead vulture was lying near the
buffalo carcase ; this had been killed, probably, by the cub ; the
fact showed that the buffalo had been attacked that morning
during daylight, and not during the preceding night, when the
vultures would have been at roost.

The tigress is generally in advance of the male during a drive,
should there be two together ; this should not be forgotten, and a
sharp look-out should be directed upon the place from whence the
tigress shall have emerged, as the shot must be taken at the rear-
most animal, who would otherwise disappear immediately, and
break back at the sound of the explosion. In all cases it is
incumbent upon the watcher to study attentively every feature of
the ground directly that he enters upon his post, so that he may
be prepared for every eventuality ; he should thoroughly examine
his surroundings, noting every little open space, every portion of
dense bush, and form his opinion of the spot that would probably
be the place of exit when the tiger should be driven to the margin
of the covert. Tigers are frequently missed, or only slightly
wounded, through utter carelessness in keeping a vigilant look-out.
The watcher may have omitted to scan the details of the locality,
and when unprepared for the interview, the tiger suddenly appears
before him. Startled at the unexpected apparition, he fires too
quickly, and with one bound the tiger vanishes from view, leaving
the shooter in a state of misery at his miss, that may be imagined.
Nearly all the fatalities in tiger-shooting are caused by careless
shooting, which necessitates the following up a blood-track ; it is
therefore imperative that extreme care and coolness be observed in
taking a steady aim at a vital portion of the body, that will ensure
the death of the animal at latest within a few minutes. If the
shot is fired at right angles with the flank, exactly through the

v THE TIGER 103

centre of the blade-bone, the tiger will fall dead, as the heart will
be shattered, and both shoulders will be broken. A shot close
behind the shoulder will pass through the centre of the lungs, and
death will be certain in about two minutes, but the animal will be
able to inflict fatal injuries upon any person it may encounter
during the first minute, before internal bleeding shall have produced
complete suffocation. If the hunter is confident in the extreme
accuracy of his rifle, a shot in the centre of the forehead rather
above a line drawn across the eyes will ensure instant death. This
is a splendid shot when the hunter sits upon an elevation and the
tiger is approaching him ; in that position he must be careful to
aim rather high, as, should the bullet miss the forehead, it will
then strike the spine at the junction of the neck; or if too high,
it will break the spine between the shoulders ; at any rate, the
chances are all in favour of the rifle, whereas, should the aim be
too low, the bullet might penetrate through the nose, and bury
itself within the ground, merely wounding the animal instead of
killing. Should the hunter be on foot, he must on the contrary
aim low, exactly at the centre of the nose ; if he is only one inch
too high, the tiger may escape, as the bullet may pass over the
head and back ; but if the aim is low and the nose should be
missed, the bullet will either break the neck, or regularly rake the
animal by tearing its course through the chest and destroying the
vitals in its passage along the body. In that case the *577 solid
bullet of 650 grains and 6 drams of powder will produce an
astonishing effect, and will completely paralyse the attack of any
lion or tiger, thus establishing a thorough confidence in the heart
of its proprietor.

'

CHAPTER VI

the tiger {continued)

There is no more delightful study than Natural History in its
practical form, where the wild beasts and their ways are actually
presented to the observer in their native lands, and he can examine
their habits in their daily haunts, and watch their characters in
their wild state instead of the cramped limits of zoological collec-
tions. At the same time we must confess that the animals of a
menagerie afford admirable opportunities for photography, and are
most instructive for a rudimentary preparation before we venture
upon the distant jungles where they are to be found in their un-
disturbed seclusion. It is commonly supposed that wild animals
that have never been attacked by firearms are not afraid of man,
and that deer, antelopes, and various species which are extremely
timid may be easily approached by human beings, as the creatures
have no fear of molestation. My experience does not support this
theory. Nearly all animals have some natural enemy, which
keeps them on the alert, and renders them suspicious of all strange
objects and sounds that would denote the approach of danger.
The beasts of prey are the terror of the weaker species, which
cannot even assuage their thirst in the hottest season without
halting upon the margin of the stream and scrutinising the country
right and left before they dare stoop their heads to drink. Even
then the herd will not drink together, but a portion will act as
watchers, to give notice of an enemy should it be discerned while
their comrades slake their thirst.

It is a curious and inexplicable fact that certain animals and
varieties of birds exhibit a peculiar shyness of human beings,
although they are exposed to the same conditions as others which
are more bold. We see that in every portion of the world the
curlew is difficult to approach, although it is rarely or never pur-
sued by the natives of the neighbourhood ; thus we find the same

CHAP. VI

THE TIGER 105

species of bird exhibiting a special character whether it has been
exposed to attack, or if unmolested in wild swamps where the hand
of man has never been raised against it.

The golden plover is another remarkable example, as the bird
is wild in every country that it inhabits, even where the report of
firearms never has been heard. The wagtails, on the contrary,
are tame and confiding throughout all places, whether civilised or
savage. The swallows are the companions of the human race,
nesting beneath their eaves, and sharing the shelter of their roofs
in every clime. Why this difference exists in creatures subjected
to the same conditions is a puzzle that we cannot explain. In
like manner we may observe the difference in animals, many of
which are by nature extremely timid, while others of the same
genus are more bold. The beasts of prey vary in an extraordinary
degree according to their species, which are in some way influenced
by circumstances. Tigers and lions are naturally shy, and hesitate
to expose themselves unnecessarily to danger ; both these animals
will either crouch in dense covert and allow the passer-by to
continue his course, or slink away unobserved, if they consider
that their presence is undetected. Nevertheless these animals
differ in varying localities, and it is impossible to describe the
habits of one particular species in general terms, as much depends
upon the peculiarities of a district which may exercise an effect in
influencing character. The tigers that inhabit high grass jungle
are more dangerous than those which are found in forests. The
reason is obvious ; the former cannot be seen, neither can they see,
until the stranger is almost upon them : they have accordingly no
time for consideration, but they act upon the first impulse, which
is either to attack in self-defence or to bound off in an opposite
direction. If the same tiger were in a forest it would either see
the approach or it would hear the sound of danger, and being fore-
warned, it would have time to listen and to decide upon a course
of retreat ; it would probably slink away without being seen.

Although the usual bait for a tiger is a young buffalo, there is
no animal that is held in greater respect by this ferocious beast
than an old bull of that species.

It is by no means an uncommon occurrence that should a tiger
have the audacity to attack a buffalo belonging to a herd, the
friends of the victim will immediately rush to its assistance, and
the attacking party is knocked over and completely discomfited,
being only too glad to effect a retreat.

A few months ago, from the date at which I am now writing.
a native came to my camp with the intelligence that a large tiger

106 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

had suddenly sprung from a densely wooded nullah and seized a
cow that was grazing within a few yards of him. The man
shouted in the hope of scaring the tiger, when two buffaloes who
were near the spot and were spectators of the event at once
charged the tiger at full speed, knocked it over by their onset,
and followed it as it sprang for safety into the thick bush, thus
saving the cow from certain destruction. The cow, badly lacerated
about the throat, ran towards its native village, followed by its
owner. I lost no time in arriving at the spot, about two miles
from camp, and there I found the recent tracks precisely tallying
with the description I had received. We organised a drive on the
following morning, but the crestfallen tiger had taken the notice
to quit, and had retreated from the neighbourhood.

An example of this kind is sufficient to exhibit the cautious
character of the tiger. My shikari, a man of long experience,
differed in opinion with the native who had witnessed the attack.
This man declared that the tiger must be lying in a dense thicket
covering a deep hollow of about 10 acres, to which it had retreated
when charged by the two buffaloes ; he advised that we should
lose no time, but organise a drive at once, as the tiger, having
been frightened by the buffaloes, would probably depart from the
locality during the night.

My shikari argued against this suggestion. He was of opinion
that the tiger might not be lying in the hollow, as there was much
broken ground and jungle in the immediate neighbourhood, includ-
ing many dense and deep nullahs that might have formed a retreat :
if the tiger should happen to be within one of those places, it would
be outside the drive, and would be frightened away by the noise
of the beaters should we drive the hollow, and it would escape
unseen. If, on the other hand, the tiger should be lying in any
spot within a radius of half a mile, it would be very hungry, as
proved by its attack upon the cow during broad daylight, and it
would assuredly kill one or both of the baits, and remain with its
prey, if we should tie up two young buffaloes that night ; we should
then be certain to have it within the drive on the following morning.

This was sound reasoning, and according to rule ; but the native
argued that the tiger, having been knocked over and pounded by
the buffaloes, would be so cowed that it would decline to attack
the young buffaloes that might be secured to trees as baits ; it
would, on the contrary, avoid anything in the shape of a buffalo,
and if we neglected to drive the jungle at once, we should find a
blank upon the following morning.

The sequel proved that the man was correct, as the buffaloes

vi THE TIGER 107

were untouched on the following day, and the tiger had disappeared
from the locality.

The tiger, although hungry, was sufficiently disturbed by its
defeat to abstain from any further attack ; although the baits were
only twelve months old, it was too shy to encounter anything in
the shape of a buffalo.

In the grassy islands of the Brahmaputra there were a vast
number of tigers some twelve or fourteen years ago, but their
number has been reduced through the development of the country
by the various lines of steamers which have improved the naviga-
tion of the river. Formerly a multitude of small islands of alluvial
deposit thrown up by the impetuous current created an archipelago
for 60 or 70 miles of the river's course south of Dhubri, in the
direction of Mymensing ; these varied in size from a few hundred
yards to a couple of miles in length, and being covered with high
grass and tamarisk, they formed a secluded retreat for tigers and
other game at the foot of the Garo Hills. The river makes a
sudden bend, sweeping near the base of this forest-covered range,
from which the wild animals at certain seasons were attracted to
the island pasturage and dense covert, especially when the forests
had been cleaned by annual firing, and neither food nor place of
refuge could be found.

As these numerous islands abounded with wild pigs, hog-deer,
and other varieties of game, they were most attractive to tigers,
and these animals were tolerably secure from molestation, as it
was impossible to shoot or even to discover them in grass 10 feet
high without a line of elephants. The improvement introduced by
steam navigation gave an increased impulse to cultivation, as the
productions of the country could be transported at a cheap rate to
Calcutta by the large barges termed flats, which are fastened upon
either side of the river steamers. These are 270 feet in length,
and of great beam. The steamers are from 270 to 300 feet from
stem to stern, and are furnished with hurricane decks capable of
stowing a large cargo, although the draught of water is limited
owing to the numerous sandbanks that interrupt the channel. The
peculiar conditions of the Brahmaputra, which render it necessary
that these large vessels should be of very shallow draught, entail
the necessity of a rudder 17 feet in length to afford a sufficient
resistance for steering when running down the stream. The shock
when striking upon a sandbank is sufficient to bury the stem
without straining the vessel, as the flat bottom remains fixed upon
the soft soil for a few moments, during which the force of the
stream upon so large a surface brings the steamer broadside on to

108 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the obstruction and releases the stem. It is then an affair of an
hour or more to get her off the bank by laying out kedge anchors,
and heaving upon the hawsers with the steam winches.

The Brahmaputra is an extraordinary river, as it acknowledges
no permanent channel, but is constantly indulging in vagaries
during the season of flood ; at such times it carries away extensive
islands and deposits them elsewhere. Sometimes it overflows its
banks and cuts an entirely new channel at a sudden bend, convey-
ing the soil to another spot, and throwing up an important island
where formerly the vessels navigated in deep water. This peculiar
character of the stream renders the navigation extremely difficult,
as the bed is continually changing and the captains of the steamers
require a long experience.

During inundations the islands are frequently drowned out, and
the wild, animals are forced to swim for the nearest shore. Upon
such occasions tigers have been frequently seen swimming for their
lives, and they have been killed in the water by following them in
boats. The captain of the steamer in which I travelled told me of a
curious incident during a great inundation, which had covered deeply
all the islands and " transported many into new positions. Upon
waking at daylight, the man who took the helm was astonished to
see a large tiger sitting in a crouching attitude upon the rudder,
which, as already explained, was 17 feet in length. A heavily-
laden flat or barge was lashed upon either side, and the sterns of
these vessels projected beyond the deck of the steamer, right and left.

The decks of these large flats were only 3 feet above the
water, and the tiger, when alarmed by a shout from the helmsman,
made a leap from the rudder to the deck of the nearest vessel. In
an instant all was confusion, the terrified natives fled in all direc-
tions before the tiger, which, having knocked over two men during
its panic-stricken onset, bounded off the flat and sought security
upon the deck of the steamer alongside. Scared by its new
position and by the shouts of the people, it rushed into the first
hole it could discover ; this was the open door of the immense
paddle-box, and the captain rushed to the spot and immediately
closed the entrance, thereby boxing the tiger most completely.

There was only one gun on board, belonging to the captain : the
door being well secured, there was no danger, and an ornamental
air-hole in the paddle-box enabled him to obtain a good view of the
tiger, who was sitting upon one of the floats. A shot through the
head settled the exciting incident \ and the men who were knocked
over being more frightened than hurt, the affair was wound up
satisfactorily to all parties except the tiger.

VI

THE TIGER 109

The progress of science in the improvement of steam navigation
has had a wonderful effect throughout the world during the past half
century, and it is interesting to watch the development resulting
from the increased facilities of steam traffic upon the Brahmaputra.
Although a residence upon the islands is accompanied by extreme
risk during the period of inundations, there are many villages
established where formerly the tigers held undisturbed possession ;
and the rich alluvial soil is made to produce abundance, including
large quantities of jute, which is transported by the steamers to
Calcutta. The danger of an unexpected rise in the river is always
provided for, and every village possesses two or more large boats,
which are carefully protected from the sun by a roof of mats or
thatch, to be in readiness for any sudden emergency.

When the natives first established themselves upon the islands
and along the dangerous banks of the Brahmaputra, they suffered
greatly from the depredations of the numerous tigers, and in self-
defence they organised a system by which each village paid a sub-
scription towards the employment of professional shikaris. These
men soon reduced the numbers of the common enemy, by setting
clever traps, with bows and arrows, the latter having a broad
barbed head, precisely resembling the broad-arrow that is well
known as the Government mark throughout Great Britain. The
destruction of tigers was so great in a few years that the Lieut. -
Governor of Bengal found it necessary to reduce the reward from
fifty rupees to twenty-five, and tiger-skins were periodically sold by
auction at the Dhubri Kutcherry at from eight annas to one rupee
each.

In this manner the development of agricultural industry brought
into value the fertile soil, which had hitherto been neglected, and
the wild beasts were the first to suffer, and eventually to disappear
from the scene; precisely as indolent savage races must vanish
before the inevitable advance ot civilisation, and their neglected
countries will be absorbed in the progressive extension of colonial
enterprise.

I believe there are very few tigers to be found at the present
time in the islands or " churs " of the Brahmaputra, and although
I never had the good fortune to know the country when it was
described to me as " crawling " with these animals, I look back
with some pleasure to my visit in 1885, when through the kindness
of Mr. G. P. Sanderson, the superintendent of the keddahs, I was
supplied with the necessary elephants.

The Rajah of Moochtagacha, Soochikhan (or Suchi Khan), had
started from Mymensing with thirty-five elephants, and he kindly

110 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS ohap.

invited me to join him for a few days before I should meet Mr.
Sanderson at Rohumari, about 38 miles below Dhubri, on the
Brahmaputra. I had a scratch pack of twelve elephants, including
some that had been sent forward from the keddahs, and others
kindly lent by the Ranee of Bijni. These raised our number into
a formidable line, excepting one huge male with long tusks belonging
to the Bijni Ranee, who was too savage to be trusted with other
elephants in company. This brute, as is not uncommon, combined
great ferocity with extreme nervousness. He had just destroyed
the howdah, which was smashed to atoms, as the animal had taken
fright at the crackling of flames when some one had ignited a patch
of'long grass in the immediate neighbourhood. This had established
an immediate panic, and the elephant bolted at full speed, destroying
the howdah utterly beneath the branches of a tree ; fortunately
there was no occupant, or he would certainly have been killed.
The sound of fire is most trying to the nerves of elephants, but a
good shooting animal should be trained especially to bear with it ;
otherwise it is exceedingly dangerous.

The Rajah's elephants were his peculiar enjoyment, and there
was the same difference in their general appearance, when compared
with the keddah elephants, as would be seen in a well-kept stable
of hunters and a team of ordinary farm-horses. At the same time
it must be remembered that Suchi Khan's elephants did no work,
but were kept solely for his amusement, while the keddah animals
had been working hard in the Garo Hills for many months upon
inferior food, engaged with their experienced superintendent Mr.
Sanderson in catching wild elephants. Nevertheless there was a
notable superiority in the Rajah's shikari animals, as they had been
carefully trained to the sport of tiger-hunting ; they marched with
so easy a motion that a person could stand upright in the howdah,
rifle in hand, without the necessity of holding the rail. They
appeared to glide instead ol swaying as they moved, and in that
respect alone they exhibited immense superiority, the difficulty of
shooting with a rifle from the back of an elephant in motion being
extreme. Several of these elephants were so well trained that they
showed no alarm when a tiger was on foot, at which time an
elephant generally exhibits a tendency to nervousness, and cannot
be kept motionless by his mahout.

A favourite shikar animal had been badly bitten by a tiger a
few days before my arrival, and it was feared that she might
become shy upon the next encounter. Although the elephant is
enormous in weight and strength, the upper portion of the trunk
is much exposed, as it is the favourite spot for the tiger's attack,

vi THE TIGER 111

where it can fix its teeth and claws, holding on with great tenacity.
A wound on the trunk is most painful, and when an elephant is
actually pulled down by a tiger, it is the pain to which the animal
yields in falling upon the knees, more than the actual weight and
strength of the tiger, that produces the effect. A tiger, when stand-
ing upon its hind legs, would be able to reach about 8 feet without
the effort of a spring ; it may be readily imagined that a female
elephant unprotected by tusks must certainly be injured should a
tiger rush determinedly to the attack ; nevertheless the female is
generally preferred to the male for steadiness and docility. When
a really trustworthy male elephant is obtainable, well grown, of
large size, easy action, and in perfect training, it is simply invalu-
able, and there is no pleasure equal to such a mount ; the sensation
upon such an animal is too delightful, and you long for the oppor-
tunity to exhibit the power and prowess of your elephant, as the
feeling of being invincible is intensely agreeable. The only
sensation that can approach it is the fact of being mounted upon a
most perfect hunter, that you can absolutely depend upon when
following the hounds in England ; an animal well up to a couple
of stones more than your own weight, who never bores upon your
hand, but keeps straight, and never makes a mistake ; even that
only faintly approaches the pleasure of a good day upon such an
elephant as I have described.

Mahouts will always lie concerning the reputation of the
animal in their charge, and I had been assured that the great male
belonging to the Ranee of Bijni was the ideal character I coveted •
but I discovered that his temper was so well known that the
Rajah positively declined to expose his line of elephants to an
attack, which he assured me would take place if the animal
became excited ; in which event some valuable elephant would
suffer, as the long tusks of the Bijni elephant had not been blunted,
or shortened by the saw. This splendid animal was accordingly
condemned to the ignominious duty of conveying food to the camp,
for the other elephants upon their return from their daily work.
The neighbourhood of the Brahmaputra is rich in plantain groves,
and for a trifling consideration the natives allow those trees which
have already produced their crop to be cut down. A full-length
stem will weigh about 80 lbs., therefore an elephant is quickly
loaded, as the animal for the short distance to camp will carry 18
cwts. or more. The operation of loading a pad elephant with
either boughs or plantain stems is very curious. Two men are
necessary ; one upon the ground hands the boughs, etc., to the
man upon the animal's back, who lays the thin or extreme end of

112 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chai>.

the branch across the pad, leaving the thick or heavy end out-
wards. He places one foot upon this to keep it from slipping off
until he has placed the next bough across it upon the opposite
side, arranged in a similar manner. In this way he continues to
load the elephant, each time holding down with his foot a separate
bough, until he has secured it by the weight of another, placed in
the same position opposite. This plan enables him to build up a
load like a small haystack, which is then secured by ropes, and
almost hides the animal that carries it. My mighty beast was
condemned to this useful but degrading employment, instead of
being honoured by a place in the line of shikari's elephants, and
we started into the valleys among the Garo Hills, led by a native
who declared that he would introduce us to rhinoceros and
buffaloes.

We started at 6 a.m., and marched about 14 miles, extending
into line whenever we entered a broad valley of high grass, and
slowly thrashing our way through it. In many of the swampy
flats among the hills the reedy grass was quite 14 or 15 feet in
height and as thick as the forefinger ; so dense was this herbage,
that when the elephants were in line you could only see the animals
upon the immediate left and right, the others being completely
hidden. It struck me that this system of beating was rather
absurd, as there were no stops in the front, neither scouts on the
flanks, therefore any animals that might be disturbed by the
advance in line had every chance of escape without being observed.
The grass was a vivid green, and occasionally a rush in front
showed that some large animal had moved, but nothing could be
seen. This was a wrong system of beating. I was second in the
line of six guns, the Rajah Suchi Khan upon my left ; we pre-
sently skirted the foot of a range of low forest-covered hills, and
after a rush in the high reeds I observed a couple of sambur deer,
including a stag, trotting up the hill through the open forest, all
of which had been recently cleared by fire. A right and left
shot from Suchi Khan produced no effect, but the incident proved
that the system of beating was entirely wrong, as the game when
disturbed could evidently steal away and escape unseen. Our
right flank had now halted at about 400 yards' distance as a pivot,
upon which the line was supposed to turn in order to beat out
the swamp that was surrounded upon all sides by hills and
jungles. Suddenly a shot was heard about 200 yards distant, then
another, succeeded by several in slow succession in the same
locality. I felt sure this was a buffalo, and, as the line halted
for a few minutes, I counted every shot fired until I reached the

vi THE TIGER 113

number twenty-one. Before this independent firing was completed
we continued our advance, wheeling round our extreme right, and
driving the entire morass, moving game, but seeing absolutely
nothing. Although the jungles had been burnt, the valley grass
was a bright green, as the bottom formed a swamp • even at this
season (April) the ground was splashy beneath the heavy weight
of our advancing line. Having drawn a blank since we heard the
shots, we now assembled at the spot, where we found a bull
buffalo lying dead surrounded by the elephants and four guns.
These had enjoyed the fusillade of twenty-one shots before they
could extinguish the old bull, who had gallantly turned to bay
instead of seeking safety in retreat. It was a glorious example of
the inferiority of hollow Express bullets against thick-skinned
animals. The buffalo was riddled, and many of the shots were in
the right place, one of which behind the shoulder would have been
certain death with a solid 650 grains hard bullet, from a -577
rifle with 6 drams of powder. The buffalo, finding himself sur-
rounded by elephants, had simply stood upon the defensive, with-
out himself attacking, but only facing about to confront his
numerous enemies.

We were a very long way from camp ; we therefore retraced
our course, and having avoided some dense swamps that were too
soft for the elephants, we sought harder ground, shooting several
hog-deer on our way, and arriving in camp after sundown, having
been working for twelve hours, to very little purpose, considering
our powerful equipments.

Although we had covered a very large area during the day's
work, we had seen no tracks of rhinoceros, and so few of buffaloes
that we determined to abandon such uninteresting and unprofitable
ground ; accordingly we devoted the following day to the churs
or islands of the river, where we should expect no heavy game,
but we might come across a tiger.

In driving the grassy islands of the Brahmaputra some persons
are contented with the chance of moving tigers by simply forming
a line of a quarter of a mile in length with forty elephants, with-
out any previous arrangement or preparation. This is wrong.

To shoot these numerous islands much caution is required, and
unless tigers are exceedingly plentiful, the whole day may be fruit-
lessly expended in marching and counter-marching under a burning
sun, with a long line of elephants, to little purpose.

There should be a small herd of at least twenty head of cattle
under the special charge of four shikaris, and five or six of these
poor beasts should be tied up at a distance of a mile apart every

I

114 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

evening as bait for tigers. At daylight every morning the native
shikaris should visit their respective baits, and send a runner into
camp with the message should one or more have been killed. The
elephants being ready, no delay would occur, and the beat would
take place immediately. In that manner the tiger is certain to be
found, as it will be lying somewhere near the body of its prey.

There is a necessity for great precaution, lest a tiger when
disturbed should steal away and escape unobserved from the dense
covert of high grass. To effect his destruction, at least two
scouting elephants should be thrown forward a quarter of a mile
ahead from either flank of the advancing line ; and, according to
the conditions of the locality, two or more elephants with intel-
ligent mahouts should be sent forward to take up positions ahead
of the line at the terminus of the beat. These men should be
provided with small red flags as signals should the tiger show
itself; the waving of flags together with a shout will head the
tiger, and drive it back towards the advancing line of elephants ;
at the same time the signal will be understood that a tiger is afoot,
and the mahouts will be on the alert.

"When a tiger is headed in this manner it will generally crouch,
and endeavour to remain concealed until the elephants are close
upon it. Upon such occasions it will probably spring upon the
first disturber with a short harsh roar, and unless stopped or
turned by a shot, it will possibly break through the line and
escape to the rear, as many of the elephants will be scared and
allow the enemy to pass.

Should this occur, it will be necessary to counter-march, and
to reverse the position by sending some active elephants rapidly
upon either flank to take up certain points of observation about
500 yards distant, according to the conditions of the ground. This
forms the principal excitement of tiger-shooting in high grass, as
the sport may last for hours, especially if there are only two or
three guns in a long line of elephants. If there is no heavy
forest at hand, but only grass jungle, no tiger should be allowed
to escape if the management is good, and the patience of the
hunters equal to the occasion.

I must give every credit to the Kajah Suchi Khan for this
virtue, and for the perseverance he and his friends exhibited in
working for so many hours in the burning sun of April to so little
purpose. There was very little game upon the islands near Dhubri
beyond a few hog-deer and wild pigs, and it appeared mere waste
of time to wander in a long line of beating elephants from sunrise
till the afternoon with scarcely a hope of tigers. However, upon

vi THE TIGER 115

the second day, when our patience was almost exhausted, we met
a native who declared that a tiger had killed one of his cows only
two days before. Taking him as a guide, he led us about two
miles, and in a slight hollow among some green tamarisk we were,
after a long search, introduced to a few scattered bones, all that
remained of the native cow which had been recently killed, and
the skeleton dislocated by jackals and wild pigs. Unless the tiger
had been disturbed there was every chance of its being somewhere
in the neighbourhood ; we therefore determined to beat every yard
of the island most carefully, although it extended several miles in
length, and was about one mile in maximum width.

The line was formed, but no scouts were thrown forward, nor
were any precautions taken ; it was simply marching and counter-
marching at hazard. Hours passed away and nothing was moved
to break the monotony of the day but an occasional pig, whose
mad rush for the moment disturbed the elephants.

It was 2 p.m. : hot work for ladies — my wife was in the howdah
behind me. I confess that I am not fond of the fair sex when
shooting, as I think they are out of place, but I had taken Lady
Baker upon this occasion at her special request, as she hoped to
see a tiger. We were passing through some dense green tamarisk,
growing as close and thick as possible, in a hollow depression,
wmich during the wet season formed a swamp, when presently the
elephants began to exhibit a peculiar restlessness, cocking their
ears, raising their trunks, and then emitting every kind of sound,
from a shrill trumpet to the peculiar low growl like the bass note
of an organ, broken suddenly by the sharp stroke upon a kettle-
drum, which is generally the signal of danger or alarm. This
sound is produced by striking the ground with the extremity of the
trunk curled up.

I felt sure that a tiger was in this dense covert. The question
was how to turn him out.

The tamarisk was about 20 feet high, but the stems were only
as thick as a man's arm ; these grew as close together as corn in a
field of wheat ; the feathery foliage of green was dark through
extreme density, forming an opaque mass that would have concealed
a hundred tigers without any apparent chance of their discovery.

Although this depression was only about 6 feet below the general
level of the island, it formed a strong contrast in being green, while
the grass in the higher level was a bright yellow. The bottom had
been swampy, which explained the vigorous vegetation ; and
although this lower level was not wider than 80 or 90 yards, it
was quite a quarter of a mile in length.

116 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Neither the mahouts nor their animals appeared to enjoy the
fun of beating out this piece of dense covert, as they were well
aware that the tiger was "at home." As it was absolutely
necessary to form and keep a perfect line, the elephants being
shoulder to shoulder, I begged the Rajah and his friends to ride
towards the terminus of the tamarisk bottom, placing a gun at the
extreme end and upon either side ; while I should accompany the
beaters to keep a correct line, and to drive the covert towards
them. I felt sure that by this arrangement the tiger could not
escape without being seen.

This was well carried out; they took their places, and after
some delay I managed to collect about forty elephants into a
straight line, not more than 4 or 6 feet from each other. The
word was given for the advance, and the effect was splendid. The
crash through the yielding mass was overpowering; the dark
plumes of the tamarisk bowed down before the irresistible phalanx
of elephants ; the crackling of the broken stems was like the sound
of fire rushing through a cane-brake, and this was enlivened by
sudden nervous squeals, loud trumpets, sharp blows of kettle-drums,
deep roars, and all the numerous sounds which elephants produce
when in a state of high nervous excitement. I felt sure that at
times the tiger was only a few feet in our advance, and that it was
slinking away before the line.

The elephants increased in excitement ; sometimes two or three
twisted suddenly round, and broke the line. A halt was ordered,
and although it was impossible to see beyond the animal on the
immediate right and left, the order was given to dress into an
exact line, and then to advance.

In this manner, with continual halts to re-form, we continued
our uncertain but irresistible advance. Suddenly we emerged
upon a swampy piece of grass interspersed with clumps of tamarisk ;
here there was intense excitement among the elephants, several
turned tail and bolted in an opposite direction, when the cause
was quickly discovered, by a large tiger passing exactly in front of
me not 20 yards distant, and showing himself most distinctly,
giving me a lovely chance.

The elephant we rode was a female named Sutchnimia, and she
had been introduced to my notice as infallible, her character as
usual being well supported by her mahout ; but no sooner did this
heroic beast descry the tiger, than she twisted herself into every
possible contortion, throwing herself about in the most aimless
attitudes, with a vigour that threatened the safety of the howdah
and severely taxed the strength of the girth-ropes.

vi THE TIGER 117

The tiger (a fine male) suddenly stopped, and turned three-parts
round, apparently amazed at the gesticulations of the elephant ;
and there the beast stood, exposing the shoulder to a most certain
shot if the elephant would have kept decently quiet for only two
seconds. The fact of the tiger having halted, and remaining in
view within 20 yards, only aggravated the terror of Sutchnimia,
and she commenced shaking her colossal body like a dog that has
just emerged from water. It was as much as we could do to hold
on with both hands to the howdah rails ; my watch was smashed,
the cartridges in my belt were bent and doubled up against the
pressure of the front rail and rendered useless, while the mahout was
punching the head of his refractory animal with the iron spike, and
the tiger was staring with astonishment at the display upon our side.

This picture of helplessness did not last long; the tiger dis-
appeared in the dense covert, and left me to vent my stock of rage
upon the panic-stricken elephant. Twice I had endeavoured to
raise my rifle, and I had been thrown violently against the howdah
rail, which had fortunately withstood the shock. The tiger had
broken back, therefore it was necessary to repeat the beat. I was
of opinion that it would be advisable to take the elephants out of
the tamarisk jungle, and to march them along the open ground, so
as to re-enter exactly in the same place and in the same order as
before. There could be no doubt that the tiger would hold to the
thick covert until fairly driven out, and it would probably break
upon the second beat where the guns were protecting the end and
both sides of the hollow.

The elephants were this time intensely excited, as they knew as
well as we did that the game was actually before them. I ordered
them to keep within a yard of each other, to make it impossible
for the tiger to slink back by penetrating the line. Several times
as we advanced in this close order the animal was evidently within
a few feet of us, as certain elephants endeavoured to turn back,
while others desired to dash forward upon the unseen danger,
which all keenly smelt. At last, when several elephants trumpeted
and made a sudden rush, a shot was fired from the gun upon the
left flank, stationed upon the open ground slightly above the
hollow. The line halted for an explanation, and it appeared that
the Rajah had fired, as the tiger for an instant showed itself upon
the edge of the tamarisk jungle.

We now continued the advance ; the tiger had not spoken to
the shot, therefore we considered that it was without effect, and I
felt sure that in such compact order we should either trample upon
it or push it out at the extremity of the covert.

118 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

At length, having carefully beaten out the tamarisk, which had
now been almost destroyed by the tread of so close a line of
elephants, we emerged at the extreme end of the hollow, where,
instead of tamarisk, a dense patch of withered reeds much higher
than an elephant were mingled in a confused growth, occupying an
area of hardly 10 yards square. I felt sure that the tiger must
have crouched for concealment in this spot.

Suchi Khan had brought his elephant upon the left, another
gun was on the right, and a third in the centre at the extreme
end, while I was in the bottom with the line of elephants.
Begging the outside guns to be careful, and to reserve their fire
until the tiger should bolt into the open, I ordered the elephants
to form three parts of a circle, to touch each other shoulder to
shoulder, and slowly to advance through the tangled reeds. This
was well done, when suddenly the second elephant upon my left
fell forward, and for the moment disappeared ; the tiger had made
a sudden spring, and seizing the elephant by the upper portion of
the trunk, had pulled it down upon its knees. The elephant
recovered itself, and was quickly brought into the position from
which for a few seconds it had departed. The tiger was invisible
in the dense yellow herbage.

Very slowly the line pressed forward, almost completing a
circle, but just leaving an aperture a few yards in width to permit
an escape. The elephant's front was streaming with blood, and
the others were intensely excited, although apparently rendered
somewhat confident by pressing against each other towards the
concealed enemy.

Presently a mahout about two yards upon* my right beckoned
to me, and pointed downward with his driving-hook. I immedi-
ately backed my elephant out of the crowd, and took up a position
alongside his animal. He pointed at some object which I could
not distinguish in the tangled mixture of reeds, half-burnt herbage,
and young green grass that had grown through ; at length some-
thing moved, and I at once made out the head and shoulders of a
tiger crouching as though ready for a spring. In another moment
it would have tried Sutchnimia's nerves by fixing its teeth upon
her trunk ; but this time she stood well, being encouraged by the
supporting elephants, and I placed a *577 bullet between the
tiger's shoulders ; this settled the morning's sport without further
excitement.

The tiger was dragged out. It was a fine male, and we
discovered that Suchi Khan's shot had struck it in the belly ; the
wound, not being fatal, had rendered it more vicious.

vi THE TIGER 119

It has already been remarked that a really staunch and tract-
able elephant is rarely met with. This renders tiger -shooting
exceedingly uncertain, as it is impossible to shoot correctly with a
rifle when an animal is flinging itself about to an extent that
renders it necessary to hold fast by the howdah rail. I generally
take an ordinary No. 12 gun as an adjunct. If the grass is very
high and dense, the tiger will seldom be farther than 20 yards
distant, and a smooth-bore breechloader with a spherical ball will
shoot sufficiently well to hit the palm of your hand. This accuracy
may be obtained to 30 or 40 yards provided that the bullet is
sufficiently large to enter the chamber, but a size too large for the
muzzle. It will accordingly squeeze its way through without the
slightest windage, and will shoot with great precision, with a
charge of 4J drams of powder and a ball of pure soft lead. A No.
12 is exceedingly powerful, and if 7 lbs. in weight, it can be fired
with one hand like a pistol. This is an immense advantage, as
the shooter can hold tight by the howdah rail with his left hand,
while he uses his gun with the right. I always load the right
barrel with ball, and the left with the same charge of powder (4|-
drams), but with either 16 S.S.G-. or 1| ounce of A. A. or B.B.
shot. For leopards there is nothing so certain as S.S.G. at 20 or
30 yards ; and for hog-deer and other sorts of small game the
smaller shot is preferable, but always with the same full charge of
powder.

A smooth-bore gun is much easier to use than a rifle from a
howdah, as it is unnecessary to squint along the sight, but the
shot is taken at once with the rapidity usual in ordinary shooting
at flying objects. Care must be taken, when firing only with one
hand, that the wrist should be turned to the left, so that the
hammers of the gun are lying over in that direction instead of
being erect. In that position the elbow is raised upon the right,
and the recoil of the gun will not throw it up towards the
shooter's face, which might happen should the gun be held with
the hammers uppermost ; it is also much easier to hold a gun
with one hand in the attitude described. Should a tiger spring
upon an elephant, it would be exceedingly difficult to defend the
animal unless by shooting with one hand, as the struggles of the
elephant would render it impossible to stand.

I had a practical example of this shortly after the departure of
Suchi Khan, when I pushed on to Rohumari and met Mr. G-. P.
Sanderson, April 1, 1885. He had brought with him the entire
force of elephants from the Garo Hills, the season for capturing
wild elephants having just expired. Many of his men were

120 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

suffering from fever, and lie himself evidently had the poison of
malaria in his system.

A bullock had been tied up the preceding evening within
three-quarters of a mile from our camp, and on the morning of
April 1 this was reported to have been killed. We accordingly
sallied out, and in a few minutes we found the remains, above
which the vultures were soaring in large numbers. The high grass
had been partially burnt, and large patches remained at irregular
distances where the fire had not penetrated, or where the herbage
had been too green to ignite ; however, all was as dry as tinder at
this season, and having formed the elephants in line, I took up a
position with my elephant about 300 yards ahead.

The elephants came on in excellent formation, as Mr. Sander-
son was himself with them in command ; presently I saw a long
tail thrown up from among the yellow grass, and quickly after I
distinguished a leopard moving rapidly along in my direction.
For a few minutes I lost sight of it, but I felt sure it had not
turned to the right or left, and, as a clump of more than ordinary
thick grass stood before me, I concluded that the animal had prob-
ably sought concealment in such impervious covert.

When the elephants at length approached, I begged that half
a dozen might just march through the patch within a few yards
of my position. I was riding an elephant called Kosamond, which
was certainly an improvement upon my former mount.

Hardly had the line entered the patch of grass when, with a
short angry roar, a leopard sprang forward, and passed me at full
speed within 25 yards ; and immediately turned a somersault like
a rabbit, with a charge of 16 S.S.G-. from the No. 12 fired into
its shoulder.

This was very rapidly accomplished, as our camp was within
view, certainly not more than a mile distant.

We placed the leopard upon a pad elephant, and sent it home ;
while we once more extended the line, and as usual I took up a
position some hundred yards in advance, in a spot that was toler-
ably clear from the high grass.

Almost the same circumstance was repeated. I saw another
leopard advancing before the line, and pushing my elephant forward
to a point that I considered would intercept it, I distinctly saw it
enter a tangled mass of herbage, hardly large enough to shelter a
calf; there it disappeared from view.

The line of elephants arrived, and no one was aware that
another leopard had been moved. I pointed out the small clump
of grass, and ordered an elephant to walk through it. In an instant

vi THE TIGER 121

a leopard bolted, and immediately rolled over like its comrade ;
but as I had to wait until it had cleared the line of elephants
before I fired, it was about 35 yards distant, and although it fell
to the shot, it partially recovered, and limped slowly forward with
one broken leg, being terribly wounded in other places. It only
went about 40 paces, and then lay down to die. One of the
mahouts dismounted from his elephant, and struck it with an axe
upon the head. This leopard was immediately despatched to
camp, and we proceeded to beat fresh ground, as no tiger had
been here, but evidently the two leopards had killed the bullock
on the preceding night, and nothing more remained.

Eosamond had stood very steadily, but she was terribly rough
to ride, and the howdah swung about like a boat in a choppy sea.

A couple of hours were passed in marching through every
place that seemed likely to invite a tiger, but we moved nothing
except a great number of wild pigs ; a few of these I shot for the
Garo natives who accompanied us. At length we observed in the
distance the waving, green, feathery appearance of tamarisk, and
as the sun was intensely hot, we considered that a tiger would
assuredly select such cool shade in preference to the glaring yellow
of withered grass. At all times during the hot season a dense
bed of young tamarisk is a certain find for a tiger, should such an
animal exist in the neighbourhood. The density of the foliage
keeps the ground cool, as the sun's rays never penetrate. The
tiger, being a nocturnal animal, dislikes extreme heat, therefore it
invariably seeks the densest shade, and is especially fond during
the hottest weather of lying upon ground that has previously been
wet, and is still slightly damp; it is in such places that the
tamarisk grows most luxuriantly.

We were now marching through a long strip of this character
which had at one time formed a channel ; on either side the
tamarisk strip was enormously high and dense grass. Suddenly
an elephant sounded the kettle-drum note ; this was quickly
followed by several others, and a rush in the tamarisk frightened
the line, as several animals had evidently broken back. We could
see nothing but the waving of the bush as the creatures dashed
madly past. These were no doubt large pigs, but I felt certain
from the general demeanour of the elephants that some more
important game was not far distant.

The advance continued slowly and steadily. Presently I saw
the tamarisk's feathery tops moving gently about 15 paces
ahead of the line; the elephants again trumpeted and evinced
great excitement ; this continued at intervals until we at length

122 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

emerged from the tamarisk upon a flat space, where the tall grass
had been burnt while yet unripe, and although killed by the fire
and rendered transparent, it was a mass of black and yellow that
would match well with a tiger's colour. We now extended the
line in more open order, to occupy the entire space of about 200
yards front ; Sanderson kept his position in the centre of the line,
while I took my stand in an open space about 150 yards in advance,
where an animal would of necessity cross should it be driven for-
ward by the beat.

The line advanced in good order. The elephants were much
disturbed, and they evidently scented danger.

They had not marched more than 50 or 60 yards before a
tremendous succession of roars scattered them for a few moments,
as a large tiger charged along the line, making splendid bounds,
and showing his entire length, as he made demonstrations of attack
upon several elephants in quick rotation. It was a magnificent
sight to see this grand animal, in the fullest strength and vigour,
defy the line of advancing monsters, every one of which quailed
before the energy of his attack and the threatening power of his
awe-inspiring roars." The sharp cracks of two shots from Sander-
son, whose elephant was thus challenged by the tiger, hardly
interrupted the stirring scene; but, as the enemy rushed down
the line, receiving the fire from Sanderson's howdah, he did not
appear to acknowledge the affront, and having effected his purpose
of paralysing the advance, he suddenly disappeared from view.

I was in hopes that he would break across the open which I
commanded, but there was no sign of movement in the high grass.
The line of elephants again advanced slowly and cautiously;
suddenly at a signal they halted, and I observed Sanderson, whose
elephant was a few yards in advance of the line, halt, and, stand-
ing up, take a deliberate aim in the grass in front. He fired ; a
tremendous roar was the response, and the tiger, bounding forward,
appeared as though he would assuredly cross my path. Instead of
this, after a rush of about 50 or 60 yards I saw the tall grass
only gently moving, as the animal had reduced its pace to the
usual stealthy walk. The grass ceased moving in a spot within
30 paces, and exactly opposite my position. I marked a bush
upon which were a few green shoots that had sprouted since the
fire had scorched the grass. I was certain that the tiger had
halted exactly beneath that mark. My mahout drove the elephant
slowly and carefully forward, and I was standing ready for the
expected shot, keeping my eyes well open for an expected charge ;
Sanderson was closing in upon the same point from his position.

CM

vi THE TIGER 123

Presently, when within a few feet of the green bush, I distinguished
a portion of the tiger, but I could not determine whether it was
the shoulder or the hind-quarter. Driving the elephant steadily
forward, with the rifle to my shoulder, I at length obtained a
complete view. The tiger was lying dead !

Sanderson's last shot had hit it exactly behind the shoulder ;
but the first right and left had missed when the tiger charged
down the line, exemplifying the difficulty of shooting accurately
with an elephant moving in high excitement.

We now loaded an elephant with this grand beast and started
it off to camp, where Lady Baker had already received two leopards.
We had done pretty well for the 1st of April, but after this last
shot our luck for the day was ended.

This day unfortunately deprived me of my companion, as the
fever which had been dormant developed itself in Sanderson and
completely prostrated him. He had a peculiar objection to quinine,
therefore in default of remedies, which were all at hand, he
remained a great sufferer during three successive weeks, and I was
left alone with the long line of elephants to complete the driving
of the innumerable churs below the village of Rohumari. I must
pay Mr. Sanderson the well-merited compliment of praising his
staff of mahouts, who were, with their well-trained animals, placed
at my disposal; these men exhibited trie result of such perfect
discipline and organisation, that, although a perfect stranger to
them, I had not the slightest difficulty ; on the contrary, they
worked with me for twenty days as though I had been their old
master for as many years. No better proof could be adduced of
the excellent management of Mr. Sanderson's department.

The sport on 1st April had raised my expectations, but I
quickly discovered that it was an exceptional day, and that the
rule would be disappointing. A little experience introduced me
to the various characters of the elephants which composed our
pack, and I amused myself by arranging them according to their
qualifications, the heavier and slower animals in the centre, and
the more active at either end of the line. Each elephant was to
retain invariably the same position every day, as the mahouts and
their beasts would be more likely to act harmoniously if always
associated together in the beat. The fast elephants, being at the
extreme ends, would be able to turn quickly upon the centre when-
ever necessary. Four elephants were told off as scouts ; these
were the most active, with intelligent mahouts. The men appeared
to take an intense interest in the sport, and in the regularity of
the arrangements, as they were equally aware with myself of the

124 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

necessity for strict order and discipline, where only one solitary
gun represented the offensive capacity of the line.

The ordinary method of tiger-shooting with a long line of
elephants comprises five or six guns placed at intervals. I dislike
this style of sport, as it engenders wild and inaccurate firing.
Every person wishes to secure a chance, therefore no opportunity
is lost, and wherever the grass is seen to move, a bullet is directed
at the spot. If only one gun is present, extreme caution and good
management are necessary to ensure the death of a tiger, and the
result of twenty-five days' shooting on the churs of the Brahma-
putra was highly satisfactory, as during that period eight tigers
and three leopards only were moved, and every one was bagged ;
thus nothing whatever escaped.

I always make a point of allowing the Government reward as
a bonus, without any deductions for buffalo baits or beaters, and
this amount I divide among the shikaris and mahouts according
to my estimation of their merits ; this gives them an additional
interest in the proceedings. We were now thoroughly organised,
and, if the tigers had been in the numbers that existed some years
ago, we should have made a more than ordinary bag. The diffi-
culty of managing so long a line of elephants with a tiger on foot,
and only one gun, was shortly made apparent.

One of our baits had been killed, and the body had been
dragged into about twelve acres of wild rose. This bush produces
a blossom rather larger than the common dog-rose of English
hedges, and equally lovely. Although it is armed with a certain
amount of thorns, it is not to be compared with the British variety
as a formidable barrier, but, as it delights in swamp hollows, it
grows into the densest foliage, about 18 feet high, and forms an
impenetrable screen of tangled and matted vegetation. No human
being could force his way through a network of wild rose, there-
fore it forms a desirable retreat for all wild animals, who can
penetrate beneath it, and enjoy the protection of cool shade, and
undisturbed seclusion.

In an open grass country it may be readily imagined that tigers
would be certain to resort to such inviting covert, where they
would be secure from all intrusion, and to which cavernous density
they could drag and conceal their prey.

Upon arrival about three miles from camp at this isolated
patch of rose jungle, I felt sure that the tiger must be within.
There was a similar but rather smaller area of wild rose about f
mile distant, and it was highly probable that should the tiger be
disturbed, it might slink away, break covert at the extreme end,

vi THE TIGER 125

and make off across the open grass-land to the neighbouring
shelter. I therefore posted myself outside the jungle in a kind of
bay, where I considered the tiger would emerge from his secure
hiding-place before he should risk a gallop across the open.

I threw out scouts as usual, and I sent the line of elephants
round, to drive the jungle towards me from the opposite extremity.

A certain time elapsed, and at length I perceived the approach,
in splendid line, each elephant as nearly as possible equidistant
from its neighbour.

They marched forward in regular array until within a couple
of hundred yards of my position ; then suddenly I heard a trumpet,
trunks were thrown up in the air, the line wavered, and a succes-
sion of well-known sounds showed that a tiger was before them.
The mahouts steadied their animals, brought them again into a
correct line, and the advance continued.

I was riding a large male elephant named Thompson • this was
a fine animal with formidable tusks, but he was most unsteady.
Already he was swaying to and fro with high excitement, as he
knew full well by the trumpets and sounds of the other elephants
that a tiger was not far distant.

Presently I saw the jungle shake, and a hog-deer dashed out
within a few yards of me ; the elephant whisked suddenly round ;
this prepared me for a display of his nervousness. Again the rose
bushes moved, and I distinctly observed a yellowish body stealing
beneath the tangled mass ; it was quickly lost to sight. The line
of beating elephants was coming slowly forward, crashing their
way through the bush, and occasionally giving a shrill scream,
when again I saw the bushes move ; without further introduction
a very large tigress gave two or three roars, and rushed out of the
jungle exactly opposite my position, straight at my elephant.
Before I had time to raise my rifle, the elephant spun round as
though upon a pivot, and ran off for a few paces, making it
impossible for me to fire. The tiger, probably alarmed, turned
back into the secure fortress of wild rose.

We now knew that the tiger was positively between the line of
elephants and myself. I felt sure that it would not show again
at the same place ; I therefore selected a favourable spot about
100 yards to my left upon some slightly rising ground, and the
elephants wheeled and beat directly towards me.

Nothing moved except pigs, which all broke back at a wild
rush between the elephants' legs, two of which had slight cuts
from the tusks of boars, which had made a spiteful dig at the
opposing legs whilst passing.

126 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

At length the line arrived within 20 yards from the margin
of the thick jungle j here a regular rush took place ; several hog-
deer dashed back, "but at the same time a tiger bounded forward,
and galloped across the open grass -land in the direction of the
neighbouring wild-rose covert. The scouts holloaed, waved their
puggarees, and then rode after the tiger as hard as they could
press their active elephants.

My steed Thompson had behaved disgracefully, as he had again
twisted suddenly round, and was so unsteady that although the
tigress was not 10 yards from me I had not the power of firing ;
I accordingly relinquished my favourite rifle *577, which I secured
in the rack, and took in exchange my handy No. 12 smooth-bore,
which only weighed 7 lbs. With that light weapon I knew I
could take a quick flying shot ; the right-hand barrel was loaded
with a spherical ball, and the left with If ounce S.S.G. shot and
4J drams of powder. To load a cartridge case (Kynoch's brass)
with this charge, and a very thick felt wad, it is necessary to fix
the wad above the shot with thick gum, otherwise it will not
contain the extra quantity.

Upwards of an hour was passed in driving the second covert,
but although we moved the tiger several times, it was impossible
to obtain a shot, as the cunning brute, discovering our intentions,
was determined not to break into the open near the elephant. At
length, finding the impossibility of dislodging it, I put myself in
the centre of the line, and left the end of the covert unguarded,
so as to invite the tiger to make a dash through the interval to
regain the former jungle.

As we marched along, driving in a compact line, I presently
observed the jungle move about 30 yards before me, and I
immediately fired into the spot, not in the expectation of hitting an
unseen animal, but I concluded that the shot would assist in driviug
it from the covert. This was successful, as shortly afterwards we
heard the shouts of the mahouts on the scouting elephants, who
reported that the tiger had gone away at great speed across the
intervening ground towards the original retreat.

We hurried forward, and upon reaching the wild-rose jungle we
re-formed the line, and made use of every possible manoeuvre for
at least an hour without obtaining a view of the tiger. The
elephants appeared confident that their enemy was there, and my
men began to think that the shot I had fired into the bush might
have wounded it, and that it was probably lying dead beneath
some tangled foliage. By this time, through continual advancing
and counter- marching, the jungle was completely trodden into

vi THE TIGER 127

confused masses of concentrated briars, which might have con-
cealed a buffalo.

I did not share their opinion, but I concluded that the tiger
was crouching, and that it would allow the elephants to pass close
to its lair without the slightest movement. I accordingly ordered
them to close up shoulder to shoulder, and to take narrow beats
backwards and forwards to include every inch of ground. This
movement was carefully worked out, and in less than fifteen
minutes a sudden roar terrified the elephants, and the tiger charged
desperately through the line ! There was no longer any doubt
about its existence, and we quickly re-formed, and beat back in
exactly the same close order. Twice the charge was repeated, and
each time the line was broken ; one elephant received a trifling
scratch, and the tiger had learned that a direct charge would
enable it to escape.

With only one gun it appeared to be a mere lottery, but the
exitement was delightful, as there was no doubt concerning the
tiger being alive, and very little doubt that it would continue its
present tactics of crouching close-hidden in the dense thicket, and
springing back through the line of elephants as they advanced. I
now changed my position in the line, and taking with me two
experienced elephants, I placed one on my right, the other on my
left ; we then advanced as slowly as it was possible for the elephants
to move, every mahout having strict orders to keep a bright look-
out, and to halt should he see the slightest movement in the bush
before him. No animals were left in the jungle except the tiger,
therefore any movement would be a certain sign of its presence.

"We had been advancing at the rate of about half a mile an
hour, the elephants almost "marking time," when in about the
centre of the jungle one of the mahouts raised his arm as a signal
and halted his elephant. The whole line halted immediately.

I rode towards the spot ; the line opened, and the mahout
explained that he distinctly saw the bushes move exactly in his
front, not more than three or four paces in advance. He declared
that just for one moment he had distinguished something yellow,
and the tiger was in his opinion, even then, crouching exactly
before us. Telling him to fall back, my two dependable elephants
took their places upon the right and left. My mahout advised me
not to advance, but to fire a shot into the supposed position,
which he declared would either kill the tiger or drive it forward.
I never like to fire at hazard, but I was of opinion that it might
provoke a charge, as I did not think that anything would induce
the tiger to move forward after the numerous successful attempts

128 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

in breaking back. I accordingly aimed with the No. 12 smooth-
bore carefully in the direction pointed out by the mahout, and

fired The effect was magnificent ; at the same instant a loud

roar was accompanied by the determined spring of the tiger from
its dense lair. My elephant twisted round so suddenly to the left,
that had I been unprepared I should have fallen heavily against
the rail. Instead of this, my left hand clutched instinctively the
left rail of the howdah, and holding the gun with my right, I fired
it into the tiger's mouth within 2 feet of the muzzle, just as it
would have seized the mahout's right leg. A sack of sand could
not have fallen more suddenly or heavily. The charge of S.S.G-.
had gone into the open jaws.

The remnant of that skull is now in my possession. The lower
jaw absolutely disappeared, being reduced to pulp. All the teeth
were cut away from the upper jaw, together with a portion of the
bone, and several shot had gone through the back of the throat
and palate into the brain. This was a striking example of the
utility of a handy smooth-bore in a howdah for close quarters. If I
had had my favourite -577 rifle weighing 12 lbs., I could not have
used it with one hand effectively, but the 7 lb. smooth-bore was as
handy as a pistol. The wind-up of the hunt was very satisfactory to
my men, all of whom had worked with much intelligence and skill.

There were so many wild pigs throughout the churs below
Rohumari that the tigers declined to kill our baits, as they could
easily procure their much-loved food. Every night our animals
were tied up in various directions, but we found them on the
following morning utterly disregarded. This neglect on the part
of the tigers imposed the necessity of marching in line hap-
hazard for many hours consecutively through all the most likely
places to contain a tiger. Many of the islands were at this dry
season separated from each other by sandy channels where the
contracted stream was only a few inches deep ; it was therefore a
certain proof, should tigers exist upon the islands, if tracks were
discovered on the sand. During the night it was the custom of
these animals to wander in all directions, and it was astonishing
upon some occasions to see the great distances that the tiger had
covered, and the numerous churs that it had visited, either in a
search for prey, or more probably for a companion of its own
species. If there were no tracks in the channel-beds, it might be
safely inferred that there were no tigers in the neighbourhood.
Nevertheless I continued daily to beat every acre of ground,
and we seldom returned till about 4 p.m., having invariably started
shortly after daybreak.

vi THE TIGER 129

It would be natural to suppose that the elephants would have
become accustomed to the scent of tigers, from their daily occupa-
tion, and that their nerves would have been more or less hardened ;
but this was not the case ; on the contrary, some became more
restless, and evinced extreme anxiety when a pig or hog- deer
suddenly rushed from almost beneath their feet. This timidity
led to a serious accident, which narrowly escaped a fatal ter-
mination.

We had been fruitlessly beating immense tracts of withered
grass about 10 feet high, in which were numerous pigs, but no
trace of tigers, and at about noon we met some natives who were
herding cattle and buffaloes. The presence of this large herd
appeared to forbid the chance of finding any tigers in their
vicinity, and upon questioning the herdsmen they at once declared
that no such animals existed in the immediate neighbourhood ; at
the same time they advised us to try fresh ground upon a large
island about two miles distant up the stream.

We crossed several channels, after scrambling with the usual
difficulty down the cliffs, quite 35 feet high, of crumbling alluvial
soil, and at length we reached the desired spot, where a quantity
of tamarisk filled a slight hollow which led from the river's bed
up a steep incline. By this route we ascended, and formed the
elephants into line upon our left. The hollow in which my
elephant remained ran parallel with the line of march, and about
5 feet below. Just as the elephants moved forward, my servant,
who was behind me in the howdah, exclaimed, "Tiger, master,
tiger ! " and pointed to the left in the high grass a few yards in
front of the line of elephants.

I could see nothing ; neither could my man, but he explained
that for an instant only he had caught sight of a long furry tail
which he was sure belonged to either a tiger or a leopard. I
could always depend upon Michael, therefore I at once halted the
line, with the intention of pushing my elephant ahead until I
should discover some tolerably clear space among the high grass,
in which I could wait for the advance of the beating line.

At about a quarter of a mile distant there was a spot where
the grass had been fired while only half ripened, and although the
bottom was burnt, the stems were only scorched, and of that
mingled colour, black and yellow, which matches so closely with
the striped hide of a tiger. There was no better position to be
found ; I therefore halted, and gave the preconcerted signal for a
forward movement.

The line of elephants advanced. I was riding the large tusker

K

130 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Thompson, who became much agitated as a succession of wild pigs
rushed forward upon several occasions, and one lot took to water,
swimming across a channel upon my left. Presently a slow move-
ment disturbed the half-burnt herbage, and I could make out with
difficulty some form creeping silently forward about 40 yards from
my position. It halted, no doubt having perceived the elephant.
It moved again, and once more halted. I now made out that it
was a tiger ; but although I could distinguish yellow and black
stripes, I could not possibly determine any head or tail, therefore
I could only speculate upon its actual attitude. It struck me that
it would probably be facing me, but crouching low. The elephants
were now about 150 yards distant, approaching in a crescent, as
the high grass was not more than the same distance in width.

I determined to take the shot, as I felt sure that the '577 rifle
would cripple the beast, and that we should find it when severely
wounded ; otherwise it might disappear and give us several hours'
hard labour to discover. Taking a very steady aim low down in
the indistinct mass, I fired.

The effect was instantaneous ; a succession of wild roars was
accompanied by" a tremendous struggle in the high grass, and I
could occasionally see the tiger rolling over and over in desperate
contortions, while a cloud of black dust from the recent fire rose
as from a furnace. This continued for about twelve or fifteen
seconds, during which my elephant had whisked round several
times and been severely punished by the driver's hook, when
suddenly, from the cloud of dust, a tiger came rushing at great
speed, making a most determined charge at the nervous Thompson.
Away went my elephant as hard as he could go, tearing along through
the grass as though a locomotive engine had left the rails, and
no power would stop him until we had run at least 120 yards.
During this run, with the tiger in pursuit for a certain distance,
I fully expected to see it clinging to the crupper ; however, by the
time we turned the elephant it had retreated to the high grass
covert.

I felt sure this was the wounded tiger, although Michael
declared that it was a fresh animal, and that two had been
together.

I now pushed the elephant into the middle of the grass, and
holloaed to the line to advance in a half-circle, as I was convinced
that the tiger was somewhere between me and the approaching
elephants.

They came on tolerably well, although a few were rather scared.
At length they halted about 70 yards from me, and, as I knew

vi THE TIGER 131

that the tiger was not far off, I ordered the left wing (on my
right) to close in, so as to come round me, by which movement
the tiger would be forced to within a close shot.

Before the line had time to advance, there was a sudden roar,
and a tiger sprang from the grass, and seized a large muckna
(tuskless male) by the trunk, pulling it down upon its knees so
instantaneously that the mahout was thrown to the ground.

As quick as lightning the tiger relinquished its hold upon the
elephant and seized the unfortunate mahout.

I never witnessed such a hopeless panic. The whole line of
elephants broke up in complete disorder. The large elephant
Hogg, who had been seized, was scaring riderless at mad speed
over the plain ; a number of others had bolted in all directions,
and during this time a continual succession of horrible roars and
angry growls told that the tiger was tearing the man to pieces.
A cloud of dust marked the spot within 70 paces of my position.
It was like a dreadful nightmare ; my elephant seemed turned to
stone. In vain I seized the mahout by the back of the neck and
nearly dislocated his spine in the endeavour to compel him to move
forward ; he dug his pointed hook frantically into Thompson's
head, but the animal was as rigid as a block of granite. This
lasted quite fifteen seconds ; it appeared as many minutes.
Suddenly my servant shouted "Look out, master, another tiger
come ; two tigers, master, not one ! " I looked in the direction
pointed, and I at once saw a tiger crouching as though preparing
for a charge, about 40 yards distant : the animal was upon my
right, and the elephant had not observed it.

I fired exactly below the nose, and the tiger simply rolled upon
its side stone-dead, the bullet having completely raked it. Leaving
the body where it lay, my elephant now responded to the driver's
hook, and advanced steadily towards the spot where we had seen
the cloud of dust which denoted the attack upon the mahout.
Fully expecting to see the tiger upon the man's body, I was stand-
ing ready in the howdah prepared for a careful shot. We arrived
at the place. This was cleared of grass by the recent struggle,
but instead of finding the man's body, we merely discovered his
waist-cloth lying upon the ground a few yards distant. About
15 yards from this bloody witness we saw the unfortunate mahout
lying apparently lifeless in the grass.

We immediately carried him to the river and bathed him in
cool water. He had been seized by the shoulder, and was terribly
torn and clawed about the head and neck, but fortunately there
were no deep wounds about the cavity of the chest. We bandaged

132 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

him up by tearing a turban into long strips, and having made a
good surgical job, I had him laid upon a pad elephant and sent
straight into camp. We then loaded an elephant with the tiger,
which we proved to be the same and only animal (a tigress) which
had charged the elephant after my first shot. The bullet had
struck the thigh bone, causing a compound fracture, and that
accounted for the escape of Thompson without being boarded from
the rear, as she could not spring so great a height upon only three
legs. The furious beast had then attacked the elephant named
Hogg, which, falling upon its knees, had thrown the unready
driver. We subsequently discovered that he had a boil upon his
right foot, which had prevented him from using the rope stirrup y
this accounted for the fall from his usually secure seat.

The tigress, having mauled her victim and left him for dead,
was prepared for an onset upon Thompson had I not settled her
with the *577 bullet in the chest.

On arrival at the camp the man was well cared for, and on
the following morning we forwarded him by boat to the hospital
at Dhubri in charge of the keddah doctor. It was satisfactory to
learn that after a few months he recovered from his wounds, and
exhibited his complete cure by absconding from the hospital unknown
to the authorities, without returning thanks for the attention he
had received.

This incident was an unfortunate example of the panic that
can be established among elephants. It is a common saying that
the elephant depends upon the mahout ; this is the rule for ordinary
work, but although a staunch elephant might exhibit nervousness
with a timid mahout, no driver, however determined, can induce a
timid animal to face a tiger, or to stand its onset. Thompson
had behaved so badly that I determined to give him one more
chance, and to change him for another elephant should he repeat
his nervousness.

A few days after this occurrence, the natives reported a tiger to
be in a thicket of wild rose. We had changed camp to a place
called Kikripani, about eight miles from Rohumari, and I imme-
diately took the elephants to the wild-rose jungle, which was about
two miles distant.

The usual arrangements were made, and I took up a position
upon Thompson in a narrow opening of fine grass which cut at
right angles through the wild-rose thicket. As the elephants
approached in close order, I was certain, from the peculiar sounds
emitted, that a tiger or some unbeloved animal was before them,
and upon the advance of the line to within 30 yards of the open

vi THE TIGER 133

ground a rustling in the bush announced the presence of some
animal which could not much longer remain concealed. Suddenly
a large panther bounded across the open, and I took a snap-shot,
which struck it through the body a few inches behind the shoulder.
It rolled over to the shot, but immediately disappeared in the
thick jungle a few paces opposite.

I called the line of elephants, and we lost no time in beating
the neighbouring bush in the closest order, as I fully expected the
panther would be crouching beneath the tangled mass of foliage.

In a short time the elephants sounded, and without more ado
the panther forsook its cover and dashed straight at Thompson,
seizing this large elephant by the shoulder-joint, and hanging on
like a bull-dog with teeth and claws. Away went Thompson
through the tangled rose-bushes, tearing along like a locomotive !
It was impossible to fire, as the panther was concealed beneath
the projecting [pad below the howdah, and I could not see it. In
this manner we travelled at railway pace for about 100 yards,
when I imagine the friction of the thick bush through which we
rushed must have been too much for the resistance of the attacking
party, and the panther lost its hold; in another instant it dis-
appeared in the dense jungle.

I now changed my elephant, and rode a steady female
(Nielmonne*), and the line having re-formed, we advanced slowly
through the bush. We had not gone 50 yards before the
elephants scented the panther, and knowing the stealthy habits
of the animal I formed a complete circle around the spot, and
closed in until we at length espied the spotted hide beneath the
bush. A charge of buckshot killed it without a struggle.

According to my own experience, there can be no comparison
in the sport of hunting up a tiger upon a good elephant in open
country, and the more general plan of driving forest with guns
placed in position before a line of beaters. By the former method
the hunter is always in action, and in the constant hope of
meeting with his game, while the latter method requires much
patience, and too frequently results in disappointment. Neverthe-
less, to kill tigers, every method must be adopted according to the
conditions of different localities.

Under all circumstances, if possible, a dependable elephant
should be present, as many unforeseen cases may arrive when the
hunter would be helpless in the absence of such an animal ; but,
as we have already seen, the danger is extreme should the
elephant be untrustworthy, as a runaway beast may be an amuse-
ment upon open grass-land, but fatal to the rider in thick forest.

134 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

The only really dependable elephant that I have ever ridden
was a tusker belonging to the Commissariat at Jubbulpur in
1880; this fine male was named Moolah Bux. He was rather
savage, but he became my great friend through the intervention of
sugar-canes and the sweet medium of jaggery (native sugar) and
chupatties, with which I fed him personally whenever he was
brought before me for the day's work ; I also gave him some
bonne-bouche upon dismounting at the return to camp.

Although Moolah Bux was the best elephant I have myself
experienced, he was not absolutely perfect, as he would not remain
without any movement when a tiger charged directly face to face ;
upon such occasions he would stand manfully to meet the enemy,
but he would swing his huge head in a pugnacious spirit pre-
paratory to receiving the tiger upon his tusks.

The first time that I witnessed the high character of this
elephant was connected with a regrettable incident which caused
the death of one man and the mutilation of two others, who
would probably have been killed had not" Moolah Bux been present.
The description of this day's experience will explain the necessity
of a staunch shikar elephant when tiger-shooting, as the position
may be one that would render it impossible to approach on foot
when a wounded and furious tiger is in dense jungle, perhaps with
some unfortunate beater in its clutches.

I was shooting in the Central Provinces, accompanied by my
lamented friend the late Mr. Berry, who was at that time
Assistant-Commissioner at Jubbulpur.

We were shooting in the neighbourhood of Moorwarra, keeping
a line as nearly as possible parallel with the railway, limiting our
distance to 20 miles in order to obtain supplies. This arrange-
ment enabled us to receive 30 lbs. of ice daily from Allahabad, as
a coolie was despatched from the station immediately upon arrival
of the train, the address of our camp being daily communicated to
the stationmaster. It was the hot season in the end of April,
when a good supply of ice is beyond price ; the soda-water was
supplied from Jubbulpur, and with good tents, kuskos tatties, and
cool drinks, the heat was bearable. It was this heat that had
brought the tigers within range, as all water-springs and brooks
were dried up, the tanks had evaporated, and the only water
procurable was limited to the deep holes in the bends of streams
that were of considerable importance in the cooler seasons of the
year. The native headmen had received orders from the Deputy-
Commissioner to send immediate information should any tigers
be reported in their respective districts ; they had also received

VI THE TIGER 135

special instructions to tie up buffaloes for bait should the tracks
of tigers be discovered. The latter order was a mistake, as the
buffaloes should not have been tied up until our arrival at the
locality ; upon several occasions the animals were killed and eaten
some days before we were able to arrive upon the scene.

This was proved to be the case upon our arrival at Bijore',
about nine miles from the town of Moorwarra, where the zealous
official had exhibited too eager a spirit for our sport. Two buffaloes
had been tied up about half a mile apart, near the dry bed of a
river, where in an abrupt bend the current had scooped out a deep
hole in which a little water still remained. Both buffaloes had
been killed, and upon our arrival early in the morning nothing
could be discovered except a few scattered bones and the parched
and withered portions of tough hide.

There were tracks of tigers upon the sand near the drinking-
place, also marks of cheetul and wild pigs, therefore we determined
to drive the neighbouring jungle without delay.

The neighbourhood was lovely, a succession of jungles and open
grass -glades, all of which had been burnt clean, and exceedingly
fine grass, beautifully green, was just appearing upon the dark
brown surface scorched by the recent fire.

There were great numbers of the ornamental mhowa trees,
which from their massive growth resembled somewhat the horse-
chestnut trees of England. These had dropped their luscious wax-
like blossoms, which from their intense sweetness form a strong
attraction to bears and other animals of the forests ; they also
form a valuable harvest for the natives, who not only eat them,
but by fermentation and distillation they produce a potent spirit,
which is the favourite intoxicating liquor of the country.

If game had been plentiful this would have been a charming
hunting-ground, but, like most portions of the Central Provinces,
the animals have been thinned by native pot-hunters to an extent
that will entail extermination, unless the game shall be specially
protected by the Government. When the dry season is far
advanced, the animal can only procure drinking water at certain
pools in obscure places among the hills ; these are well known to
the native sportsman, although concealed from the European. On
moonlight nights a patient watch is kept by the vigilant Indian
hunter, who squats upon a mucharn among the boughs within 10
yards of the water-hole, and from this point of vantage he shoots
every animal in succession, as the thirst-driven beasts are forced to
the fatal post.

Nothing is more disappointing than a country which is in

136 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

appearance an attractive locality for wild animals, but in reality
devoid of game. I make a point of declining all belief in the
statements of natives until I have thoroughly examined the
ground, and made a special search for tracks in the dry beds of
streams and around the drinking-places. Even should footprints
be discovered in such spots, they must be carefully investigated, as
the same animals visit the water-hole nightly, and in the absence
of rain, the tracks remain, and become numerous from repetition ;
thus an inexperienced person may be deceived into the belief that
game is plentiful, when, in fact, the country contains merely a few
individuals of a species. It must also be remembered that during
the dry season both deer, nilgyhe, and many other animals travel
long distances in search of water, and return before daylight to
their secluded places of retreat.

This was the position of Bijore' at the period of our visit ; the
most lovely jungles contained very little game. Although our baits
had been devoured some days ago, I could not help thinking that
the tiger might still be lurking in the locality, as it had been
undisturbed, and there was little or no water in the neighbourhood
excepting one or two drinking-places in the beds of nullahs.

We had 164 beaters, therefore we could command an exten-
sive line, as the jungles, having been recently burnt, were per-
fectly open, and an animal could have been seen at a distance of
100 yards.

Having made all the necessary arrangements, the beat com-
menced. It was extraordinary that such attractive ground
contained so little game. The surface was a delicate green from
the young shoots of new grass, and notwithstanding the enticing
food there were no creatures to consume the pasturage.

Hours passed away in intense heat and disappointment ; the
most likely jungles were beaten with extreme care, but nothing
was disturbed beyond an occasional peacock or a scared hare.
The heat was intense, and the people having worked from 6 a.m.
began to exhibit signs of weariness, as nothing is so tiring as bad
luck. Although the country was extremely pretty it was very
monotonous, as each jungle was similar in appearance, and I had
no idea how far we were from camp ; to my surprise, I was informed
that we had been working almost in a circle, and that our tents
were not more than a mile and a half distant in a direct line.
We came to the conclusion that we should beat our way towards
home, carefully driving every jungle in that direction.

During the last drive I had distinctly heard the bark of a
sambur deer about half a mile in my rear, which would be

vi THE TIGER 137

between me and the direction we were about to take. It is
seldom that a sambur barks in broad daylight unless disturbed by
either a tiger or leopard; I was accordingly in hope that the
sound might be the signal of alarm, and that we might find the
tiger between us and the neighbouring village by our camp,
where a small stream might have tempted it to drink.

Having taken our positions — Mr. Berry amidst a few trees
which formed a clump in a narrow glade outside, and myself
around the corner of a jungle — the beat commenced. I was in the
howdah upon Moolah Bux, and from my elevated position I could
look across the sharp corner of the jungle and see a portion of the
narrow glade commanded by my companion Berry ; upon my side
there was a large open space perfectly clear for about 200 yards,
therefore the jungle was well guarded upon two sides, as the drive
would terminate at the corner.

In a short time the usual monotony of the beaters' cries was
exchanged for a series of exciting shouts, which showed that game
of some kind was on foot. We had lost so much hope, that the
presence of a tiger was considered too remote to restrict our shoot-
ing to such noble game, and it had been agreed to lose no chance,
biit to fire at any animal that should afford a shot. Presently,
after a sudden roar of animated voices, I saw ten or twelve wild
pigs emerge from the jungle and trot across the glade which Berry
commanded. A double shot from his rifle instantly responded.

The line of beaters was closing up. This was a curious con-
trast to the dull routine which had been the character of the drives
throughout the day ; there was game afoot, and the jungle being
open, it could be seen, therefore immense enthusiasm was ex-
hibited by the natives. Another burst of excited voices pro-
claimed a discovery of other animals, and a herd of eight or ten
spotted deer (cheetul) broke covert close to my elephant and
dashed full speed across the open glade. They were all does and
young bucks without antlers, therefore I reserved my fire. We
could not now complain of want of sport, as all the animals ap-
peared to be concentrated in this jungle ; another sudden yelling
of the beaters was quickly followed by a rush of at least twenty
pigs across Berry's glade, and once again his rifle spoke with both
barrels in quick succession. I was in hope that the sambur stag
that I had heard bark in this direction might be still within the
drive, but the beaters were closing up, and the greater portion of
the line had already emerged upon either side of the acute angle.

I now perceived Berry advancing towards me, he having left
his place of concealment in the clump of trees. " Did you see

138 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

him1?" he exclaimed, as he approached within hearing distance.
"See what?" I replied; "have you wounded a boar1?" "A
boar ! No ; I did not fire at a boar, but at a tiger, the biggest
that I ever saw in my experience ! He passed close by me,
within 20 yards, at the same time that the herd of pigs broke
covert ; and I fired right and left, and missed him with both
barrels ; confound it."

This was a most important announcement, and I immediately
dismounted from my elephant to examine the spot where the tiger
had so recently appeared. It must indeed have been very close
to Berry, as I had not seen the beast, my line of view being
limited by the intervening jungle to the portion of the glade across
which the pigs had rushed.

I now measured the distance from Berry's position to the
tracks of the tiger, which we discovered after some few minutes'
search. This was under 20 yards. The question now most
important remained — Was the tiger wounded 1 A minute investi-
gation of the ground showed the mark of a bullet, but we could
find no other. This looked as though it must have struck the
tiger, but Berry was very confident that such was not the case, as
he declared the tiger did not alter his pace when fired at, but, on
the contrary, walked majestically across the narrow glade with
his head turned in the opposite direction from Berry's position.
He was of opinion that the tiger had not been disturbed by the
close report of the rifle, as the noise of 164 beaters shouting at
the maximum power of their voices was so great that the extra
sound of the rifle bore only a small proportion.

We looked in vain for blood- tracks, and having come to the
conclusion that Berry had fired too high in a moment of excitement,
we now made the most careful arrangements for driving the jungle
into which the tiger had so recently retreated.

This formed a contrast to all others that we had beaten during
the morning's work, as it had not been burnt. The fire had
stopped at a native footpath, and instead of the bare ground,
absolutely devoid of grass or dead leaves, the withered herbage as
yellow as bright straw stood 3 feet high, and formed a splendid
cover for animals of all kinds. I felt certain that the tiger would
not leave so dense a covert without an absolute necessity ; at the
same time it was necessary to make a reconnaissance of the jungle
before we could determine upon our operations.

Mounting my elephant Moolah Bux, I begged Berry to take
Demoiselle, and accompanied by a couple of good men we left the
long line of beaters stationed in order of advance along the glade,

vi THE TIGER 139

with instructions to march directly that we should send them the
necessary orders. I begged them upon this occasion not to shout,
but merely to tap the trees with their sticks as their line came
forward.

We proceeded about a quarter of a mile ahead, and then turned
into the jungle on our left. Continuing for at least 300 yards,
we arrived at some open ground much broken by shallow nullahs,
which formed natural drains in a slight depression of grassy land
between very low hills of jungle, through which we had recently
passed. There was a small nullah issuing from the forest, in
which I placed my elephant, and I begged my friend Berry to ride
Demoiselle to a similar place about 200 yards upon my right. I
concluded that should the tiger be between us and the line of
beaters, he would in all probability steal along one or the other of
these nullahs before he could cross the open ground. We now
sent back one of the natives with orders for the line of beaters to
advance. Mr. Berry left upon Demoiselle to take up his position,
while I pushed Moolah Bux well into the jungle in the centre of
the small nullah, which commanded a clear view of about 20
yards around.

In a short time we heard the clacking sound of many sticks,
the beaters having obeyed the injunction, and keeping profound
silence with their voices.

There were no animals in this jungle, probably they had been
frightened by the great noise of the beaters when shouting in the
recent drive ; at any rate, the beat was barren, and having waited
fruitlessly until I could see the men approaching within a few
yards of my position, I ordered the elephant to turn round, with
the intention of proceeding another quarter of a mile in advance,
and thus continuing to beat the jungle in sections until it should
be thoroughly driven out.

I had hardly turned the elephant, when we were startled by
tremendous roars of a tiger, continued in quick succession within
50 yards of the position that I occupied. I never heard either
before or since such a volume of sound proceeding from a single
animal ; there was a horrible significance in the grating and angry
voice that betokened the extreme fury of attack. Not an instant
was lost ! The mahout was an excellent man, as cool as a
cucumber, and never over -excited. He obeyed the order to
advance straight towards the spot, in which the angry roars still
continued without intermission.

Moolah Bux was a thoroughly dependable elephant, but
although moving forward with a majestic and determined step,

140 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

it was in vain that I endeavoured to hurry the mahout ; both
man and beast appeared to understand their business thoroughly,
but to my ideas the pace was woefully slow if assistance was
required in danger.

The ground was slightly rising, and the jungle thick with
saplings about 20 feet in height, and as thick as a man's leg;
these formed an undergrowth among the larger forest trees.

Moolah Bux crashed with ponderous weight through the resist-
ing mass, bearing down all obstacles before him as he steadily
made his way through the intervening growth. The roars had
now ceased. There were no leaves upon the trees at this advanced
season, and one could see the natives among the branches in all
directions as they were perched for safety in the tree-tops, to
which they had climbed like monkeys at the terrible sounds of
danger. "Where is the tiger?" we shouted to the first man we
could distinguish in this safe retreat only a few yards distant.
"Here, here!" replied the man, pointing immediately beneath
him. Almost at the same instant, with a loud roar, the tiger,
which had been lying ready for attack, sprang forward directly for
Moolah Bux.

There were so many trees intervening that I could not fire,
and the elephant, instead of halting, moved forward, meeting the
tiger in its spring. With a swing of his huge head Moolah Bux
broke down several tall saplings, which crashed towards the
infuriated tiger and checked the onset ; whether the animal was
touched by the elephant's tusks I could not determine, but it
appeared to be within striking distance when the trees were broken
across its path. Discomfited for the moment, the tiger bounded
in retreat, and Moolah Bux stood suddenly like a rock, without
the slightest movement. This gave me a splendid opportunity,
and the *577 bullet rolled the enemy over like a rabbit. Almost
at the same instant, having performed a somersault, the tiger dis-
appeared, and fell struggling among the high grass and bushes
about 15 paces distant.

I now urged Moolah Bux carefully forward until I could plainly
see the tiger's shoulders, and a second shot through the exact
centre of the blade-bone terminated its existence.

The elephant had behaved beautifully, and I have frequently
looked back to that attack in thick forest, and been thankful that
I was not mounted upon such animals as I have since that time
had the misfortune to possess. Moolah Bux now approached the
dead body, and at the command of the mahout he pulled out by
the roots all the small undergrowth of saplings and dried herbage

vi THE TIGER 141

to clear a space around his late antagonist. In doing this his
trunk several times touched the skin of the tiger, which he
appeared to regard with supreme indifference.

I gave two loud whistles with my fingers as a signal that all
was over, and we were still occupied in clearing away the smaller
growth of jungle, when a native approached as though very drunk,
reeling to and fro, and at length falling to the ground close to the
elephant's heels ; the man was covered with blood, and he had
evidently fainted. I had an excellent Madras servant named
Thomas, who was behind me in the howdah, and he lost no time
in descending from the elephant and in pouring water over the
unfortunate coolie, from a jar which I handed from beneath the
seat. In a few moments the man showed signs of life, and the
beaters began to collect around the spot. Two men were ap-
proaching supporting a limp and half- collapsed figure between
them, completely deluged with blood ; this was a second victim of
the tiger's attack. Both men were now laid upon the ground,
and water poured over their faces and chests; but during this
humane operation another party was observed, carrying in their
arms the body of a third person, which was hardly to be recognised
through the mass of blood coagulated and mixed with dead leaves
and sand, as the tiger had dragged and torn its victim along the
ground with remorseless fury. This was a sad calamity. There
could be little doubt that when we heard the roars of the
infuriated beast it was attacking the line of beaters, and knocking
them over right and left before they had time to ascend the
trees. The village was only a mile distant, and we immediately
sent for three charpoys (native bedsteads) as stretchers to convey
the wounded men. Demoiselle arrived with Mr. Berry, who came
into my howdah, while the tiger was with some difficulty secured
upon the pad of that exceedingly docile elephant. In this form
we entered the village as a melancholy procession; the news
having spread, all the women turned out to meet us, weeping and
wailing in loud distress, and the scene was so touching that I
began to reflect that tiger-shooting might be fun to some, but
death to others, who, poor fellows, had to advance unarmed
through dangerous jungle.

The reason for this savage attack was soon discovered. As a
rule, there is little danger to a line of beaters provided the tiger
is unwounded, and no person should ever place his men in the
position to drive a jungle when a wounded tiger is in retreat. In
such a case, if no elephants are present, it would be necessary to
obtain the assistance of buffaloes ; a herd of these animals driven

142 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

through the jungle would quickly dislodge a tiger. We now
skinned our late enemy, while a messenger was started towards
Moorwarra, 9 or 10 miles distant, to prepare the authorities for
the reception of our wounded men in hospital.

The skin having been taken off, we discovered a small hole close
to the root of the tail, which had not been observed. Upon a
close examination with the finger, I found minute fragments of
lead, resembling very small shot flattened upon an anvil. The
hole was not deeper than \\ inch in the hard muscle of the rump,
and the only effect of Berry's *577 hollow Express was to produce
this trumpery wound, which had enraged the animal without creat-
ing any serious injury. It is necessary to explain that the bullet
of this rifle was more than usually light and hollow ; but the want
of penetrating power of the hollow projectile, and the dangerous
results, were terribly demonstrated, notwithstanding the large
charge of 6 drams of powder.

A comparison of the effect of my '577 with the same charge
of 6 drams, but with a solid bullet of ordinary pure lead weighing
648 grains, was very instructive. The first shot, when the tiger
was bounding in retreat after it had charged the elephant, had
struck the right flank, and as the animal was moving obliquely,
the bullet had passed through the lungs, then, breaking the
shoulder-bone, it was found in its integrity just beneath the skin
of the shoulder upon the side opposite to that of entry ; it was
very much flattened upon one side, as it had traversed an oblique
course throughout, and had torn the inside of the animal in a
dreadful manner. The second shot, fired simply to extinguish the
dying tiger, passed through both shoulders, but was found under
the skin upon the opposite side, flattened exactly like a mushroom,
into a diameter of about 1J inch at the head, leaving about half
an inch of the base uninjured which represented the stalk. This
was a large tiger, and remarkably thick and heavy, with strong
and hard muscles, nevertheless the penetration of the soft leaden
bullet was precisely correct for that quality of game. If the '577
bullet had been made of an admixture of tin or other alloy
to produce extreme hardness, it would have passed through the
body of the tiger with a high velocity, but the animal would
have escaped the striking energy, which would not have been ex-
pended upon the resisting surface. It is the striking energy, the
knocking-down power of a projectile, that is so necessary when
hunting dangerous game. I cannot help repetition in enforcing
this principle : there is a minimum amount of striking energy in a
light hollow projectile, and a maximum amount in a solid heavy

vi THE TIGER 143

projectile ; keep the latter within the animal to ensure the effect
of the blow ; this will be effected by a bullet made of pure lead
without admixture with other metal, to flatten upon impact, and
by the expansion of surface it will create a terrific wound ; at the
same time it will have sufficient momentum from its great weight
to push forward, and to overcome the resistance of opposing bones
and muscles. A very large tiger may weigh 450 lbs. ; a *577
bullet of 650 grains, propelled by 6 drams of powder, has a strik-
ing energy of 3520 foot-pounds. This may be only theoretical
measurement, but the approximate superiority of 3500 lbs. against
the tiger's weight, 450 lbs., would be sufficient to ensure the
stoppage of a charge, or the collapse of the animal in any position,
provided that the bullet should be retained within the body, and
thus bestow the whole force of the striking energy.

We did all that could be done for our wounded men. The
strength of caste prejudices was so potent that, although in pangs
of thirst from pain and general shock to the system, they would
accept nothing from our hands. I made a mixture of milk with
soda-water, brandy, and laudanum, but they refused to swallow it,
and the only course, after washing their wounds and bandaging,
was to leave them to the treatment of their own people.

One man was severely bitten through the chest and back, the
fangs of the tiger having penetrated the lungs ; he was also clawed
in a terrible manner about the head and face, where the paws of
the animal had first made fast their hold. This man died in a few
hours. The others were bitten through the shoulder and upper
portion of the arm, both in the same manner, and the sharp claws
had cut through the scalp from the forehead across the head to
the back of the neck, inflicting clean wounds to the bone, as though
produced by a pruning-knife. They were conveyed in litters to
the hospital in Moorwarra, where they remained for nearly a
month, at the expiration of which they recovered. The seizure
by the claws was effected without the shock of a blow.

This serious accident was entirely due to a hollow bullet : if a
solid bullet had struck a tiger in the same place it would have
carried away a portion of the spine, and the animal would have
been paralysed upon the spot.

In the absence of a dependable elephant we should have been
helpless, and the tiger might have wounded or killed many others.

CHAPTER VII

the tiger {continued)

The day after the accident described, we were sitting beneath the
shade of a mango grove at about 4 p.m. when a native arrived at
the camp with news that a tiger had just killed a valuable cow
which gave him a large supply of milk, and the body was lying
about two miles distant. The tragic incident of the previous day
had established a panic in the village, and the natives were not in
the humour to turn out as beaters. I quite shared their feeling,
as I did not wish to expose the poor people after the loss they had
sustained ; it was too late for a beat, therefore I determined to
take the two elephants and make a simple reconnaissance, that
might be of use upon the following day.

It was 4.30 p.m. by the time we started, as the two elephants
had taken some time to prepare. The native was tolerably correct
in his estimate of distance, and after passing through a long suc-
cession of glades and wooded hills, broken by deep nullahs, we
arrived at the place, where soaring vultures marked the spot, and
the remains of a fine white cow were discovered, that had been killed
upon the open ground and dragged into the dense jungle. Leaving
Demoiselle in the open, and taking Berry into my howdah upon
Moolah Bux, we carefully searched the jungle until sunset, but
finding nothing, we were obliged to return to camp, having made
ourselves thoroughly acquainted with the conditions of the locality.
On the following morning at daylight I took only twenty men, who
had recovered from their panic, and with the two elephants and a
very plucky policeman we made our way to the place where the
body of the cow was lying on the previous evening. It was gone.
Leaving all the men outside the jungle, we followed on Moolah
Bux, tracking along the course where the tiger had dragged the
carcase, and keeping a sharp look-out in all directions. After
a course of about 150 yards we arrived at a spot where the tiger

cnAP. vn THE TIGER 145

had evidently rested : here it had devoured the larger portion, and
nothing but the head remained. It was impossible to decide
whether jackals or hyaenas had made away with the remnants, or
whether the tiger had carried them off to some secure hiding-place,
but it was highly probable that the animal was not far distant.

The jungle was not more than 5 or 6 acres, and it was sur-
rounded by grass ; we therefore determined to arrange scouts
around, while we should thoroughly but slowly examine the covert
upon the two elephants.

There was nothing in the drive.

The slope upon which the jungle was situated drained towards
an exceedingly deep and broad nullah ; this formed the main
channel, into which numerous smaller nullahs converged from the
surrounding inclination. The general character of the country was
withered grass upon numerous slopes, the tops of which were
covered with low jungle. At the lower portion of the deep nullah
there was a small but important pool of water, as it was the only
drinking-place within a distance of two miles. As usual, there was
a sandbank around this deep pool, which, being in the bend of the
nullah, had been swept out of the opposing bank and deposited
near the drinking-hole. Upon this sandy surface we found several
tracks of tigers, and we arrived at the conclusion that a tiger and
tigress had been together, and that I had killed the male on the
occasion of the accident ; the female would therefore be the animal
of which we were in search.

The nullah was about 20 yards across and 30 feet in depth ;
the banks were in most places perpendicular, and the bottom was
rough with stones, intermingled with bushes, most of which had
lost their foliage. It was quite possible that, after drinking, the
tigress might have lain down to sleep among the bushes, where the
hollowed bank afforded a cool shade ; but I did not like to send
men into the dangerous bottom, and the banks were so steep that
the elephants could not possibly descend.

About 400 paces distant, a large tree grew from the right bank,
and the branches overhung the nullah ; I therefore suggested to
Berry that he should take up a position in the boughs, and that
we would beat towards him by pelting the bottom of the ravine
with stones ; should the tigress break back, I could stop her from
the howdah, and should she move forward, she must pass directly
beneath the tree upon which Berry would be seated. This plan
was carried out, but the plucky policeman insisted upon descending
into the nullah and walking up the bottom, while the natives upon
either side bombarded the banks with stones.

L

146 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

There was absolutely nothing alive in that inviting nullah. I
had walked Moolah Bux slowly along, looking down from the
margin of the ravine, and upon arrival at Berry's perch I took him
up behind me in the rear compartment of the howdah. I felt
almost sure that, although we had drawn a blank up to the present
time, the tigress would be lying somewhere among the numerous
deep but narrow nullahs which drained into the main channel that
we had just examined. We therefore determined to leave all the
men seated upon a knoll on the highest ground, while we should
try the various nullahs upon Moolah Bux ; as he could walk slowly
along the margin so close to the edge that we should be able to
look down into the bottom of each ravine, and in the parched state
of vegetation nothing could escape our view.

The natives were well satisfied with this arrangement, and they
took their seats upon a grassy hill, which afforded a position from
which they could watch our movements.

Moolah Bux commenced his stately march, walking so close to
the hard edge of the deep nullahs that I was rather anxious lest
the bank should suddenly give way. The instinct of an elephant
is extraordinary in the selection of firm ground. Although it
appeared dangerous to me, Moolah Bux was perfectly satisfied that
the ground would bear his weight, and he continued his risky march,
both up and down a number of those monotonous ravines which
scored the slopes in all directions, but without success.

The sun was like fire, and it was difficult to grasp the barrel of
the rifle. It was past noon, and we had been working unceasingly
since 6 a.m. The bottoms of the ravines were filled some feet in
depth with dry leaves, which had fallen from the trees (now
naked) which fringed the banks, therefore we could have seen a
cat had she been lying either in the nullah or upon the barren
sides. "There is no tigress here," said Berry; "this is one of
those sly brutes, that kills and eats, but does not remain near her
kill ; she is probably a couple of miles away while we are looking
for her in these coverless nullahs."

These words were hardly uttered, when we suddenly heard a
rushing sound like a strong wind, which seemed to disturb the
dried leaves in the deep bottom somewhere in our front. At first
I could hardly understand the cause, but in a few seconds a large
tigress sprang up the bank, and appeared about 20 paces in our
front. Without a moment's hesitation she uttered several short
roars, and upon the beautifully clean ground she bounded forward
in full charge straight for Moolah Bux. I never saw a more grand
but unprovoked attack.

vii THE TIGER 147

The elephant was startled by the unexpected apparition, and I
could not fire, as he swung his mighty head upon one side, but
almost immediately he received the tigress upon his long tusks,
and with a swing to the right he sent her flying into the deep
nullah from which she had just emerged.

Although the trees and shrubs were utterly devoid of leaves,
there was unfortunately a large and dense evergreen bush exactly
opposite, called karoonda; the tigress sprang up the bank, and
disappeared behind this opaque screen before we had time to fire.

The mahout, who was a splendid fellow, perceived this in an
instant, and driving his elephant a few paces forward, he turned
his head to the right, giving me a beautiful clear sight of the
tigress, bounding at full speed about 80 paces distant along the
clean surface of parched herbage, up a slight incline.

I heard the crack of Berry's rifle close to my ear, but no effect
was produced. The tigress was going directly away from us, and
Moolah Bux stood as firm as a rock, without the least vibration.
As I touched the trigger, the tigress performed a most perfect
somersault, and lay extended on the bare soil with her head
turned towards us, and her tail stretched in a straight line exactly
in the opposite direction. A great cheer from our men, who had
witnessed the flying shot from their position on the knoll, was
highly satisfactory.

We now turned back, and at length discovered a spot where
the elephant could descend and cross the deep nullah. We then
measured the distance — 82 yards, as nearly as we could step it.
My '577 solid bullet of pure lead had struck the tigress in the
back of the neck ; it had reduced to pulp several of the vertebrae,
and entering the brain, it had divided itself into two portions by
cutting its substance upon the hard bones of the broken skull,
which was literally smashed to pieces.

I found a sharp-pointed jagged piece of lead, representing about
one-third of the bullet, protruding through the right eye-ball • the
remaining two-thirds I discovered in the bones of the face by the
back teeth, where it was fixed in a misshapen but compact mass
among splinters of broken jaw.

Berry's bullet had also struck the tigress, but precisely in the
same place, close to the root of the tail, where he had wounded
the tiger a short time before. Upon arrival at the camp we
skinned the animal, and took special pains to prove the effect of
the unfortunate hollow bullet. This was conclusive, and a serious
warning.

The penetration was only an inch in depth. We washed the

148 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

flesh in cold water, and searched most carefully throughout the
lacerated wound, which occupied a very small area of about 1
inch. In this we found two pieces of the copper plug which
stopped the hole in front of the bullet, together with a number of
very minute fragments or flakes of lead ; these proved that the
extremely hollow projectile had broken up, and was rendered
abortive almost immediately upon impact.

The danger of such a bullet was manifest ; it was almost as
hollow as a hat, and almost as harmless as a hat would be, if
thrown at a charging tiger.

This was an interesting exception to the rule that is generally
accepted, that a tiger will not attack if left undisturbed. If any
person had been walking along the margin of that nullah, he
would have been seized and destroyed without doubt by that
ferocious beast. There was a case in point last year (1888) in the
Reipore district, when Mr. Lawes, the son of the missionary of
that name, was killed by a tigress, which was the first to attack.
This animal was reported by the natives to be in a certain nullah
within a short distance of the camp. The young man, who was
quite inexperienced,, took a gun, and with a few natives proceeded
to the spot on foot. Looking over the edge of the nullah in the
hope of finding the tiger lying down, he was suddenly startled by
an unexpected attack ; a tigress bounded up the steep bank and
seized Mr. Lawes before he had time to fire. The animal did not
continue the attack, but merely shook him for a few moments, and
then retreated to her lair ; he was so grievously wounded that he
died on the following day, after his arrival in a litter at Reipore.

Many people imagine that a tiger attacks man with the intention
of eating him, as a natural prey; this is a great mistake. The
greater number of accidents are occasioned by tigers which have no
idea of making a meal of their victims j they may attack from
various reasons. Self-defence is probably their natural instinct ;
the tiger may imagine that the person intends some injury, and it
springs to the attack ; or it may be lying half asleep, and when
suddenly disturbed it flies at the intruder without any particular
intention of destroying him, but merely as a natural result of
being startled from its rest. When, driven by a line of beaters,
the tiger breaks back, it may be readily understood that it will
attack the first individual that obstructs its retreat, but in no case
will the tiger eat the man, unless it is a professional man-eater.

The cunning combined with audacity of some man-eaters is
extraordinary.

A few years ago there was a well-known tiger in the Mandla

vn THE TIGER 149

district which took possession of the road, and actually stopped
the traffic. This was not the generally accepted specimen of a
man-eater, old and mangy, but an exceedingly powerful beast of
unexampled ferocity and audacity. It was a merciless highway-
man, which infested a well-known portion of the road, and levied
toll upon the drivers of the native carts, not by an attack upon
their bullocks, but by seizing the driver himself, and carrying him
off to be devoured in the neighbouring jungle. It had killed a
number of people, and nothing would induce a native to venture
upon that fatal road with a single cart ; it had therefore become
the custom to travel in company with several carts together, as
numbers were supposed to afford additional security. This proved
to be a vain expectation, as the tiger was in no way perplexed by
the arrangement ; it bounded from the jungle where it had lain in
waiting, and having allowed the train of carts to pass in single file,
it seized the driver of the hindmost, and as usual carried the man
away, in spite of the cries of the affrighted companions.

Upon several occasions this terrible attack had been enacted,
and the traffic was entirely stopped. A large reward was offered
by the Government, but without effect ; the man-eater never could
be found by any of the shikaris.

At length the Superintendent of Police, Mr. Duff, who unfor-
tunately had lost one arm by a gun accident, determined to make
an effort at its destruction, and he adroitly arranged a plan that
would be a fatal trap, and catch the tiger in its own snare. He
obtained two covered carts, each drawn as usual by two bullocks.
The leading cart was fitted in front and behind with strong bars
of lashed bamboo, which formed an impervious cage ; in this the
driver was seated, while Mr. Duff himself sat with his face towards
the rear, prepared to fire through the bars should the tiger, accord-
ing to its custom, attack the driver of the rearmost cart. This
would have been an exciting moment for the driver, but Mr. Duff
had carefully prepared a dummy, dressed exactly to personate the
usual native carter ; the bullocks, being well trained, would follow
closely in the rear of the leading cart, from which a splendid shot
would be obtained should the tiger venture upon an attack.

All went well ; the road was desolate, bordered by jungle upon
one side, and wild grass-land upon the other. They had now
reached the locality where the dreaded danger lay, and slowly the
carts moved along the road in their usual apathetic manner. This
must have been an exciting moment, and Mr. Duff was no doubt
thoroughly on the look-out. Suddenly there was a roar ; a large
tiger bounded from the jungle, and with extraordinary quickness

150 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

seized the dummy driver from his seat upon the rearmost cart, and
dragged the unresisting victim towards the jungle !

Nothing could have been better planned, but one chance had
been forgotten, which was necessary to success. No sooner had
the tiger roared, and bounded upon the cart, than the affrighted
bullocks, terrified by the dreadful sound, at once stampeded off the
road, and went full gallop across country, followed by Mr. Duff's
bullocks in the wildest panic. It was impossible to fire, and after
a few seconds of desperate chariot race, both carts capsized among
the numerous small nullahs of the broken ground, where bullocks
and vehicles lay in superlative confusion ; the victorious man-eater
was left to enjoy rather a dry meal of a straw-stuffed carter, instead
of a juicy native which he had expected.

This was a disappointment to all parties concerned, except the
dummy driver, who was of course unmoved by the failure of the
arrangement.

The story is thoroughly authenticated, and has been told to me
by the Commissioner of the district exactly as I have described it.
The tiger was subsequently killed by a native shikari, when watch-
ing from a tree over" a tied buffalo.

Although the tiger as a " man-eater" is a terrible scourge, and
frequently inflicts incredible loss upon the population of a district,
there are tigers in existence which would never attack a human
being, although they exist upon the cattle of the villages, and have
every opportunity of seizing women and children in their immediate
neighbourhood. About nine years ago there was a well-known
animal of this character at a place called Bhundra in the Jubbulpur
district, which was supposed to have killed upwards of 500 of the
natives' cattle. This was a peculiarly large tiger, but so harmless
to man that he was regarded merely in the light of a cattle-lifter,
and neither woman nor child dreaded its appearance. The natives
assured me that during fourteen years it had been the common
object of pursuit, both by officers, civilians, and by their own
shikaris, but as the tiger was possessed by the devil it was quite
impossible to destroy it. This possession by an evil spirit is a
common belief, and in this instance the people spoke of it as a
matter of course that admitted of no argument ; they assured me
that the tiger was frequently met by the natives, and that it
invariably passed them in a friendly manner without the slightest
demonstration of hostility, but that it took away a cow or bullock
in the most regular manner every fourth day. It varied its atten-
tions, and having killed a few head of cattle belonging to one
village, it would change the locality for a week or two, and take

vii THE TIGER 151

toll from those within a radius of four or five miles, always return-
ing to the same haunts, and occupying or laying up in the same
jungle. The great peculiarity of this particular tiger consisted in
the extreme contempt for firearms : it exposed itself almost with-
out exception when driven by a line of beaters, and when shot at
it simply escaped, only to reappear upon the following day. I was
informed that everybody that had gone after it had obtained a
shot, but bullets were of no use against a devil, therefore it was
always missed.

I was 30 miles distant when I heard of this tiger, and I
immediately directed our course towards Bhundra. It was a pretty
and interesting place, where the presence of rich hematite iron ore
has from time immemorial induced a settlement of smelters. There
are jungle-covered low hills upon which large trees are growing, yet
all such important mounds are composed of refuse from furnaces,
which were worked some hundred years ago.

We arrived there early in May during the hottest season, and
the clear stream below the village, rushing over a rocky bed, was
a sufficient attraction to entice the animals from a great distance.
This would account for the permanent residence of tigers.

The headman was a Thakur, a person of importance, and, as
our camp had been sent forward on the previous day, we found
everything in readiness upon our arrival; the Thakur and his
people were in attendance.

After the usual salutations, I inquired concerning the celebrated
tiger : " How long was it since it had been heard of 1 "

The Thakur placidly inquired of our attendant, and I was
informed that three days had elapsed since it killed the last cow ;
it would therefore in all probability kill another animal to-morrow.
There was no excitement visible, but the natives spoke of the tiger
as coolly and as unconcernedly as though it had been the postman.

My shikari was present, and I ordered him to tie up a good
large buffalo, in prime condition, as the tiger was in the habit of
selecting the best cattle for attack. After some delay, an excellent
buffalo was brought for inspection, about sixteen months old, in
fine condition, and there was little doubt that the tiger would
attack, as the period had arrived when they might expect a kill.

The Thakur knew the exact position for the buffalo as bait,
and he coolly assured me that the tiger would certainly kill, and
that on the following day I should as certainly get a shot, but
that the bullet would either fall from the hide, or in some way
miss the object. He declared that upon several occasions he had
himself obtained a shot, like everybody else, but it was useless,

152 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

therefore he had long since ceased to take the trouble. This was
rather interesting, and added to the excitement.

At daybreak on the following morning my eager shikari with
several natives arrived, with news that the buffalo was killed and
dragged into a dry bed of a rocky nullah within the jungle j and
from the high bank they had seen the tiger devouring the hind-
quarters. This was satisfactorj', although I was afraid that the
tiger might have been disturbed by the inquisitiveness of the
people ; however, they laughed at the suggestion, and the beaters
being ready, we sallied out to make a drive for a hopeless beast
that was possessed by the devil.

The natives had been accustomed for so many years to act as
beaters for this well-known animal that they had not the slightest
nervousness ; they knew the ground thoroughly, and the old
mucharns, which had been vainly occupied so often, had simply
been strengthened, but were ready in their original positions.

We had a large force of men, and several shikaris of long
experience in the locality; it was accordingly a wise course to
remain silent, as the people would have been confused by un-
necessary orders.

Having left the line of men in position, we were taken about
a mile in advance. I had given my shikari a double-barrelled gun,
and I ordered him to take his stand as instructed by the natives ;
he accordingly disappeared, I knew not where. We entered the
jungle, and presently descended the face of a small hill ; then
crossing a nullah, I was introduced to my mucharn ; this was
arranged upon a large tree which grew exactly upon the margin,
and commanded not only the deep nullah beneath, but two other
smaller nullahs which it met at right angles only a few paces
distant. This looked well, as the tiger would probably slink along
these secluded watercourses, in which case I should obtain a
splendid shot. I climbed from the back of my steady elephant
into the lofty perch; the people and animals left me to watch,
squatted in a most uncomfortable position, as at that time I had
not invented my charming turnstool.

At least an hour passed before I even heard the beaters. At
length, amidst the cooing of countless doves, I detected the distant
thud, thud of a tom-tom, and then the confused sound of many
excited voices.

A few peacocks ran across the nullah ; then a small jungle-
sheep made the dead leaves rattle as it dashed wildly past ; and
almost immediately I heard a quick double shot about 200 yards
upon my left.

vii THE TIGER 153

I knew this must be my shikari, Sheik Jhan, and I felt sure
that he had missed, as the two shots were in such rapid succession.
If the first had struck the object, the second would not have been
fired so quickly ; if the first had missed, the exceeding quickness
of the second shot would suggest confusion.

After waiting at least ten minutes without a sound of any
animal, I whistled for the elephant, and descending from my post,
I rode towards the position of Sheik Jhan.

A crowd of beaters were assembled, some of whom were engaged
in searching for the bullets which he had fired, both of which had
missed the tiger when within 12 yards' distance, although march-
ing slowly over the sands and rocks in the bed of a large river \
the natives were digging with pointed sticks into a grassy mound
of sand.

Sheik Jhan described that an immense tiger had quietly passed
close to him, but that no doubt it had a devil, as neither bullet
had taken the least effect.

This was the customary termination ; therefore no other course
was left than to return to camp, the result having verified the
prediction of the natives.

We now steered direct for the carcase of the buffalo, about 1 \
mile distant. Upon our arrival in the rocky bed of a dry river,
where the smell of the tiger was extremely strong, we found the
remains of the buffalo, a small portion of which had been eaten ;
I was assured by those who knew the habits of this tiger that it
would return during the night, and that upon the following morn-
ing we should certainly obtain another shot.

I amused myself during the day by visiting the various smelt-
ing furnaces, all of which were upon a small scale, although
numerous, and the method pursued was the same which I have
found invariable among savage people. This consists in strong
bellows worked by hand, the draught being sustained by continual
relief of blowers, while the furnaces are constructed of clay, in the
centre of which a small hole contains about a bushel of finely
broken ore. Some powdered limestone was used as a flux, and
the produce of a hard day's work, with five or six men employed,
was about 15 lbs. of iron of the finest quality. This was never
actually in a fluid molten state, but it was reduced when at white
heat to a soft spongy mass resembling half-melted wax ; it was
then alternately hammered and again subjected to a white heat,
until it arrived at the required degree of purity. The fuel was
^harcoal prepared from some special wood.

In the evening I pondered over the failure of Sheik Jhan, who

154 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

declared that the tiger had taken him by surprise, as it had
appeared while the beaters were so far distant that he could only
just distinguish their voices. I came to the conclusion that this
was the reason which explained the general escape of this wary
animal, as it moved forward directly that the line of beaters
entered the jungle, instead of advancing in the usual manner
almost at the end of the beat. The sudden apparition of the tiger
before it was expected would probably startle the gunner, who by
firing in a hurry would in many instances entail a miss. Having
well considered the matter, I determined to make myself more
comfortable on the morrow, by padding the mucharn with the
quilted pad of the riding elephant, and by sitting astride a tightly
bound bundle of mats.

I would not allow any person to visit the carcase on the follow-
ing morning, as I accepted the natives' assurance that the tiger
would return to its kill ; I gave orders that all beaters were to be
in readiness, and we were to start together.

The morning arrived, and we started with a large force of
nearly 200 men.

Upon approaching the spot where the carcase of the buffalo
was left, I dismounted, and with only one man, I carefully inspected
the position. The body had been dragged away. That was
sufficient evidence, and I would not risk a disturbance of the
jungle by advancing farther upon the tracks.

In order to maintain the most perfect silence, the beaters were
kept at a considerable distance, and the line was to be formed only
when a messenger should be sent back to say that the guns were
already in position.

The native shikaris now assured me in the most positive
manner that the tiger would certainly advance along the nullah,
and would pass immediately beneath the tree upon which my
mucharn of yesterday was placed.

Upon arrival at the tree I arranged the quilted pad and bundle
of rugs in the mucharn, and having instructed my men to clear
away a few overhanging creepers that in some places intercepted
the line of sight along the nullah, I took my place, having care-
fully screened myself by intertwining a few green boughs to the
height of 2 feet around my hiding-place.

I was comparatively in luxury upon the quilted mattress, and I
waited with exemplary patience for the commencement of the beat
in solitary quiet. A long time elapsed, as our messenger had to
return about a mile before the line should receive orders to
advance.

vii THE TIGER 155

In the meanwhile I studied the ground minutely. I could see
for 50 yards along the nullah, also there was a clear view where
it joined the other approaches by which the tiger was expected.
Exactly in front, on the other side the nullah beneath me, the
jungle rose in a tolerably steep inclination upon a slope which
continued for several hundred yards. If the tiger were to quit
the nullah by which it would approach upon my left, it would
probably cross over this hill to ensure a short cut, instead of
continuing along the bottom of the nullah ; this is frequently the
habit of a tiger.

It was difficult to decide whether the beat had commenced,
owing to the ceaseless cooing of the numerous doves, but presently
a peacock flew into the tree upon my right, and almost immedi-
ately two peahens ran over the dead leaves, which made an
exciting rustle in the quiet nullah. I felt sure that the beaters
were advancing, as the peafowl were disturbed ; I therefore kept
in readiness, with rifle at full cock, as I felt sure that should the
tiger exhibit himself, he would be far in advance of the approach-
ing drive.

My ears were almost pricked with the strain of expectation,
and I shortly heard the unmistakable beat of the native tom-tom.

Hardly had the sound impressed itself upon the ear, when a
dull but heavy tread upon the brittle leaves which strewed the
surface arrested my attention. This was repeated in so slow but
regular a manner, that I felt sure it denoted the stealthy step of a
tiger. I looked along the different nullahs, but could see nothing.
The sound ceased for at least a minute, when once more the tread
upon dead leaves decided me that the animal was somewhere not
far distant. At this moment I raised my eyes from the nullahs
in which he was expected, and I saw, through the intervening
leafless mass of bushes upon the opposing slope, a dim outline of
an enormous tiger, so indistinct that the figure resembled the
fading appearance of a dissolving view. Slowly and stealthily the
shadowy form advanced along the face of the slope, exactly cross-
ing my line of sight. This was the " possessed of the devil " that
had escaped during so many years, and I could not help thinking
that many persons would risk the shot in its present position,
when the bullet must cut through a hundred twigs before it could
reach the mark, and thus would probably be deflected. The tiger
was now about 40 yards distant, and although the bushes were all
leafless, there was one exception, which lay in the direct path the
tiger was taking, a little upon my right ; this was a very dense
and large green bush called karoonda. Exactly to the right, upon

156 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the edge of this opaque screen, there was an open space about 9
or 10 feet wide, where a large rotten tree had been blown down :
and should the tiger continue its present course it would pass the
karoonda bush and cross over the clear opening. I resolved to
wait; therefore, resting my left elbow upon my knee, I covered
the shoulder of the unconscious tiger, and followed it with the
•577 rifle carefully, resolved to exorcise the devil that had for so
long protected it.

The shouts of the beaters were now heard distinctly, and the
loud tom-tom sounded cheerfully as the line approached. Several
times the tiger stopped, and turned its head to listen ; then it dis-
appeared from view behind the dense screen of the karoonda bush.

I lowered the rifle, to rest my arm for a moment. So long a
time elapsed, that I was afraid the tiger had turned straight up
the hill in a direct line with the bush, and thus lost to sight ; I
had almost come to this sad conclusion, when a magnificent head
projected from the dark green bush into the bright light of the open
space. For quite 15 seconds the animal thus stood with only the
head exposed to view, turned half-way round to listen. I felt
quite sure that I could have put a bullet through its brain ; but I
waited. Presently it emerged, a splendid form, and walked slowly
across the open space. At the same moment as I touched the
trigger, the tiger reared to its full height upon its hind legs, and
with a roar that could have been heard at a couple of miles' dis-
tance it seized a small tree within its jaws, and then fell backwards ;
it gave one roll down the slope, and lay motionless. The devil was
cast out.

I never saw such enthusiastic rejoicing as was occasioned by the
death of this notorious tiger. The news ran like fire through the
neighbouring villages before we had completed the packing of the
animal upon Demoiselle. I had no means of weighing this tiger,
but it was the heaviest I have ever seen, and although we had four
poles beneath its body and a great number of willing men at the
extremities, we had great difficulty in loading Demoiselle. By the
time we had completed the operation we had a large crowd in
attendance, all of whom followed the elephant upon the march
towards our camp bearing the body of the tiger, which had been
the scourge of their herds during so many years.

At least 300 women and children assembled to satisfy themselves
that their enemy was really dead. The women kissed his feet
and wiped their eyes with the tip of his tail ; for what purpose
could not be explained.

As this animal had lived in luxury, it was immensely fat, and

vii THE TIGER 157

we filled numerous chatties with this much-loved grease, to be used
as ointment for rheumatic complaints. Unfortunately at that time
I had no weighing machine, therefore it was impossible to judge
the weight with accuracy, but we computed that the fat alone
amounted to 70 lbs. avoirdupois. The tiger was certainly upwards
of 500 lbs.

I found the '577 bullet of pure lead had entered exactly at the
shoulder-joint, which it had smashed to atoms, carrying splinters
of bone through the lungs ; passing through the ribs upon the
opposite side, it had smashed the left shoulder, and was fixed
beneath the skin, expanded like a mushroom.

There was no danger to any person employed in this hunt, but
I have described it as an apt example of a cunning tiger, which
escaped so many attempts upon its life that it was regarded as
"uncanny."

My servant Thomas was quite delighted, as he had offered to
bet that, " devil or no devil, his master's rifle would kill him, if he
got a shot."

CHAPTER VIII

THE LEOPARD (FELIS PARDUS AND LEOPARDUs)

It has been generally admitted that the great variety of this species
renders a classification almost impossible. Different countries
adopt special names for the varieties which inhabit the localities ;
the leopard may be termed a panther, or cheetah, or wild cat, or
even a jaguar, but it remains a leopard, differing in size, colour,
and form of spots, but nevertheless a leopard. I shall therefore
accept that name as including every variety. Although the genus
Felis embraces in its nomenclature all the various representatives,
from the lion (Felis Leo) to the ordinary domestic cat, the two
principal examples of the race, the lion and tiger, are totally dis-
tinct from all others in their natural characters. The leopard is
far more daring ; at the same time it is infinitely more cautious,
and difficult to discover.

No lion or tiger can ascend a tree unless the branches spring
from within 4 or 5 feet of the ground ; even then it would be con-
trary to the habits of the animal to attempt an ascent, although it
might be possible under such favourable circumstances. A leopard
will spring up a smooth-barked tree with the agility of a monkey ;
and there is a small species which almost lives among the branches
(F. Macroscelis), from which it leaps upon its prey when passing
unconsciously beneath.

An examination of the skins of leopards from various portions
of the globe exhibits a striking difference in colouring and quality
of fur. We find the snow leopard, which inhabits the Himalayahs
and other lofty mountain ranges, with a fur of great value, deep
and exceedingly close, while the spots are not determined as
distinct black, but are shaded off by gray. This species is gener-
ally found on altitudes of from 8000 to 10,000 feet, or even higher.
In Manchuria and the Corea there is a species which is unknown
in India ; this is a large animal, with a peculiarly rich and deep

chap, vni THE LEOPARD 159

fur when killed during winter; the black spots are exceedingly
large, and are formed in rings. A skin in my possession measures
7 ft. 9 in. in length ; the tail is full, and the fur long ; this is
unusually beautiful, and it must have inhabited some lofty altitude
where the temperature was generally moderate.

In Africa the leopards have almost invariably solid black spots,
very close together upon the back, and becoming less crowded
towards the belly and flanks. In Ceylon there are two distinct
varieties — the large panther, generally about 7 ft. 6 in. in length,
and a smaller leopard, which inhabits the mountains ; in that
island of misnomers they are both included in the name cheetah.

In India there are several varieties, and the largest is generally
distinguished as a panther. There is no animal more commonly
distributed in the world than the leopard, and no tropical country
is free from this universal pest, unless an island formation has
excluded its unwelcome presence.

It is difficult to determine the limit in the gradation of size at
which this animal merges from the leopard into the wild cat. The
varieties of cats are so numerous that I do not pretend to describe
them • some are of sufficient importance to be classed among the
smaller leopards, while others are no larger than the ordinary
domestic cat. These vary through every shade of feline colouring,
from spots to stripes, or to a fulvous brown similar to the tawny
coat of a lioness ; but, notwithstanding the difference in shades
and spots, in cats and in the true leopard or panther the character
is the same. They are all cunning, ferocious, and destructive,
and I believe that far more cattle and goats are killed by leopards
throughout the Indian Empire than by the usually accredited
malefactor, the tiger.

The largest and most beautifully marked of the leopards is the
jaguar of South America. This is the size of a small tigress, and
is more heavily framed than any of the leopards ; the head is
especially large, and the animal might almost be termed a spotted
tiger. The rings are peculiarly marked, and waved instead of
being circular.

The cheetah or hunting leopard is a distinct species, and
although classed among the leopards, it is altogether different,
both in habits and appearance ; the claws, although rather long,
are not retractile, neither are they curved to the same extent as
all others of the genus Felis, but they resemble somewhat the toe-
nails of the dog. I shall accordingly separate this animal from
the ordinary class of leopards, and give it a separate existence as
an object of natural history.

160 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

The panther or larger variety of leopard is about 7 ft. 6 in. in
length, and has been known to approach closely upon 8 feet, but
this would be an unusual size. This animal is exceedingly power-
ful, with massive neck and strongly developed legs. The weight
of a fine specimen would be from about 160 lbs. to 170 lbs.
Although heavy, there is no animal more active, except the monkey,
and even those wide-awake creatures are sometimes caught by the
ever-watchful panther. Stories are told of accidents that have
occurred when the hunter has been pulled out of his tree, from
which imaginary security he was watching for his expected game.
It is impossible to deny such facts, although they are fortunately
rare exceptions to the general rule ; but there can be no doubt
that a panther or leopard would attack upon many occasions when
a tiger would prefer to slink away.

The habits of the leopard are invariably the same, it prowls
stealthily about sunset and throughout the night in search of prey.
It seizes by the throat and clings with tenacious claws to the
animal's neck, until it succeeds either in breaking the spine, or in
strangling its victim, should the bone resist its strength. When
the animal is dead, the leopard never attacks the hind-quarters
first, according to the custom of the tiger, but it tears the belly
open, and drags out all the viscera, making its first meal upon the
heart, lungs, liver, and the inside generally. It then retreats to
some neighbouring hiding-place, and, if undisturbed, it will return
to its prey a little after sundown on the following day.

It is far more difficult to circumvent a leopard than a tiger ;
the latter seldom or never looks upwards to the trees, therefore it
does not perceive the hidden danger when the hunter is watching
from his elevated post ; but the leopard approaches its kill in the
most wary and cautious manner, crouching occasionally, and
examining every yard of the ground before it, at the same time
scanning the overhanging boughs, which it so frequently seeks as
a place of refuge. Upon many occasions, when the disappointed
watcher imagines that the leopard has forsaken its kill, and that
his patience will be unrewarded, the animal may be closely
scanning him from the dense bush, under cover of which it was
noiselessly approaching. In such a case the leopard would retreat
as silently as it had advanced, and the watcher would return home
from a fruitless vigil, under the impression that the leopard had
never been within a mile of his position. One of the cleverest
birds in creation is the ordinary crow of all tropical countries,
which lives well by the exercise of its wits ; nothing escapes the
observation of this bird, and it is the first to discover the body of

VIII

THE LEOPARD 161

any animal that may have been killed. Should one or more of
these birds be perched in the trees after sunset, near the carcase
of an animal, and should it utter a " caw," when at that late hour
it should have gone to roost, you may be assured that it has espied
an approaching leopard, although it may be invisible to your own
sight. The watcher should be careful not to move, but to redouble
his vigilance in keeping a bright look-out, as the leopard will be
equally upon its guard should it hear the cry of the warning
crow.

There is very little sport afforded by this stealthy animal, and
it is almost useless to organise a special hunt, as it is impossible
to form any correct opinion respecting its locality after it has
killed an animal. It may either be asleep in some distant ravine,
or among the giant branches of some old tree, or beneath the rocks
in some adjacent hill, or retired within a cave, but it has no
special character or custom that would guide the hunter in arrang-
ing a beat according to the usual rules in the case of tigers. The
leopard is merely a nuisance, and as such it should be treated as
vermin, and exterminated if possible.

There are various forms of traps adopted by the natives in
different countries ; the most certain is the old-fashioned fall,
similar upon a large scale to the common fall mouse-traps. These
should be permanent fixtures in various portions of the jungles,
and they should be baited whenever the tracks of a leopard may
be discovered in the neighbourhood. The trap is formed by an
oblong 10 feet by 3 of very strong and straight palisades, sunk 2
feet deep in the ground, and well pounded in with stones. These
should be 5 feet high, with a fall door at one end. The top should
be closely secured with heavy cross-pieces of parallel logs, well
weighted with big stones.

The rear of this trap should be partitioned with bamboo cross-
bars to form a cage, in which either a goat or a village dog should
be tied as a living bait. Leopards are particularly fond of dogs,
and the advantage of such a bait during the night consists in the
certainty that the dog, finding itself alone in a strange place, will
howl or bark, and thereby attract the leopard. The partition
must be made of sufficient strength to protect the animal from
attack. In Africa the natives form a trap by supporting the fallen
trunk of a large tree in such a manner that it falls upon the
leopard as it passes beneath to reach the bait. This is very
effective in crushing the animal, but it is exceedingly danger-
ous, like all other African traps, as it would kill any person or
other creature that should attempt to pass. Newera Ellia, the

M

162 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

mountain sanatorium of Ceylon, was always well furnished with
leopard -traps upon the permanent system, and the leopards,
which were at one time a scourge of the neighbourhood, were
considerably reduced. In 1846 I introduced English breeds of
cattle and sheep, and started an agricultural settlement at that
delightful mountain refuge from tropical heat; but the leopard
became our greatest enemy, and although the cattle were well
housed at night, and carefully watched when at pasture during the
day, our losses were severe. I observed a peculiarity in the attacks
by leopards j they seldom appeared upon a bright summer day, but
during the rainy season, when the wind was howling across the
plain, and driving the cold mist and rain, the cattle were off their
guard, and generally turned their tails to the chilly blast. It was
invariably during such weather that the leopards attacked. The
watchman was probably wrapped in his blanket, wet, and shiver-
ing beneath a tree, instead of remaining on the alert, and this
auspicious moment was selected by the leopard for a successful
stalk upon the unsuspecting herd. I have frequently lost both
cows and sheep, that were attacked and killed in broad daylight,
and the leopards were generally of sufficient strength to break the
neck of a full-grown beast. It should be remembered that the
native cattle are much smaller than those of Europe, and I do
not think it would be possible for a leopard to dislocate the neck
of any English cow. An example occurred when unfortunately a
valuable Ayrshire cow was attacked, and the leopard completely
failed in the usual dexterous wrench, but the throat was so
mangled that the cow died within a few days, although the
leopard was driven away by the watchman almost immediately
upon its onset.

The wounds from the claws of a leopard are exceedingly danger-
ous, as the animal is in the habit of feeding upon carcases some
days after they have been killed ; the flesh is at that time in an
incipient stage of decomposition, and the claws, which are used to
hold the flesh while it is torn by the teeth and jaws, become
tainted and poisoned sufficiently to ensure gangrene by inoculation.
The claws of all carnivora are five upon each of the fore feet, in-
cluding the useful dew-claw, which is used as a thumb, and
thoroughly secures the morsel while the animal is pulling and
tearing away the muscles from the bones.

A wound from either a tiger or a leopard should be thoroughly
syringed with cold water mixed with -g^th part of carbolic acid,
and this syringing process should be continued three times a day
whenever the wound is dressed. Nothing should be done but to

viii THE LEOPARD 163

wrap the wound with linen rag soaked in the same solution, and
keep it continually wetted.

The daring of a leopard during night is extraordinary. I have
frequently during wet weather discovered in the early morning a
regular beaten track in the soft earth, where a leopard has been
prowling round and round a cattle-shed containing a herd of
animals, vainly seeking for an entrance.

At one time my own blacksmith had a nocturnal adventure
with a leopard which afforded a striking example of audacity. A
native cow had a calf; this being her first-born, the mother was
exceedingly vicious, and it was unsafe for a stranger to approach
her, especially as her horns were unusually long, and pointed.
The cattle-shed was scarped out of the hillside, and was within a
few feet of the blacksmith's house. The roof was thatched.
During the night, a leopard, which smelt the presence of the cow
and calf, mounted the roof of the shed and proceeded to force an
entrance by scratching through the thatch. The cow at the same
time had detected the presence of the leopard, and, ever mindful
of her calf, she stood ready to receive the intruder, with her sharp
horns prepared for its appearance. It is supposed that upon the
leopard's descent it was at once pinned to the ground, before it had
time to make its spring.

The noise of a tremendous struggle aroused the blacksmith,
who, with a lantern in his hand, opened the cattle-shed door and
discovered the cow in a frantic stage of rage, butting and tossing
some large object to and fro, which evidently had lost all power of
resistance. This was the leopard in the last gasp, having been
run through the body by the ready horns of the courageous mother,
whose little calf was nestled in a corner, unmindful of the maternal
struggle.

No sooner had the blacksmith appeared upon the scene, than
the character of the conflict changed, and the cow, regarding him
in the light of a fresh enemy, left the crumpled body of her
antagonist and charged straight at her proprietor, who dropped his
lantern and flew to the arms of his wife, whom he had left in bed.
After some delay, during which the courage of all parties was re-
stored, excepting that of the crippled leopard, the cow was appeased,
and a shot from a pistol through the head of the enemy closed the
episode.

Every resident in India is aware of the depredations committed
by this pestilent class of the carnivora. Lions and tigers may be
dangerous in the jungles in every country which they inhabit, but
they never invade the actual premises ; it is exactly there where

164 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the leopard is to be feared. Nothing is too small or too large for
its attack ; from a fowl upon the roost to a cow in the pasturage,
all that belongs to the domestic stock is fair game for the wily
leopard.

The cautious approach of this animal is so wary that a dog is
pinned by the neck and carried off before it is aware of the presence
of its enemy. Upon one occasion in Africa we were bivouacked
for the night on the banks of the Settite river, and no sound dis-
turbed the repose of the camp. Suddenly a leopard bounded into
the centre, where the Arabs were sleeping around the embers of a
splendid fire, and seizing one of the dogs, it sprang into the dark-
ness, carrying its captive with it. The remaining dogs rushed off
in pursuit, together with all the Arabs with swords and shields,
and the leopard dropped its prize about 150 yards from our
enclosure. The unfortunate dog had been surprised in its sleep,
and it died in a few hours from the injuries sustained, the neck
and throat being terribly lacerated. It would have been natural
to suppose that the dogs would have given an alarm on the
approach of the wild animal, but the noiseless tread of the leopard,
as usual, was unheard, even in the extreme stillness of a calm
night. The sudden attack of a leopard is generally so unexpected
that a dog has no time for self-defence, and being invariably seized
by the neck, it is at once rendered helpless, and cannot utter a
warning shriek before it is carried off. I was walking with a very
powerful bull terrier at Newera Ellia in Ceylon, when the dog, who
was running through the jungle within a few yards of me, suddenly
disappeared without a cry, and was never heard of again ; this
same dog would have made a good defence had it confronted the
leopard face to face.

On another occasion a dog named Matchless, a cross between
foxhound and pointer, was seized by a leopard in open day when,
together with a pack of hounds, walking through a jungle-path at
Dimbola, not far from Newera Ellia. The leopard sprang suddenly
from a tree, and, seizing the dog, immediately ascended, and took
refuge among the boughs with the hound suspended in its mouth.
The entire pack bayed the audacious enemy ; it then dropped the
dog and jumped from tree to tree, followed beneath by the excited
hounds. At length the leopard reached a large tree, which was
sufficiently isolated to prevent it from springing to any adjoining
branches. In this position it was surrounded, and became the
central object, where it remained snarling at the infuriated pack.
The party of hunters now commenced a bombardment with stones,
and a lucky hit induced the leopard to either jump or fall into the

viii THE LEOPARD 165

middle of the hounds. There was an exceedingly large dog named
Pirate, a cross between mastiff and bloodhound ; he immediately
seized the leopard, and a general fight ensued, the whole pack
supporting Pirate in his attack. Captain E. Palliser, late 7th
Hussars, quickly thrust his hunting-knife under the shoulder, and
in a few minutes the hounds were worrying a dead leopard.

Some few years ago the hounds belonging to the late Mr.
Downall hunted a leopard at Newera Ellia, and a tremendous
struggle ensued. There were several very powerful and large
seizers among the pack, and the enemy was overmatched, but
although the big dogs had the mastery of the animal, they could
not actually kill it outright. General J. Wilkinson was on the
spot, and he thrust his hunting-knife into the fatal spot ; but he
was a little too slow in withdrawing the blade ; the dying leopard
made a quick blow with its fore paw, and inflicted a serious wound
upon his hand, lacerating the muscles of the thumb to a degree
that rendered surgical treatment necessary for several weeks.
When using the hunting-knife, extreme dexterity is to be observed
in delivering the stab, and instantaneously recovering the weapon.
There is no object to be gained by keeping the knife within the
wound, and there is considerable danger of injury to the hand. If
the knife is used by an expert it will never be held with the point
downwards like a dagger, but the handle will be grasped for a
direct thrust, as though the weapon were a sword. In this position
the knife is always well under command, and it can be instantly
withdrawn and the thrust repeated upon a favourable opportunity.

I had a very savage and powerful dog many years ago which
was a cross of Manilla bloodhound with some big bitch at the Cape
of Good Hope. This animal weighed upwards of 130 lbs., and
became a well-known character in the pack, which I kept for seven
years in Ceylon. Although I never actually witnessed a duel
between this dog and a leopard, such an event frequently took
place. It was the custom of Smut to decline all control, and when
the hounds were secured in couples to prevent them from following
the scent of a leopard, should recent tracks be visible in the jungle,
this determined dog would erect the bristles on his back, emit low
growls when summoned back, and would disappear to hunt up,
single-handed, the scent of the dreaded enemy. Upon these
occasions Smut would be unheard of during the remainder of the
day, and he would return to kennel in the evening, proudly trotting
along, covered with blood and wounds, but always so fierce that he
refused all aid and medical attendance ; he was merely ready for
his dinner. He had of course tackled his adversary, and indulged

166 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS ciiap.

his propensity for a stand-up fight, with results which we never
could discover; probably the leopard had been glad to retire
honourably from the uncertain conflict. This grand dog was
ultimately killed in a fight with an immense boar, and his name
will reappear in connection with the sambur deer, misnamed the
" elk," throughout Ceylon.

It is most discouraging to lose good dogs through the stealthy
attacks of leopards, and in looking back to the list of casualties
among the pack when I kept hounds in Ceylon it is distressing to
see the number which were taken by these unsparing animals. If
a hound is lost in the jungle, it will certainly sit down and howl,
thereby exhibiting considerable intelligence, as it is, in fact,
crying for assistance ; but such a cry will attract the ever-wary
leopard, who will probably approach by leaping from tree to tree,
and pounce upon the unfortunate dog before it is aware of the
impending danger. The hound that would have offered a stout
resistance if boldly attacked face to face, has no more chance than
an Irish landlord when shot at by an assassin secreted behind a
wall by the roadside.

This noiseless approach may be imagined from an incident
which occurred to me in Abyssinia, when watching a pool by
moonlight, in a deep bend of the river Royan during the dry season ;
all streams had evaporated, excepting an occasional deep hole in a
sudden curve of the exhausted bed. Hours had been passed, but
nothing larger than antelopes had appeared. We were sitting
beneath a very large tree completely denuded of leaves, and the
moon was shining brightly, producing a sharp outline of every
bough. Suddenly my wife pulled my sleeve and directed my
attention to a large animal crouched upon the branches exactly
above us. I might have taken a splendid shot, but I at first
imagined it to be a dog-faced baboon (Cynoceplialus) that had been
asleep upon the tree. I stood erect to obtain a clearer view, and
at once the object sprang to the ground within a few feet of us and
bounded into the jungle. This was a leopard, which had probably
reached the tree by means of some neighbouring branch, and so
noiselessly that we had not discovered its presence. The animal
had evidently winded us, and determined to reconnoitre our
position.

In every country the natives are unanimous in declaring that
the leopard is more dangerous than the lion or tiger, and I quite
agree in their theory that when any dangerous animal is met with,
the traveller should endeavour to avoid its direct gaze. It is an
error to suppose that the steady look from the human eye will

VIII

THE LEOPARD 167

affect an animal by a superior power, and thereby exert a subduing
influence; on the contrary, I believe that the mere fact of this
concentration of a fixed stare upon the responding eyes of a savage
animal will increase its rage and incite attack. If an animal sees
you, and it imagines that it is itself unobserved, it will frequently
pass by, or otherwise retreat, as it believes that it is unseen, and
therefore it has no immediate dread ; but if it is convinced that
you mean mischief, by staring it out of countenance, it will in all
probability take the initiative and forestall the anticipated attack.

A leopard will frequently attack if it is certain that your eyes
have met, and it is always advisable, if you are unarmed, to
pretend to disregard it, at the same time that you keep an acute
look-out lest it should approach you from behind. Wherever I
have been in Africa, the natives have declared that they had no
fear of a lion, provided that they were not hunting, as it would
certainly not attack them unprovoked ; but that a leopard was
never to be trusted, especially should it feel that it was discovered.
I remember an occasion when the dry grass had been fired, and
a native boy, accompanied by his grown-up brother, was busily
employed with others in igniting the yellow reeds on the opposite
bank of a small stream, which had checked the advance of the
approaching flames. Being thirsty and hot, the boy stooped down
to drink, and he was immediately seized by a leopard, which sprang
from the high grass. His brother, with admirable aim, hurled his
spear at the leopard while the boy was in its jaws ; the point
separated the vertebrae of the neck, and the fierce brute fell stone
dead. The boy was carried to my hut, but there was no chance
of recovery, as the fangs had torn open his chest and injured the
lungs ; these were exposed to view through the cavity between his
ribs. He died during the night. The muscular strength of the
jaws and neck is very marked in all the carnivora, and the skull
when cleaned is most disappointing, and insignificant if compared
with the size of a living head. This is especially the case with
leopards, and it is difficult to believe that>so small a pair of jaws
can inflict a deadly wound almost immediately.

I have already remarked upon the wide difference in the size of
leopards, showing that the largest, which are sometimes known as
panthers, are almost equal to a small tigress. Some of this class
possess extraordinary power, in carrying a heavy weight within
their jaws. At a place called Soonbarro, in the Jubbulpur dis-
trict, we were camped upon a large open space entirely devoid of
bush. The ground was free from grass, and dusty, therefore the
surface would expose every track. Three full-grown sheep were

168 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

tied to the cook's tent, well secured to a strong peg. In the
morning only two remained, but the large tracks of a leopard or
panther were deeply printed in the dust, and the sheep had been
carried off bodily, as a big dog would carry a hare. The jungle
at the base of a range of hills, almost perpendicular and full of
caves, was the great resort of leopards, bears, and jackals ; the
sheep had been actually carried quite half a mile without leaving
a trace upon the ground to show that it had been partially dragged,
or that the leopard had stopped to rest. This was an admirable
proof of a great carrying power, as nothing could have moved upon
that dusty surface without leaving a well-printed trace.

Although the cubs of leopards are charming playthings, and
exhibit much intelligence and apparent affection, it is a great mis-
take to adopt such companions, whose hereditary instincts are cer-
tain to become developed in full-grown life and lead to grave disaster.
The common domestic cat is somewhat uncertain with her claws,
and most people must have observed that should they be themselves
spared the infliction of a feline scratch, the seats and backs of
morocco chairs are well marked by the sharp talons, which cannot
refrain from exercising their power upon any substance that tempts
the operation. I remember a leopard in Khartoum that was con-
sidered tame ; this beast broke its chain, and instead of enjoying
its liberty in a peaceful manner, it at once fastened upon the throat
of a much-prized cow, and would have killed the animal had it not
been itself beaten to death with clubs by a number of stout slaves
of the establishment. All such creatures are untrustworthy, and
they should be avoided as domestic pets. The only class of leopard
that should become the companion of man is the most interesting
of the species : this is the hunting leopard (Felis jubata). I have
never met a person who has shot one of this species in a wild state,
and such an animal is rarely met with in the jungle. Most people
are under the impression that the hunting leopard with non-
retractile claws is incapable of climbing a tree ; I was myself of this
opinion until I actually witnessed the act, and the animal ran up
a tree with apparent ease, ascending to the top.

The Felis jubata is totally different in shape from all other
leopards. Instead of being low and long, with short but massive
legs, it stands extremely high ; the neck is long, the head small, the
eyes large and piercing ; the legs are long, and the body light. The
tail is extremely long, and thick ; this appears to assist it when
turning sharply at full speed. The black spots upon the skin are
very numerous, and are simply small dots of extreme black, with-
out a resemblance of rings. It is generally admitted that the

vni THE LEOPARD 169

hunting leopard is the fastest animal in the world, as it can over-
take upon open ground the well-known black-buck, which surpasses
in speed the highest bred English greyhound. I have never had
experience of this animal in a wild state ; those I have known were
as gentle as dogs. It is a common mistake to suppose that they
invariably approach their game by a stealthy stalk, followed by a
few tremendous bounds, only to slink back if disgraced by defeat.
I have seen them run a long course in the open, exactly like a grey-
hound, although the pace and action have resembled the long swing-
ing gallop of a monkey. The nature of this beautiful creature is
entirely opposed to the cat-like crouching tactics of the ordinary
leopard : its large and prominent eyes embrace a wide field of view ;
the length of neck and legs, combined with the erect attitude of the
head, denotes the character of the animal, as it includes a vast
distance in its gaze, showing that it seeks its game upon a wide
expanse of plain, instead of surprising the prey by an unexpected
and treacherous attack. This is the only species that is a useful
companion to man when engaged in field sports ; and the native
princes of India have from time immemorial been accustomed to
train the Felis jubata for hunting deer and antelopes, precisely as
European nations have adopted the greyhound for the coursing of
hares.

The Guikwar of Baroda possesses first-class hunting leopards,
and I had an opportunity of witnessing many good hunts when
enjoying his hospitality at Dubka in 1880. The whole of that
country is rich alluvial soil, which produces vast agricultural
wealth. The fields are divided by exceedingly thin live fences
formed by a species of Euphorbia ; the country being flat, it
affords the perfection of ground for riding, therefore such sport
as pig-sticking or coursing may be enjoyed to the fullest extent.
During our visit the Guikwar had most kindly arranged every
kind and style of sport, including a pack of hounds, half a dozen
well-trained cheetahs (hunting leopards), and a posse of hawks
and falcons with their numerous attendants. The position of
Dubka was supposed to be most favourable for a hunting centre,
about 18 miles from the capital Baroda. There was a large
palace for the Guikwar, and a convenient bungalow for his
friends, situated about 30 yards from the cliff, which, 100 feet
above the stream, commanded an imposing view of the river;
this flowed beneath, about J mile in width during flood-time, but
was now reduced to 300 or 400 yards in the dry season. A few
miles from the bungalow there was a magnificent country for the
cheetahs, as the ground, having been subject to inundations, was

170 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

now perfectly dry, and exposed a large plain, like an open race-
course, upon which the young grass was about 2 inches high. In
the neighbourhood of this plain there were a few low hills covered
with sparse jungle, and for several miles around, the flat surface
was more or less overgrown with bush, interspersed with patches
of cultivation.

On the first day's journey we travelled along a dusty road, which
had never been metalled, for the reason that no stone existed in
the neighbourhood ; the wheels of the carriages sank deeply in the
sandy loam, and the saddle was a far more enjoyable seat than a
struggling wheeled conveyance. The falconers enlivened the jour-
ney by several flights at herons and cranes, which were very
numerous in the marshes that bordered occasional lakes or j heels.
We had the opportunity of observing the sagacity of a peregrine
falcon, which, immediately upon being unmasked, rose straight in the
air, instead of following the heron on its direct course. At first I
imagined that it did not see the bird, which flew very high, and
kept above the lake. Presently the falcon took a totally opposite
direction, soaring to an altitude that reduced it to a mere speck.
By this time the heron had cleared the large expanse of water, and
was at a great height, perpendicular with the dry land beneath.
The falcon made a sudden swoop, and with the velocity of a meteor
it shot downwards upon an oblique course towards the unlucky
heron. This bird had evidently been watching the impending
danger, and it attempted to evade the attack by rising rapidly in
the air, in order to destroy the advantage which a higher altitude
had conferred upon the enemy. It was too slow : the falcon shot
like an arrow to the mark, and struck the heron with such force
that for the moment both birds, hanging together, fell for about
100 feet, as though hit by a rifle bullet. After the first blow, the
large wings of the heron expanded, and checked the rapid fall ; the
falcon was fixed upon its back, holding the neck in its sharp beak,
while it clung to the body with its claws. In this position the two
birds slowly descended towards the ground, twirling round and
round in their descent from a height of about 1000 feet.

In the meantime the falconers had been galloping at full speed
around the lake, towards the spot upon which they had expected
the birds to fall. The falcon was very savage, and it continued to
tear the neck of the heron even when captured by the men. This
was a cruel exhibition, as the head falconer, having taken possession
of the birds, brought them to be admired, the heron being still
alive, while the peregrine was tearing at its bleeding neck. He
appeared surprised that I insisted upon its being killed, and he at

vin THE LEOPARD 171

once replaced the hood upon the falcon and prepared for another
flight. He explained the reason for the peculiar behaviour of the
falcon in taking a different direction from its game ; it was afraid
of the water beneath, into which both birds must have fallen had
the heron been struck before it had cleared the surface ; it had
therefore attained a high altitude in a different direction, from
which it could swoop obliquely when the lake no longer lay beneath
them. This man was a high authority, and he assured me that
many well-trained falcons would decline to strike a bird when flying
across water, as they thoroughly understood the danger.

We had several good flights, in one of which a large crane suc-
cumbed after a very severe struggle, which seemed to test the
utmost strength of the peregrine, but in every case the attack was
delivered from a superior altitude, which left no chance of escape
to the bird beneath ; the result depended upon the power of the
falcon to continue its hold during the struggles of the heavier and
more powerful bird.

On the day following our arrival at Dubka, we devoted ourselves
to hunting the black-buck with cheetah. In this sport, all persons,
excepting the keepers of the animals, are simply spectators, and no
interference is permitted. Each cheetah occupies a peculiar cage,
which forms the body of a cart, drawn by two bullocks. When
game is expected, the cheetah is taken from the cage, and occupies
the outside seat upon the top, together with the keeper. The
animal is blinded by a hood, similar to that worn by the falcon,
and it sits upright like a dog, with the master's arm around it,
waiting to be released from the hood, which it fully understands is
the signal that game is sighted.

There were plenty of black-buck, and we were not long in find-
ing a herd, in which were several good old buck, as black as night.
Nothing could be more favourable than the character of the ground
for the natural habits of the cheetah. The surface was quite flat
and firm, being a succession of glades more or less open, surrounded
by scattered bush. A cheetah was now taken from its cage, and
it at once leapt to the top, and sat with its master, who had re-
leased it from the hood. After an advance of about 200 yards,
the wheels making no noise upon the level surface, we espied the
herd of about twenty antelopes, and the cart at once halted until
they had slowly moved from view. Again the cart moved forward
for 70 or 80 paces, and two bucks were seen trotting away to the
left, as they had caught a glimpse of the approaching cart. In an
instant the cheetah was loosed ; for a moment it hesitated, and
then bounded forward, although the two bucks had disappeared.

172 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

We now observed that the cheetah not only slackened its pace, but
it crept cautiously forward, as though looking for the lost game.

We followed quietly upon horseback, and in a few seconds we
saw the two bucks about 120 yards distant, standing with their
attention fixed upon us. At the same instant the cheetah dashed
forward with an extraordinary rush ; the two bucks, at the sight
of their dreaded enemy, bounded away at their usual speed, with
the cheetah following, until all animals were lost to view among
the scattered bushes.

We galloped forward in the direction they had taken, and in
less than 300 yards we arrived at the spot where the cheetah had
pinned the buck ; this was lying upon its back without a struggle,
while the firm jaws of the pursuer gripped its throat.

The cheetah did not attempt to shake or tear the prey, but
simply retained its hold, thus strangling the victim, which had
ceased all resistance.

The keeper now arranged the hood upon the cheetah's head,
thus masking the eyes, which were gleaming with wild excitement,
but it in no way relaxed its grip. Taking a strong cord, the
keeper now passed -it several times around the neck of the buck,
while it was still held in the jaws of the cheetah, and drawing the
cord tight, he carefully cut the throat close to the teeth of the
tenacious animal. As the blood spurted from the wound, it was
caught in a large but shallow wooden bowl or ladle, furnished
with a handle. When this was nearly full, the mask was taken
off the cheetah, and upon seeing the spoon full of blood it relaxed
its grasp and immediately began to lap the blood from its well-
known ladle. When the meal was finished, the mask or hood was
replaced, and the cheetah was once more confined within its cage,
as it would not run again during that day.

The wooden ladle is, to the cheetah, an attraction corresponding
to the " lure " of a falcon ; the latter is an arrangement of feathers
to imitate a bird. The ladle is known by the cheetah to be
always connected with blood, which it receives as a reward after a
successful hunt ; therefore, when loose, and perhaps disobedient to
a call, it will generally be recovered by exhibiting the much-loved
spoon, to which it returns, like a horse to a sieve of oats.

We now uncarted a fresh cheetah, and were not kept long
waiting before we came upon a lot of antelopes, most of which
were females and young bucks. At length, after careful stalking
by driving the bullock-cart in an opposite direction to the herd,
and then slightly turning to the left, in the endeavour to decrease
our distance, we saw a fine buck standing alone within 100 yards,

CO

1^.

Tin THE LEOPARD 173

as we had not been observed while advancing through the
scattered bush.

The cheetah lost not a moment, but springing lightly to the
ground, it was at full speed, and within 50 yards before the
unwary buck perceived it. Taken by surprise, instead of bound-
ing off in mad retreat, this gallant little buck lowered its sharp-
pointed horns and stood on the defence against the onset of its
fierce antagonist. This was a pretty but a pitiable sight, as I
knew that the odds were terribly against the buck ; but in another
instant the actual encounter took place, and I was surprised to see
how well the plucky buck conducted the defence. It actually
charged the advancing cheetah, and stopped its rush. The cheetah
held back, and again the buck rushed in ; but as we advanced, the
poor little beast was evidently frightened at the people, and it
turned to run. The moment that the cheetah saw its opportunity,
it sprang forward ; we saw the blow of the paw, delivered as quick
as lightning upon the right haunch, and the gallant little buck
was on its back, with its throat hopelessly throttled in the
cheetah's jaws.

We were sorry for this termination, as I should like to have
witnessed the result, had we not disturbed the fight by our
presence. The keepers did not regard the affair in the same light,
as they declared the cheetah might have been injured severely by
the horns, but that eventually it would have killed the black-buck.

In a couple of days we had killed a number of these beautiful
animals, but I became tired of the sport, as the affair was invari-
ably over in a couple of minutes. One thing was certain, the
cheetahs were first-rate, and there was none of the skulking and
slinking back, which I had read of as characteristic of the hunting
leopard.

This style of hunting must naturally depend upon the condition
of the ground. We had hunted the localities that were in favour
of the cheetah, when scattered bush admitted of a tolerably close
approach ; but after a couple of days we had scared the black-buck
to such a degree that they entirely forsook the sparse covert, and
took to the bare open plain, where it was simply impossible to
approach them unobserved. This intensified the pleasure, as
hitherto the cheetahs had triumphed in almost every hunt.

I accordingly suggested that we should confine our party to
three mounted persons and three carts, with of course the same
number of cheetahs, and endeavour to obtain some real coursing
upon the open plain.

We started. There was hardly a bush upon the wide expanse

174 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

of level ground, as smooth as a billiard table ; only two or three
trees occupied this large area, and they were unhealthy specimens,
which looked as though periodical inundations had disagreed with
them. We arrived upon this great natural race-course, and the
binoculars were at once in request to scan the distant surface in
search of the desired game. In a short time, as we advanced
leisurely, constantly halting to take an observation, we discovered
a considerable herd of about thirty or forty antelopes, among which
there were two bucks perfectly black; these were feeding upon
the short young grass in the very centre of the open ground. The
question arose, " How in the world shall we get near them ? " It
was determined that our three horses should as much as possible
conceal themselves on the right side of the three carts, and that
they should attempt the approach by moving in a circle, getting
nearer and nearer to the herd, as the black-buck family might
become less shy, and more accustomed to the appearance of the
carts. This plan was cleverly carried out by the drivers, and in
about twenty minutes we had, by circling and alternately advanc-
ing direct, got to within 300 yards' distance. The herd was all
together, as several .times they had stopped feeding to gaze at our
party, after which they had trotted off a little distance, and then
closed up, as though for mutual protection, which gave confidence.
We again halted, to try the effect upon the herd. They merely
looked up, and for the moment ceased feeding, but almost immedi-
ately one of the bucks made an unprovoked attack upon the other,
apparently with the intention of driving it away from the females.
Instead of retreating from the insult, the affronted buck at once
returned to the encounter, and a tremendous fight was the
immediate result, the two combatants charging each other like
rams, and boring, first one, then the other backward, with the
greatest fury. During this duel the herd of females stood
entranced, as admiring spectators of the struggle.

Not so our drivers, who, instead of their hitherto wary tactics,
now prodded their bullocks with the sharp -pointed sticks, and
drove at full trot straight towards the combatants. In this
manner we gained a position within half a minute that we should
perhaps never have obtained had the bucks remained in peaceful
tempers ; the females perceived the danger of our approach, and
they started off, leaping in their usual manner many feet in the
air perpendicularly at every bound, leaving the two stupid males in
the ecstasy of a mortal struggle.

We reached a position within about 120 yards before the two
fools observed us. They at once left off fighting, and having

VIII

THE LEOPARD 175

regarded us in astonishment for half a second, one dashed off to
the left, and the other to the right, across the open plain devoid of
bush, or ruts, or any obstacle to the highest speed.

At that same moment a cheetah that had been held in readi-
ness leapt airily to the ground, and the chase commenced after
the right-hand buck, which had a start of about 110 yards. The
keeper simply begged us not to follow until he should give the
word.

It was a magnificent sight to see the extraordinary speed of
both the pursued and the pursuer. The buck flew like a bird
along the level surface, followed by the cheetah, who was laying
out at full stretch, with its long, thick tail brandishing in the air.
They had run about 200 yards, when the keeper gave the word,
and away we went as hard as the horses could go over this first-
class ground, where no danger of a fall seemed possible. I never
saw anything to equal the speed of the buck and cheetah; we
were literally nowhere, although we were going as hard as horse-
flesh could carry us, but we had a glorious view.

The cheetah was gaining in the course, literally flying along
the ground, while the buck was exerting every muscle for life or
death in its last race. Presently, after a course of about a quarter
of a mile, the buck doubled like a hare, and the cheetah lost
ground as it shot ahead, instead of turning quickly, being only
about 30 yards in the rear of the buck. Recovering itself, it
turned on extra steam, and the race appeared to recommence with
increased speed. The cheetah was determined to win, and at this
moment the buck made another double, in the hope of shaking off
its terrible pursuer ; but this time the cheetah ran cunning, and
was aware of the former game ; it turned as sharp as the buck ;
gathering itself together for a final effort, it shot forward like an
arrow, picked up the distance that remained between them, and
in a cloud of dust for one moment we could distinguish two forms.
The next instant the buck was on its back, and the cheetah's fangs
were fixed like an iron vice upon its throat.

The course run was about 600 yards, and it was worth a
special voyage to India only to see that hunt. The cheetah was
panting to an extent that made it difficult to retain its hold.
There were a few drops of blood issuing from a prick through the
skin of the right haunch, where the cheetah's nails had inflicted a
trifling wound when it delivered the usual telling blow of the fore
paw, that felled the buck to the ground when going at full speed ;
beyond this there was no blood, until the keeper cut the throat in
the customary manner, and the cheetah, much exhausted, was led

176 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, viii

to its cage. This was a very exceptional hunt, and a friend who
was present declared he had never seen anything to equal it,
although he had been all his life in India.

We had several courses, but nothing equalled this exciting
hunt. On one occasion the cheetah was slipped at too great a
distance, the herd being at least 350 yards ahead. The animal,
after a vain effort, was well aware of the impossibility; it
accordingly ran up a solitary tree with the agility of a monkey.

From this height the cheetah surveyed the retreating herd of
antelopes, and refused to descend when summoned. It was
necessary for the attendant to mount the tree, but the difficulty
was increased by the cheetah making unamiable faces as the man
approached his perch. The wooden ladle was now produced as a
lure, and after some hesitation the animal followed the man as he
descended ; the hood was adjusted over the eyes, and the cheetah
was replaced within its cage.

From the description given of the various classes of leopards,
the destruction committed by these animals may be easily imagined ;
fortunately they do not breed like our domestic cats, but they
seldom have more than two, or at the most three cubs at a birth.
I have always been of opinion that the Government should cease
to offer a reward for the destruction of tigers (50 rupees), but
that an increased reward should be given for the death of every
leopard (25 rupees). The tigers will be always killed by Euro-
peans who do not require the inducement of a bonus, and the sum
of 25 rupees would incite the natives to trap and destroy a com-
mon pest and scourge (the leopard), which seldom or never affords
the hunter a chance of sport.

The cheetah (Felis jubata) should be exempted from this
decree, as it seldom attacks domestic animals, but confines its
attention to the beasts of the plains and forests.

CHAPTER IX

THE LION (FELIS LEO)

I have left this grand example of the genus Felis to conclude the
species, as the tiger is so closely associated with the elephant that
I was forced to accord it a place in direct sequence.

In the early days of the world's history the lion occupied a very
extensive area ; it was common in Mesopotamia, and in Syria, in
Persia, and throughout the whole of India. It is now confined to
a limited number in Guzerat, and a few in Persia. Beyond these
localities it has ceased to exist in Asia. There can be little doubt
that, unless specially protected, it will become extinct in Asia
within the next hundred years.

Africa is the only portion of the globe where the lion remains
lord of the forest, as the king of beasts. The question has
frequently been discussed, " Why should the lion have vanished
from the scene where in ancient days he reigned in all his glory1?"
The answer is simple, the lions have been exterminated.

There is a nobility in the character of a lion which differs
entirely from the slinking habits of tigers, leopards, and the feline
race in general. Although the lion is fond of dense retreats, he
exposes himself in many ways, which the tiger seldom or never
does, unless compelled by a line of beaters. This exposure, or
carelessness of concealment, renders his destruction comparatively
easy.

On the other hand, the lioness brings forth a numerous family,
generally five or six at a birth, which should keep up the number
of the race ; in spite of this prolific nature, the lion having from
time immemorial been an attraction to the mighty hunter, man
has proved too much for him.

The Indian species is considerably smaller than the African
variety, and the mane is seldom so dark in colour, or so shaggy.

I have never seen any lion in confinement that conveys the

N

178 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

same expression of bulk and massive strength as the wild animal.
It would be difficult to compare the relative power of a lion with
that of a tiger, as the animals differ in form and muscular develop-
ment. I have never weighed a lion, but I feel convinced that a
fine specimen would be heavier than an equally well-selected
example of a tiger, as the former is immensely massive, especially
about the chest and shoulders. The head and neck are larger,
although, when boiled and cleaned, the skull does not exceed in
size that of an ordinary tiger. It may be safely stated that a lion
which measures 9 ft. 8 inches in length would weigh heavier than
a tiger of the same dimensions. I have already described that
the tiger when springing to the attack does not strike a crushing
blow, but merely seizes with its claws. A lion, on the contrary,
strikes with terrible strength, at the same time that it fixes its
claws upon its victim. The force of this blow is terrific, and
many a man has been killed outright as though struck with a
sledge-hammer. An instance of this fatal onset deprived me of a
most intelligent and excellent German, with whom I was associated
during a hunting season in the Soudan.

Florian was a Bavarian who came to Khartoum in the service
of the Austrian Mission, employed as a mason. This man had a
natural aptitude for mechanical contrivances, and quickly abandon-
ing the Jesuit Mission, after the completion of the extensive con-
vent at the junction of the two Niles, he and a carpenter of the
same nation formed a partnership of hunters and traders, establish-
ing themselves at Son on the frontier of Abyssinia. They built a
couple of circular huts of neatly squared stones, and not only shot
hippopotami in the Atbara river, but manufactured extremely good
whips from their skins. These were very superior in finish to the
ordinary " courbatch " of the Arabs, and they met with a ready
sale. Florian excelled as a carpenter, although a mason by profes-
sion; he made exquisite camel saddles for the Arab sheiks; these
(moghaloufa) were cut from the heart of a tough wood which
never warped (Ehamnus Lotus), and were highly prized by the
experienced Arabs of the desert. The rainy season was industri-
ously employed in such useful manufactures, and when the dry
months arrived, these two excellent men started upon hunting
expeditions, and combined business with pleasure.

Although Florian was clever with both head and hands, he was
a bad shot ; his guns were of a common and dangerous descrip-
tion, one of which burst, and blew his left thumb and forefinger
off. After his recovery from this accident he still excelled in
work, but he was exceedingly clumsy with his weapons, which

ix THE LION 179

were always going off by accident. Upon several occasions these
unintentional explosions took place so close to my own head that
I suggested it would be safer should he adopt solitary rambles
instead of shooting in company.

One night he killed an elephant while watching by moonlight
at a drinking-place. On the following morning he sent a trust-
worthy Tokroori native with an axe to cut out the tusks. The
man presently returned with the news that a large lion had eaten
a portion of the elephant, and was lying asleep close by, beneath
a tree.

Florian immediately gave his man a single-barrelled rifle, and
taking a double smooth-bore himself, the two proceeded together
towards the spot. Upon arrival at the place where the body of
the elephant was lying, the lion was immediately discovered
beneath a leafless bush, where it had been seen by the Tokroori.
The animal appeared to be thoroughly gorged with elephant's flesh,
and, half asleep in the hot sun, it took very little notice of the
two men, but remained crouched upon the bare ground, neither
grass nor leaves at that dry season existing to form a cover for
retreat.

Florian advanced boldly to within about 20 yards, the lion
merely regarding him with sleepy astonishment, until he took aim
and fired. He missed ! The lion instantly assumed an attitude
ready for a spring. Florian aimed between the eyes, and again
fired. He missed again ! The response was immediate : the lion
gave a roar, and bounded forward ; with a terrific blow upon the
head it felled the unfortunate Florian to the ground, and seized
him by the neck. Almost at the same moment the faithful
Tokroori rushed forward to assist his master, and, afraid to fire
lest he should hit him by mistake during the confusion of the
struggle, he actually pushed the muzzle of the rifle into the lion's
ear and pulled the trigger. The lion fell dead upon the lifeless
body of Florian.

Dr. Ori, an Italian in the service of the Egyptian Government,
was at that time purchasing wild animals of the Hamran Arab
sword-hunters, and was in camp within a half-hour's march. The
Tokroori brought the tragic news, and a party started for the fatal
spot. Dr. Ori subsequently described to me the effect of the lion's
blow. The skull, which had received its full force, was completely
shattered, as if it had been a cocoa-nut struck with a hammer, and
several of the lion's claws had penetrated through the bone, as
though they had been driven like a nail.

If that had been the attack of a tiger, the skull would not have

180 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

been injured, although the scalp would have been badly lacerated,
and death would have been occasioned by the grip of the jaws
upon the neck, not by the blow.

Another instance of the great force of a lion's blow was wit-
nessed by my late friend, Monsieur Lafargue, whom I knew when
he was a resident of Berber in the Soudan. This French gentle-
man was agent to Halim Pasha, the uncle of His Highness Ismail
the Ex-Khedive. Halim Pasha was a man of great energy, and
he was the first personage in the history of Egypt who sent a
steamer from Cairo to ascend the cataracts of the Nile and reach
Khartoum. This was accomplished after extreme difficulty in
experimenting upon the course of nearly 1600 miles of river, the
navigation of which was then unknown to others beyond the native
owners of small vessels. Halim Pasha was the first to attempt
the commercial development of the White Nile, and Monsieur
Lafargue was an admirable representative of his august employer.
The steamer arrived safely at Khartoum, and was engaged in the
trade of the Blue Nile to Fazocle', and through the White Nile to
the unknown, as in those days Khartoum was the southern bound-
ary of Egypt.

Monsieur Lafargue was a charming man, highly educated, with
a mind of a peculiar character, that enabled him to lead a happy
life in the remote wilderness of the Soudan. It was difficult to
understand, when conversing with him in his beautiful house at
Berber, or sitting together in his garden on the extreme margin of
the Nile, while the desert sands upon the east side of the wall
showed the limit of civilisation and fertility, how any man of cul-
ture could endure to pass his entire existence in such a narrow
boundary — the Nile, the fruitful source, upon one side, and the
desert 200 yards beyond; sterile, only because the water could
not reach its surface.

He had his books, all the monthly periodicals from Europe,
and his newspapers; he also had his private affairs, his agency,
which occupied his time ; in addition, he had a wife, an Abyssinian
lady of great beauty, and of gentle sympathetic disposition. To
her husband she was as the moon is to the traveller upon an
otherwise dark night. Her story was too romantic and sad to be
lightly introduced, but her husband had given up his country, and
his family in France, after having made his fortune in the Soudan,
entirely upon her account. He described her to me as the " gazelle
of the desert, that was contented and happy in its native sands,
but would die in the atmosphere of conventional civilisation."

Monsieur Lafargue held a deservedly high position among all

ix THE LION 181

classes in the Soudan. He had discovered that no legitimate
commerce was possible with the savages of the White Nile ; he
had therefore advised his employer to that effect, and he had
resigned all hope of effecting the original object of his expedition.
He was therefore carrying on a business with the native merchants,
from whom he purchased gum-arabic from Kordofan, ivory from
the White Nile, hides from the Arabs generally, cotton, and
cereals, all of which, as opportunity offered, he either sent down
the river or across the Korosko desert to Egypt proper.

We were talking about lions, and he told me the following
account of what he witnessed as he was returning from the White
Nile upon the steamer, then en route towards Khartoum.

The dry season was at its height • all the high grass and other
herbage along the river's banks had been burnt by the natives,
and the surface of the earth was black and bare. The steamer
was going easily down stream, saving her fuel, and as they floated
along, with the paddles revolving slowly, a lion was observed upon
the dark and lately blackened bank. The vessel was at once
stopped, and a trustworthy Tokroori hunter of Lafargue's volun-
teered to shoot the lion. The man was confident ; accordingly he
was put ashore, armed only with a single-barrelled rifle.

From the poop-deck of the steamer the whole affair was dis-
tinctly visible. They saw the bold Tokroori advance unconcernedly
towards the lion, which, although standing when first observed,
now immediately crouched. The Tokroori advanced until he was
only a few yards distant : he then halted, and fired. With a loud
roar the lion flew to the attack, and with a terrific blow it struck
the hunter upon the shoulder. The effect was awful; the man
was dashed violently upon the ground, and the lion fell across his
body ; after a few gasps it rolled over and died. The Tokroori
never moved.

The steamer was now run alongside the bank, and Monsieur
Lafargue, with a number of men, quickly went ashore. Both the
Tokroori and the lion were quite dead. The bullet had struck
the animal in the chest, and had passed through the heart. The
Tokroori's arm was hanging from the hip ! It had not only been
completely dislocated at the shoulder by the blow, but it had been
torn or struck downwards with such extreme force that the flesh
had been entirely stripped off the ribs and the side ; the arm at
the extremity of this ruin was dangling upon the ground, hanging
only to the hip by the flesh attached. The Tokroori had been
killed on the spot by the shock to the system. This was a re-
markable example of force. On the other hand, although the lion

182 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

frequently uses this dreadful power of striking when in full charge,
there are many cases when the animal seizes simply with teeth
and claws, like a tiger or others of the race.1

I am of opinion that the act of striking would depend upon the
position of the animal or person attacked. There can be no doubt
that a lion could fell an ordinary bullock by a blow upon the neck,
should it attack from one side, but it would be extremely unlikely
that it would strike any horned animal upon the head, as it would
risk serious damage to the paw. We have seen that the cheetah
strikes the haunch of a black-buck when coursing at full speed,
and it is highly probable that the lion would exert its prodigious
strength in the same manner, to stun the hind-quarters by the
stroke, and, by throwing the animal upon one side, to expose the
throat to the grip of the powerful jaws. All beasts of prey
occasionally meet with dangerous antagonists, and should the first
spring fail, the lion may find an adversary worthy of its fangs in
a staunch old African buffalo, in which case the battle would be
worth a journey to be witnessed. I once discovered the dislocated
skeleton of a buffalo almost intermingled with the broken bones of
a lion, the skull of which was lying near, while the skull of the
buffalo, devoid of the nasal bones, was lying within a few feet
distant, gnawed by jackals and hysenas. The ground had been
deeply trampled, showing the desperate character of the recent
struggle, which had terminated in the death of both combatants.
It is highly probable that two lions had simultaneously attacked
the buffalo, who had succumbed after having vanquished one
assailant. This is a very common practice among lions, to hunt
in company. Mr. Oswell in South Africa had a peculiar example
of this when in a day's hunting his friend Major Vardon had
wounded a bull buffalo, which had retreated within the forest.
The two hunters carefully followed the blood-track, but after a short
advance they were startled by a succession of loud roars, which
betokened lions close at hand. There could be little doubt that
the wounded buffalo had been attacked; therefore, with proper
precaution, they warily approached the spot, until the exciting
scene presented itself suddenly on the other side of a large fallen
tree, which happily concealed the approach of the two companions.

Three lions were engaged in a life-and-death combat with the
gallant old bull, who made a desperate defence, first knocking over
one of his enemies, then boring another to the ground, and ex-
hibiting a strength which appeared sufficient to defeat the com-

1 A tiger possesses the power to deliver a tremendous blow, but it seldom
exercises this force.

THE LION 183

bination Suddenly the buffalo fell dead ; this was the result of
the original wound" as the rifle bullet had passed through the

'The lions were not aware of this, and a ^n^J^S
selves commenced after their imagined victory. One huge beast
r ared to half its full height and placed its fore paws upon the
hndv of the prostrate buffalo, while at the head and the hind-
Juarter an ingry lion clutched the dead body in *■ .pr^g
naws and growled at the possessor of the centre. This formed a
Sand picture within only a few yards' distance, but a couple of
fhote from eTther rifle stretched two lions rolling upon the ground,
££££«£ XrtW at the nnexpected reports, bounded mto the
thick covert and disappeared. Bavarian

A very good sportsman named Johann Schmidt, a Bavarian
who died in my service when in Africa, killed two lions in the
let of tta IdnTa giraffe. I saw the skeletons of *"• ™5£
the bed of the river Royan a few days after the incident At that
dry season of the year the Royan was devoid of watei except at
eertain bends where the current had scooped out a deep hole
2S* the bank- J«"ann Schmidt was a poor man who could
n::tdt\e luxury of first-rate rifles; he therefore d^d his best
with most inferior arms, one of which was a light double-barrelled
itS^mLde-loader No. 16. This was a French gun for
which h had given 50 francs at Cairo. By some chance this
VommonlithtLdwgeapon shot remarkably well w^th ^H and 3 drams
of Dowder. It became his favourite companion. He was strolling
one dly along the bank of the Royan in Abyssinia, looking care-
fully down ifs sandy bed, when he came near to a water-hole in

tie Ions "intervals, and he suddenly heard the peculiar sounds of a
tne long miei v , h and as ne

great encounter, lhe dust was nyiug mgu '■.„-„>* v,ed

Ipproached the spot, within the yeUow surface of the rivers bed
he saw a cloud of sand, in the centre of which was the large ixioy
and long neck of a bull giraffe struggling against the attack of two
Tons One of these was fastened upon its throat, while the other
was mounted upon its hind-quarters where >. ' ™ h* °" * £
teeth and claws. Johann concealed himself behind a arge tree
which grew upon the bank : this abrupt margin was about 20 feet
Tbove tlmrivePr's bed, and not 50 yards from the scene of a hope-

leSSTh°en^affe had no chance; and after a sharp struggle before
the eves of the well-concealed spectator, it was pulled down, and
both 1 ons commenced to growl over their contested W-™»
position upon a perpendicular bank being thoroughly secure,

184 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Johann took a steady shot, and rolled one lion over, close to the
dying giraffe ; the other looked round for a moment, and sprang
up the bank upon the opposite side of the river, but this, being
perpendicular, was too high to permit of a direct retreat ; a bullet
from the remaining barrel struck it through the back, and
paralysed the hind-quarters. The animal fell backwards upon the
sandy surface of the river, and rolled over helplessly, as the hind
legs had lost all power. This gave Johann time to reload, and,
seeing that the lion was completely at his mercy, he descended
into the river's bed and put a bullet through its head.

The giraffe was still alive, therefore another ball was necessary
to complete its despatch ; and Johann remained in triumph,
having bagged two lions and a giraffe with a gun worth only 50
francs.

I have heard so many tales of lions which have carried away
oxen from a kraal, that I have endeavoured to unravel what
appears to be a mysterious impossibility. An experienced friend
of mine was present when, during the night, a lion bounded over
the fence of thorns which formed a protection to the camp, and
seizing a full-grown bullock, it jumped the fence, carrying the
victim with it.

In the confusion of a night attack the scare is stupendous, and
no person would be able to declare that he actually saw the lion
jump the fence with the bullock in its grip. It might appear to
do this, but the ox would struggle violently, and in this struggle
it would most probably burst through the fence, and subsequently
be dragged away by the lion, in a similar manner to the custom
already described of tigers. It is quite a mistake to suppose that
a lion can carry a full-grown ox; it will partially lift the fore-
quarters, and drag the carcase along the ground.

Upon one occasion I was strolling through the forest on the
margin of the Settite river in Abyssinia, and I suddenly met a
large bull buffalo which was exactly facing me, having probably
obtained my wind beforehand. It was not more than 20 yards
distant, and it threw up its wicked head with the nose pointed
directly at me, in the well-known fashion which makes a shot at
the forehead utterly impossible. Knowing that my double-
barrelled No. 10 with 7 drams of powder would have sufficient
penetration, I aimed exactly at the nostril, then fully dilated by
the excitement of the animal, and fired. The shot was instantly
fatal, as the hard bullet of quicksilver and lead not only passed
through the brain, having entered at the nose, but it penetrated
far into the neck and cavity of the chest. This was a very large

ix THE LION 185

beast, and knowing that the dense covert of nabbuk (Rhamnus
Lotus) close by was a great resort of lions, I determined to leave
the carcase for the night in the spot where it was then lying.

On the following morning I revisited the place with two of my
excellent Tokrooris; we found many fresh footprints of lions in
the sandy soil, and a broad trace about 4 feet wide, where the
body had been dragged away. This had apparently been effected
by more than one lion, as the footprints varied in size.

There was a vast mass of dense green nabbuk growing parallel
with the banks of the river. This was an opaque screen of thorny
foliage, covering an area of about 200 yards in width, but extend-
ing for a great distance. The nabbuk tree bears a small apple the
size of a nutmeg, rather sweet, and pleasant to the taste ; but the
tangled mass, when growing upon the sandy loam near water, is
absolutely impenetrable to a human being. Into this secure retreat
the lions had crept, forming dark tunnels about 3 \ or 4 feet high,
for some unknown distance.

The trace of the dragged buffalo led direct to the entrance of
one of these obscure tunnels, and there could be no doubt that the
carcase was within, and the lions not far distant. I have frequently
looked back to absurdities that have been scathelessly committed ;
among these on more than one occasion I have foolishly ventured
upon the exploration of a lion's retreat. With two of my Tokrooris
following with spare rifles (all muzzle-loaders) I crept upon hands
and knees into the dark tunnel, upon the trace of the dragged
buffalo. A light double-barrelled "577 was my companion.

After a few yards the tunnel became much narrowed, and was
hardly more than 3 feet 6 inches in height. The bush (evergreen)
was so dense that it was very dark, and I could not see any tracks
of lions upon the ground over which I crept ; cautiously advancing,
with both barrels upon full cock. About 70 yards had been
passed in this manner when I distinctly smelt the heavy odour of
raw flesh and offal. I looked behind me, and my two men were
keeping well together. There could be no doubt that the carcase
of the buffalo was not far off, and it was highly probable that the
lions would be in forcible possession. We crept forward with
extreme caution. The faint and disagreeable smell increased, and
was almost insupportable. I presently heard the cracking of a
bone, and there could be no doubt that the lions were close at
hand. I once more looked round to see if my men were coming
on : they were both close up. We crept noiselessly forward for a
few yards, and suddenly a dark object appeared to block the
tunnel ; in another moment I distinguished the grand head and

186 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

dark mane of a noble lion on the other side of a mass which proved
to be the remains of the bull buffalo ; another head, of a lioness,
arose upon the right, and at the same instant, with a tremendous
roar, the scene changed before I had time to fire. We were alone
with the remains of the buffalo, and I believe three lions had
decamped, never to be seen again in the obscurity of the dense
green nabbuk. We were actually in possession, having driven the
lions from their prey, simply by our cautious advance, without a
shot.

It required some time and trouble to cut off the head of that
bull buffalo in the narrow limits of the lion's den, but it hangs
upon my walls now as a trophy that might be won from a lion,
but never could have been wrested in the same manner from a
tiger.

Upon another occasion I crept in a similar manner into one of
their dark tunnels, and shot the lion within a distance of four
paces, but I never recovered the body, as the animal bounded into
the dense thorny substance, which it was impossible for any human
being to penetrate. - The Hamran Arabs persuaded me to discon-
tinue this kind of exploration, and my Tokrooris having taken the
same view of the performance, I gave up the practice, as I did not
succeed in actually bagging a lion by the attempt.

In the locality which I have mentioned, the lions, although
numerous, were never regarded as dangerous unless attacked; there
was an abundance of game, therefore the carnivora were plentifully
supplied, and a large area of country being entirely uninhabited,
the lions were unaccustomed to the sight of human beings, and
held them in respect. During the night we took the precaution
to light extensive bonfires within our camp, which was well pro-
tected by a circular fence of impenetrable thorns, but we were
never threatened by wild animals except upon one occasion.

I was strolling in search of food, with a particular two-grooved
single rifle No. 14 which was extremely accurate. Having shot a
nellut (A. Strepsiceros), the animal was fixed upon a camel and
immediately forwarded to camp, towards which I advanced by
a circuitous direction in the expectation of finding other game.
The country was perfectly flat in the vicinity of the river, and
although much covered with dense bush, it was interspersed with
numerous small glades, covered with parched herbage 2 or 3 feet
in height. A few Tokrooris accompanied me with spare rifles (all
muzzle-loaders, as the breech action had not been introduced in
those days), and I was leading the way, occasionally breaking
through the intervening bush, with as little noise as possible.

ix THE LION 187

Suddenly, as I was only half emerged from a line of dark green
nabbuk, I was surprised by a short roar close to me, and I im-
mediately saw the shoulders and the hinder portion of a lion, the
head being concealed by the bush, from which I had not completely
emerged. I could have touched it by stretching out my rifle, but
personally I was quite unobserved. There was not a moment to
lose, and I fired through the centre of the shoulder. With a short
roar the lion disappeared; there was a rushing sound in the bushes,
and almost immediately another lion occupied the exact position
that had been quitted by the lioness. They must have been lying
down together when startled by our appearance, or rather by the
noise of our approach. This was a splendid chance, but I was
unloaded; I stretched my right arm behind me, expecting to
receive a spare rifle from my faithful Tokrooris, but they had
retreated from the scene, and I remained within 6 feet of a lion's
flank with an unloaded rifle and no companion. The lion's head
and neck were quite concealed by the dense green bush, and I had
no other course to pursue than to reload my rifle. The first tap
that I gave the bullet when ramming it home, scared the lion, and
with a loud roar it sprang forward and disappeared. My recreant
followers now returned, and having administered a few kicks, I took
a double-barrelled rifle and we commenced a strict search for the
wounded animal. Directed by a low moan, we found her within
a few yards, dying ; it was a lioness, but there was no trace of her
companion, which had been so lately within my reach.

The spare camel was now brought up, and with great difficulty
my three Tokrooris, the Hamran Arab, and myself succeeded in
placing the lioness across the saddle, having first opened and
cleaned the body to reduce the weight.

Blood trickled from the carcase, and dropped upon the ground,
thus forming a trace throughout the route until we reached the
camp. The lioness was 9 feet 1 inch in length, and, when skinned,
the body was dragged to a considerable distance and left for the
hysenas.

The fires were blazing after sunset ; the horses of my Hamran
hunters, and my own, were picqueted within the centre of our
enclosure, near the tent, and we were about to retire for the night,
when a deep guttural sigh was heard close to the high and
impervious fence of kittur thorns. This had been carefully
constructed, as life was most uncertain within that questionable
district, where the Arab hunting parties invariably killed all natives
of the crafty Base tribe whenever met, and they incurred a similar
retaliation. The fence was made of entire trees cut off near the

188 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

roots, and then dragged by the stems into line, with their wide-
spreading heads of sharp hooked thorns forming the outside surface \
these were locked together by their hooks, entangled, and nothing
could possibly have broken through, except an elephant or rhinoceros.

Prowling around this excellent protection was a lion, who was
pronounced by my hunters to be the mate of the lioness which I
had killed ; it was declared that the disconsolate husband had
followed the course of his wife's body, denoted by the drops of
blood that had dripped upon the ground when carried by the camel
towards the camp. My people were of opinion that the lion was
determined upon vengeance, and that he would assuredly bound
over our fence, although he could not absolutely break through it.

The night was always interesting upon the banks of the Settite
river, as vast numbers of wild animals were astir half an hour after
sunset, which either came down to drink, or to wander in search
of green pasturage, that was only to be found in places from which
the water had retreated. The lions were accordingly on the alert,
and the threatening sound of their deep voices was to be heard in
every direction, Until approaching daylight drove them to their
thickets.

There is nothing so beautiful, or enjoyable to my ears, as the
roar of a lion upon a still night, when everything is calm, and no
sound disturbs the solitude except the awe-inspiring notes, like the
rumble of distant thunder, as they die away into the deepest bass.
The first few notes somewhat resemble the bellow of a bull ; these
are repeated in slow succession four or five times, after which the
voice is sunk into a lower key, and a number of quick short roars
are at length followed by rapid coughing notes, so deep and
powerful that they seem to vibrate through the earth.

Our nocturnal visitor did not indulge in the usual solo, but he
continued throughout the night to patrol the circuit of the camp,
occasionally betraying his presence by a guttural roar, or by the
well-known deep sigh which exhibited the capacity of his lungs.
We could not see to shoot, owing to the darkness outside the fence,
and the brightness of our fire within the camp; this my men
industriously replenished with wood, and occasionally hurled fire-
brands in the direction of the intruder.

At length we went to sleep, leaving the natives to keep watch ;
they declared that nothing would induce them to close their eyes,
as the lion would assuredly carry off one of the party before the
morning. To their great discontent, I refused to disturb the night
by firing a gun, as I had determined to hunt up the lion on the
following day at sunrise.

00

00

ix THE LION 189

Upon waking early, we discovered the deep footprints upon the
sandy soil, which had marked a well-beaten path around our
impenetrable fence, showing that the lion had been patrolling
steadily throughout the night. This fact led me to suppose that
I should most probably find him somewhere within a very short
distance of the camp. I started with some of my best men, and
instead of a light single-barrel I carried my *577 rifle.

The position of our camp was exceedingly favourable for game,
as the river made a circuitous bend, which had in ages past thrown
up a mass of alluvial soil of several hundred acres, all of which
was now covered with a succession of dense patches of nabbuk
jungle, interspersed with forest trees and numerous small glades of
fine dwarf grass, which formed a sward. I felt certain that our
visitor of the last night must be somewhere in this neighbourhood,
and I determined to devote the entire day to a rigorous search ; in
this my men were unanimous, as they objected to passing another
night in sleepless excitement and anxiety.

Luck was against us. I had numerous opportunities during the
day of shooting other animals, but I was devoted entirely to the
lion, which we could not find.

I was scratched with countless thorns, as we broke through the
thickest bushes, peering beneath their dark shade, and searching
every acre of the ground in vain. In spite of the great heat, we
worked from early morning until half an hour before sunset without
resting from our work ; all to no purpose ; there were tracks of
lions in all directions, but the animal itself was invisible. It was
time to turn towards home, and I led the way through low bush
and sandy glades not larger than an ordinary room, all of which
were so much alike that it was difficult to decide whether we had
examined them before, during the day's hard march. In several
places we discovered our own footprints, and thus cheerlessly we
sauntered homewards, tired, and somewhat disgusted at the failure.

We were within half a mile of the camp, and I was pushing
my way through some dwarf green nabbuk about 5 feet high,
when, upon breaking into a small open glade, a large lion with a
dark shaggy mane started to its feet from the spot where it had
been lying, probably half asleep. I instantly fired, before it had
time to bound into the thick jungle, and with tremendous roars it
rolled over beneath the dense nabbuk bushes, where at this late
hour the shade was almost dark. As quick as possible I fired a
second shot, as it was rolling over and over, with extraordinary
struggles, and it disappeared in the almost impervious bush, drag-
ging its hind legs in such a manner that I felt sure the spine was

190 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

broken by the bullet. It was so dark that we could not discern
the figure of the animal beneath the thorns, although it was only
a few feet distant. Having reloaded, I hardly knew what course
to pursue : we had no means of driving the lion from the bush, I
therefore examined the ground, and we discovered that the nabbuk
into which it had retreated was simply an isolated clump, sur-
rounded by narrow glades of sandy turf. From this asylum I felt
sure it could not move, and although it would have been more
heroic to have crept into the dark cover and have given it a
quietus, or more probably to have received it myself, we came to
the wise conclusion that if the lion could not move, it would be
there on the following morning, when we should have daylight in
our favour.

We returned to camp, and the night passed without disturbance.
Directly after sunrise we returned to the spot, and we found the
lion still alive, although completely paralysed in the hinder
portions. A shot in the centre of the forehead terminated the
affair, and the joint efforts of ten men succeeded after great exer-
tion in sliding the carcase upon three inclined poles from the
ground to the saddle, while the camel was kneeling in a slight
hollow, which the people had scraped away for the purpose.

I had no means of weighing this animal, but it was immensely
massive, and would according to my estimation have exceeded 5 00 lbs.

The accounts published respecting the character of lions differ
to such a degree that incidents which are considered natural in
one portion of Africa may be regarded as incredible in other
districts ; there can be little doubt that the character of the animal
is influenced by the conditions of its surroundings, which renders
it extremely difficult to write a comprehensive account, that will
embrace the entire family of lions throughout the world.
Roualeyn Gordon Cumming gave a terrible description of a night
attack upon his camp, when a lion bounded over the thorn fence,
and seizing a sleeping servant from beneath his blanket close to
the camp fire, carried him off into the surrounding darkness, and
deliberately devoured every portion, excepting one leg, which was
found on the following morning, bitten off at the knee-joint. This
was the more extraordinary, as another man was at the same time
asleep under the blanket with the unfortunate victim ; this cour-
ageous fellow snatched a heavy firebrand from the pile, and beat
the lion on the head in the endeavour to save his friend. Instead
of relinquishing its prey, the lion dragged the man only a short
distance, and commenced its meal so immediately that the cracking
of bones could be heard throughout the night.

ix THE LION 191

In southern Africa a night attack by lions upon the oxen
belonging to the waggons is by no means uncommon, in books
published concerning expeditions to that country, but in nine years'
experience of camp life in Africa, both equatorial and to 14°
north of the equator, I have never even heard of any actual
depredation committed by lions upon a camp or upon a night's
bivouac ; the nearest approach was the threatening nocturnal
visit already described, where no actual damage was inflicted.

There is an instinct natural to all animals which gives them
due warning whether man approaches them with hostile intent,
and there can be no doubt that every wild animal possesses this
discriminating power, and would be influenced according to circum-
stances. My own experience has led me to an opinion that the
lion is not so dangerous as the tiger, although, if wounded and
followed up, there cannot be a more formidable antagonist.

Upon several occasions I have seen lions close to me when I
have had no opportunity of shooting, and they have invariably
passed on without the slightest signs of angry feeling. I was
riding along a very desolate path, and a lioness, followed by five
nearly full-grown young ones, walked quietly from the jungle, and
they crossed within a few yards of my horse's head, apparently
without fear or evil disposition. I well remember, at the close of a
long march we halted beneath a large tree, which I considered would
form an agreeable shade for our tent. I gave my rifle to a servant,
who deposited it against the tree, preparatory to my dismounting,
when a lioness emerged from the bushes, and walked unconcernedly
through our party, within only a few feet of the startled horses.
She disappeared without having condescended to increase her pace.

Upon another occasion I had fired the grass, which had left a
perfectly clean surface after the blaze. The night was bright
moonlight, and I was standing in front of the tent door, when a
large maned lion and a lioness crossed the open space within 10 or
12 yards of my position, and stood for a few moments regarding
the white tent ; they passed slowly forward, but had disappeared
before I had time to return with a rifle.

I once saw a wounded lion decline a challenge from a single
hunter. It is possible that a tiger might have behaved in the
same manner, but it would be dangerous to allow the opportunity.
I had taken a stroll in the hope of obtaining a shot at large ante-
lopes, to procure flesh for camp, and I was attended by only one
Arab, a Hamran hunter armed with his customary sword and
shield. Having a peculiar confidence in the accuracy of a two-
grooved single rifle of small bore, I took no other, and we walked

192 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

cautiously through the jungle, expecting to meet some animal that
would supply the necessary food. We had not walked half a mil
when we emerged upon a narrow glade about 80 yards in length
surrounded by thick bush. At one end of this secluded and shady
spot an immense lion was lying asleep upon the ground, about 70
yards distant, on the verge of the dense nabbuk.

He rose majestically as we disturbed him by our noise in break-
ing through the bushes, and before he had time to arrange his
ideas, I fired, hitting him through the shoulder. With the usual
roars he rolled several times in apparent convulsive struggles, until
half hidden beneath the dense jungle ; there he remained.

If I had had a double rifle I could have repeated the shot, but
in those days of muzzle-loaders I had to reload a single rifle, and
as usual, when in a hurry, the bullet stuck in the barrel and I
could not drive it home.

In this perplexity, to my astonishment my Arab hunter advanced
towards the wounded lion, with his drawn sword grasped firmly
in his right hand, while his left held his projected shield, and thus
unsupported and alone, this determined fellow marched slowly
forward until within a few yards of the lion, which, instead of
rushing to attack, crept like a coward into impenetrable thorns,
and was seen no more. The Arab subsequently explained that he
had acted in this manner, hoping that the lion would have crouched
preparatory to a spring ; he would then have halted, and the delay
would have given me time to load.

I have before remarked upon the extreme danger of despising
an adversary, and although I do not consider the lion to be so
formidable or ferocious as the tiger, that is no reason for despising
an animal which has always been respected from remote antiquity
to the present day. It is impossible to be too careful when in
pursuit of dangerous game. My friend Colonel Knox of the Scots
Fusilier Guards, an experienced and fearless sportsman, very nearly
lost his life in an encounter with a lioness, although under the
circumstances he could hardly be blamed for want of due precaution.
He had shot the animal, which was lying stretched out, as though
dead. Being alone, he returned to camp to procure the necessary
people, and together with these he went to the spot, where he
found the lioness in the same position. Naturally he considered
that it was dead, but upon approaching the prostrate body he was
instantly attacked, knocked down, and seized by the back; he
would assuredly have been killed had he not been assisted by his
followers. Although he killed the lioness, he was seriously mauled,
and was laid up for a considerable period in consequence.

,x THE LION

i Xu,W?.U!d,.^e eMy t0 produce cases wIlere lions have caused
emble fa aht.es and others where they have failed to support
'their reputation for nobility and valour; but as I have already
observed, there is no absolute certainty or ^deviating ride if the
behaviour of any animal. The natives of Central Africa who are
first-rate sportsmen, have no fear of the lion when undisturbed bv
hunters, but they hold him in the highest respect when he beles
the object of the chase. I have known a lion which, when 835

men aC V" °f ^ «?*' African hunts' knocked ovTve
men a 1 of whom were seriously wounded, and, although it was
impaled by spears, it succeeded in evading a crowd of its pu „^
Stories of lions are endless, and were they compiled a most
STif resuIt- «»* »y object in proPdue1;g a f w
thecharactrof\/a y °,wn Personal experience, is to elucidate

imnossSi v n/l! T* bj T '0US eXamPles> which Pwve the
impossibility of laying down any fixed or invariable rule

There can be no doubt that the mode of hunting generally
adopted in Central Africa is far more dangerous than the careful
contrivances of India, where the tiger, as fully described 1 tantd

EvenrirRnneIePfhalltS ? by,P°StiDg the go/sinse ure posMonf
liven in Eajpootana, where hunting is frequently conducted ,,nr,„
foot, the ground is specially favourable among deep and prelZS

KMMZ? rocks and p— lar u >SJ:

In Central Africa the climate and fodder are so detrimental tn
horses that the explorer quickly discovers the utility ofTs own
legs and no experience is so conducive to steady and a curate
shooting as the knowledge of an impossibility t escape by peerf
We are all creatures of habit, and are more or less the slaves of
custom ; this is proved ad abmrdum by the peculiar fcelinfwhen
a man who is accustomed to shoot tigers from the secure auflTofv

Zl InAfr IT' fndS ^f C°mp"lled t0 -ek theTni^ upon
toot In Africa, also m Ceylon, the hunter is so much in the haWt
of standing upon his own legs that he ceases to fear the attack nf

Ihe hon is never specially sought for by the natives of Central

194 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Africa, but should he be met with in their ordinary hunting ex-
peditions, he takes his chance like all other animals, and is attacked
either with arrows or the spear.

Many of the natives are exceedingly courageous, and will
advance to the attack upon a lion with spear and shield, or even
without the latter safeguard, as they are confident in the support
of their companions in case of an emergency. I remember
upon one occasion I had wounded a lioness by a shot in the chest
from a very accurate but extremely ineffective rifle, which, although
•577, carried a small charge of 2J drams of powder. The animal
took refuge in a patch of high grass only a few yards square.
Invisible in this retreat, my three hardy natives offered to go in
and throw their spears at her, provided I would be ready to support
them should she charge into the open when they had failed.
This proceeding would have been a reflection upon our superior
weapons, and I declined the proposal, as too dangerous to the men.
I sent the natives to the summit of a white ant-hill about 7 feet
high ; from this they espied the animal lying in the yellow grass,
but so indistinct that it was impossible to determine her exact
position. I accordingly instructed the men to keep a sharp look-
out, and to throw their spears should the lioness charge, as I would
provoke an attack by firing a shot at hazard into the long grass.
Placing Lieut. Baker, E.N., upon my right, with instructions to
enfilade the expected attack, I advanced to within 20 yards of the
grass, and fired into the spot she was supposed to occupy. The
effect was instantaneous. At the report of the rifle the lioness
uttered a loud roar and charged directly upon myself, the most
prominent antagonist. I fired the left-hand barrel at her chest,
but this miserable weapon had no penetration (it was the first and
last that I ever possessed with a hollow bullet) ; the natives hurled
their spears, but missed the flying mark \ Lieut. Baker fired right
and left with a No. 70 small-bore, which hit, but without effect.
Everybody turned and ran at their best speed, as the lioness in hot pur-
suit was within a few feet of us. A native servant of Lieut. Baker
passed me with his master's spare gun in his hand. To snatch
this from the man, and to turn round and face the still roaring
pursuer, was the work of an instant, and I fired into her chest a
No. 12 spherical ball with 4 \ drams of powder from an ordinary
smooth-bore. To my delight, this rolled her over and checked her
onset ; but she immediately sprang back to her asylum of yellow
grass. We were now reduced to our original position, but I knew
the wound would be quickly fatal.

The natives recovered their spears, while we all reloaded, and

ix THE LION 195

presently one of our people from the summit of the ant-hill excitedly
pointed to an object in the high grass ; within a distance of about
eight yards I distinguished the back of the head and neck of the
lioness. She was looking in the opposite direction ; this gave me
a fatal opportunity, and a shot in the nape of the neck settled the
affair, after a well-contested struggle.

It was impossible to carry this animal, we therefore skinned it,
and upon opening the stomach we found the sections of a fawn
antelope ; these when placed in position showed the entire animal,
which she must have eaten a few hours previously. This was so
fresh that my natives immediately made a fire and roasted the
meat, which they ate with great enjoyment as a feast of victory.1

I shall say no more concerning lions, but I shall always admire
the calm dignity of appearance, the massive strength, the quiet
determination of expression, and the noli me tangere decision,
that represent the character of the nation which has selected
this noble animal for its emblem.

I do not venture upon the extensive variety of smaller species
of the genus Felis ; but there is one in India which I have only
observed upon two occasions ; this is the colour of a puma, rather
long in the leg, with pointed tufts of black hair at the tips of the
ears, giving it the appearance of a lynx. I have a skin in my
possession which I shot in the Central Provinces of India in 1888.
The whole of the genus Felis, from the lion to the ordinary
cat, have the same number of teeth — six cutting teeth, six
front teeth, and two incisors in either jaw. The tongues are
invariably rough, and in the lion and the tiger they are prickly to
such a degree that flesh could be licked clean off the bone without
the preliminary and impatient process of tearing by the teeth.

The often-questioned thorn in the extreme end of a lion's tail
is by no means a fallacy ; this is a distinct termination in a sharp
horny point, which, although only a quarter of an inch or less in
length, is most decided. I do not consider that there is any
special use for this termination, any more than there would be for
the tuft of black hair which forms the extremity, and which con-
ceals the thorny substance.

1 We measured this lioness carefully with a piece of string ; she was 9 feet
6 inches from nose to tip of tail.

CHAPTER X

THE BEAE (URSUS)

This is one of the oldest animals in history, and it has survived
the attacks of man far more successfully than the more noble
beast the lion. This survival may probably result from the
secluded habits of the bear, which cannot be classed among the
destroyers, such as the carnivora, although it is dangerous when
hunted, and not unfrequently it attacks man without any provo-
cation.

The nature of most animals may be judged by the formation
of their teeth ; those of the bear declare its omnivorous pro-
pensities : —

In the upper jaw 12 molars, 2 canine, 6 incisors.

In the lower jaw 14 molars, 2 canine, 6 incisors.

There are so many varieties of the bear that it is impossible
exactly to define the food of the species. We see the polar bear
(Ursus maritimus), which, living upon seals and fish, differs from
all others; the grizzly bear (Ursus ferox) of Western America,
which will eat flesh when it can obtain it, but is a feeder upon
roots and berries. Nearly all bears are inclined to vegetable food
and insects, accepting flesh when they find the freshly killed body
of an animal, but not seeking live creatures to kill and eat. The
sloth bear of India is an exception to this rule, as it refuses flesh,
and lives simply upon fruits, berries, leaves of certain trees, roots,
and insects of all kinds, the favourite bonne bouche being the nest
of white ants (Termites), for which it will dig a large hole in the
hardest soil to a depth of 2 or 3 feet. The molars of bears have
a close resemblance to those of a human being, exhibiting a grind-
ing surface for the mastication of all manner of substances. The
nose is used as a snout, for turning over stones which lie upon the
surface, in search of insects, slugs, worms, and other creatures, as
nothing comes amiss to the appetite of a bear.

OS

r— I

chap, x THE BEAR 197

The claws of the fore paws are three or four inches in length,
and are useful implements for digging. It is astonishing to see
the result upon soil that would require a pick-axe to excavate a
hole. Upon the hard sides of such pits as those made in search
of white ants, the claw-marks are deeply imprinted, showing the
labour that has been expended for a most trifling prize, as the
nest when found would only yield a few mouthfuls. I have never
appreciated the name of "sloth bear" given to Ursus labiatus, as
it is a creature that works hard for its food throughout the year,
and being an inhabitant of the tropics, it never hybernates. This
species is very active, and although it refuses flesh, it is one of the
most mischievous of its kind, as it will frequently attack man
without the slightest reason, but from sheer pugnacity. A full-
grown male weighs from 280 to 300 lbs. The skin is exceedingly
thick and heavy. The hair is long and coarse, with a bunch upon
its back of at least 7 inches in length, but there is a total absence
of fur, therefore the hide has no commercial value. The chest is
marked by a peculiar pattern in whitish brown, resembling a
horse-shoe, which is the mark for aim when the animal rears
upon its hind legs to attack. There are five claws upon the fore
feet, and the same number upon the hinder paws. Although
these are not retractile, neither are they so curved or sharp as
those of the genus Felis, they inflict terrible wounds upon a
human being, and when the head of a man has been in a bear's
grip it has generally been completely scalped. I have heard of
more than one instance where the scalp has been torn from the
back of the neck and pulled over the eyes, as though it had been
a wig.

The Ursus labiatus seldom produces more than two or three at
a birth, and the young cub is extremely ugly, but immensely
powerful in limbs and claws. I have seen a very young animal
which held on to the inside of its basket when inverted, and
although shaken with great force, nothing would dislodge its ten-
acious clutch ; this specimen was about six weeks old.

Although many varieties of bears are tree-climbers, there are
others which are contented with the ground, and which could not
ascend a tree even should they be tempted by its fruit. The grizzly
bear {Ursus ferox) belongs to this class, and his enormous weight
would at any time necessitate especial care when experimenting
upon the strength of boughs. I do not believe that any person
has actually weighed a grizzly, but an approximate idea may be
obtained through a comparison with the polar bear (Ursus mari-
timus), which is somewhat equal in size, probably superior. When

198 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

I was in California, experienced informants assured me that no
true grizzly bear was to be found east of the Pacific slope, and
that Lord Coke was the only Britisher who had ever killed a real
grizzly in California. There are numerous bears of three if not
four varieties in the Rocky Mountains, and these are frequently
termed grizzlies, as a misnomer ; but the true grizzly is far
superior in size, although similar in habits, and his weight varies
from 1200 to 1400 lbs.

Mr. Lamont, in his interesting work Yachting in tlie Arctic
Seas, gives the most accurate account of all Arctic animals that he
killed, and having the advantage of his own yacht, he was able to
weigh the various beasts, and thus afford the most valuable infor-
mation in detail. This is his account of a polar bear (Ursus
maritimus) which he himself killed : —

" He was so large and heavy that we had to fix the ice-anchor,
and drag him up with block and tackle, as if he had been a
walrus. This was an enormous old male bear, and measured
upwards of 8 feet in length, almost as much in circumference,
and 4 J feet at the shoulder ; his fore paws were 34 inches in cir-
cumference, and had very long, sharp, and powerful nails ; his
hair was beautifully thick, long, and white, and hung several
inches over his feet. He was in very high condition, and pro-
duced nearly 400 lbs. of fat ; his skin weighed upwards of 100
lbs., and the entire carcase of the animal cannot have been less
than 1600 lbs."

This weight is equivalent to a large-sized English cart-horse.
I have seen one of the skins procured by Mr. Lamont, and I can
readily appreciate his account of the weight. I have also seen a
skin of a grizzly bear killed at Alaska by Sir Thomas Hesketh ; this
was cured by Mr. Rowland Ward, who showed it to me at his
establishment, 160 Piccadilly, and it was very little inferior to the
skin of the polar bear. I quite believe the accounts I have
received in California are correct, and that the grizzly may some-
times exceed 1400 lbs. in weight. There is a considerable
difference in size between the male and female, the former being
superior. Like all other animals, the mother is particularly
attached to her young, and when in company with them she is
more than ordinarily ferocious, as she appears to suspect every
stranger of some hostile intentions towards her offspring.

The increase of population in many countries has resulted in
the destruction of all animals that were considered dangerous to
man ; thus the wolf and the bear have both disappeared from
Great Britain, and they have become scarce in France.

x THE BEAR 199

Thirty-five years ago, I was in a wild portion of the Pyrenees,
in the hope of finding bears at the first snows of winter, when by
extreme bad luck a fall took place so suddenly and severe that a
pass was blocked, which prevented my arrival at a narrow valley,
between the lofty mountains named Tram-Saig. I had been
assured that the bears would hybernate at the commencement of
winter, and that they could only be found at the season when the
first snow-fall would expose their tracks.

On the following day I managed to get through the pass, and
to my intense disgust, upon arrival, I found that I was a day too
late, as the Maire, who was a great chasseur, had killed two bears,
a mother and half-grown young one, on the preceding day, thus
verifying the information I had received.

I saw the freshly killed skins pegged out to dry, and a few
days later I ate a portion of the paws in an excellent stew when
dining with the Prefect of Bagneres-de-Bigorre, to whom they were
forwarded as an esteemed present.

The larger bear-skin gave me the impression that the original
owner must have been the size of a heifer twelve or fifteen months
old. This was the ordinary brown bear of Europe, which still
exists in Transylvania, Hungary, Italy, and especially in Turkey.
The same bear inhabits Asia Minor, and both these varieties
hybernate at the commencement of winter. In the extensive
forests and mountains about Sabanja, beyond the Gulf of Ismid, I
have seen the wild fruit trees severely injured by the brown bears,
which ascend in search of cherries, plums, apples, walnuts, and
sweet chestnuts. The heavy animal knows full well that the
extremity of the boughs will not support its weight, it therefore
stands erect upon a strong limb and tears down the smaller fruit-
laden branches within its reach. Although bears are numerous
throughout the forests, there is only one season when they can be
successfully hunted ; this is in late autumn, when the fruits are
closing their maturity, and the apples and nuts are falling to the
ground. The bears then descend from the mountain heights, and
may be found late in the evening or before sunrise in the neighbour-
hood of such food.

Asia Minor and Syria possess two distinct varieties of bears,
although the countries are closely connected, and these animals are
not inhabitants of the same district. The Syrian bear is smaller
than the ordinary brown bear, and would hardly exceed 300 lbs.
in weight. The fur is a mixed and disagreeable colour, a dusky
gray of somewhat rusty appearance, but blanched in portions as
though by age. This species is to be found at the present day

200 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

upon Mount Horeb, and the natives assured me that, when the
grapes are ripe, it is necessary to protect them by watchers armed
with guns, to scare the bears during night.

Wild animals which hybernate have a peculiar instinct for
selecting hiding-places, which can seldom be discovered ; in these
they lie, free from all intrusion.

The fruits of late autumn fatten the bear to a maximum
condition, and when the harvest is over, and the ground is covered
with a dense sheet of snow, it retires to some well-known cave,
high among the mountains, in such undisturbed seclusion that it is
seldom visited by the foot of man. Within a cave, nestled in
ferns or withered leaves and grass, the fatted bruin curls itself to
sleep throughout the winter months, and the warmth necessary to
its existence is supplied by its own fat, which, being rich in carbon,
supports vitality at the expense of exhaustion of supply.

If the fat bear could see itself previous to hybernation in
November, and again be introduced to its own photograph upon
awakening from its sleep in March, it would be prepared to swear
against its own identity. It arises from its winter's nap in
wretched condition, having lived entirely upon capital instead of
income. Young shoots, and leaves of spring, wild tubers which it
scratches from the ground, detected by its keen sense of smell,
together with snails, beetles, worms, and everything that creeps
upon the earth, now form the bill of fare, until the summer brings
forth the welcome fruits that reproduce the condition which the
bear had lost through hybernation.

It is impossible to unravel many of the mysteries of Nature,
and the cause which prompts the instinct of a winter's sleep will
always remain doubtful. I should myself attribute hybernation to
the necessity of repose at a period when food was impossible to
procure. The body can exist for an incredible length of time,
provided that it is capable of undisturbed rest, which appears in a
certain degree to take the place of extraneous nutriment. It is
well known that every exertion of the muscles is a loss of power,
the force of the body being represented by heat. To lift a weight
or to move a limb requires a certain expenditure of heat, which
means force ; this loss of heat and power is recuperated by food ;
thus in the absence of provisions for the necessary supply, there
would be no loss of heat if there is no exertion. Sleep is the
resource, as the body is not only at rest, but the brain is also
tranquil ; there is accordingly a minimum of exhaustion. Human
beings have been known to live without food of any kind (excepting
water) for a period of forty days, and have then resumed their

x THE BEAR 201

ordinary course, simply confining themselves to moderate diet for
the first few days after their long abstinence. In a time of
starvation in Africa I have frequently composed myself to sleep
in the absence of my daily food, and I have awoke without any
disagreeable craving for a meal. Continued sleep will to a certain
extent render the body independent of other nutriment, and I
should imagine that the custom of hybernation has been induced
by necessity. At a season when the fruits of the earth are
exhausted, the ground frozen to a degree that would render
scratching for roots impossible, an animal that was dependent upon
such productions for its existence must either starve or sleep. The
sleep is in itself a first stage of the process of starvation. The
creature that can sleep through an existence of four months
without food, and lose the whole of its fat during that interval of
inaction, has already lost all that supported life during the period
of total abstinence — the fat, or carbon. If it were to begin
another turn of sleep in its exhausted state, it would be unable to
support its existence.

I therefore regard hybernation as the result of the highest
physical condition, the animal being thoroughly fat ; the food
ceases, and the beast, knowing this fact, lays itself down to sleep,
and exists upon its own fat, which gradually disappears during the
interval of starvation. The bear wakes up in spring with a ragged
ill-conditioned skin, instead of the glossy fur with which it nestled
into rest ; and it finds its coat a few sizes too large, until an in-
dustrious search for food shall have restored its figure to its original
rotund proportions.

The proof of this necessity for repose during a period of en-
forced abstinence will be observed in the independence of tropical
bears, which do not hybernate, for the best of all reasons, " that
there is no winter," therefore they can procure their usual food
throughout every season without difficulty or interruption.

The animals of America are all exaggerated specimens of the
species, and the grizzly bear, if standing by the side of the ordinary
brown bear of Northern Europe, would hardly exhibit any striking
difference except in superior size and a slight roughness of colour.
I have heard the question frequently discussed when in the Big
Horn range of the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming ; some of the
professional hunters term all bears grizzlies, while others deny the
existence of the true grizzly except upon the Pacific slope.

There is no doubt that all the American bears will eat flesh
whenever they can obtain it, although they do not pursue animals
as objects for food. The usual custom in bear-shooting is to kill a

202 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

black-tail deer and to leave the body untouched. If this course is
pursued throughout the day, three or four deer may have been shot
in various localities, and these will lie as baits for the bears.

At daybreak on the following morning the hunter visits his
baits, and he will probably find that the bears have been extremely
busy during the night in scratching a hole somewhat like a shallow
grave or trench, in which they have rolled the carcase ; they have
then covered it with earth and grass, and in many cases the bears
may be discovered either in the act of working, or, having completed
their labour, they may be lying down asleep half gorged with flesh,
and resting upon their own handiwork. In this position it is not
difficult to obtain a shot.

When I was in the Big Horn range in 1881 several shooting
parties had preceded me on the two previous seasons, and the bears
had been worried to such an extent that they were extremely
cautious and wary. There was a small party of professional skin
hunters who were camped within a mile of my position, consisting
of two partners, Big Bill and Bob Stewart. The latter went by
the name of Little Bob,, in contrast to his enormous companion.
Bob was of Scotch extraction ; he was about 5 feet 5 inches in
height, very slight, and as active as a cat. In his knowledge of
every living creature upon the mountains he was perfect ; from the
smallest insect to the largest beast he was an infallible authority.
Bob was a trapper and hunter ; he followed the different branches
of these pursuits according to the seasons ; at one time he would
be trapping beavers and red foxes, at another he would be shooting
deer for the value of their hides. This cruel and wasteful practice
I shall speak of in another portion of this work.

His only weapon was a single-barrelled Sharp's '450 rifle, and
he possessed the most lovely mare, beautifully trained for shooting,
and not exceeding 14 J hands in height. Little Bob, on his little
mare, would have formed a picture. On one occasion I had re-
turned to camp a little after 5.30 p.m., and as the sun sank low,
the deep shadows of the hills darkened our side of the narrow glen,
and by 6 o'clock we were reduced to a dim twilight. Presently,
in this uninhabited region, a figure halted within 15 paces of our
tent, which was evidently Bob Stewart, mounted upon some peculiar
animal of enormous bulk, but with a very lovely high-bred-looking
head. This was Bob's pretty mare, loaded, and most carefully
packed with the trophies of his day's sport, as a solitary hunter,
quite alone and unaided since 8 a.m. His pony carried the skins
of three bears and four black-tail deer, which he had shot, skinned,
and packed upon his sturdy little companion.

x THE BEAR 203

The bears consisted of a mother and two half-grown young ones
of the choice variety known as "silver- tipped." He had come across
the family by chance while riding through the forest, and having
shot the mother through the shoulder, she fell struggling between
her cubs ; these pugnacious brutes immediately commenced fighting,
and a couple of shots from the rapid breechloading Sharp rifle
settled their ill-timed quarrel.

Bob was the most dexterous skinner I ever saw : he would take
off a skin from a deer or bear as naturally as most persons would
take off their clothes ; and the fact of a man, unassisted, flaying
seven animals, and arranging them neatly upon the Mexican saddle,
would have been a tolerable amount of labour without the difficulty
of first finding and then successfully shooting them.

The hide of the largest bear would weigh fully 50 lbs., those of
the smaller 25 lbs. each = 100 lbs. The four black-tail deer would
weigh fully 50 lbs. Therefore the mare was carrying 150 lbs. of
hides, in addition to Bob Stewart, who weighed about 9 stone,
making a total of about 276 lbs., irrespective of his rifle and
ammunition.

It was a strange country ; the elevation of our camp was about
10,000 feet above the sea-level, although we were in a deep and
narrow glen, close to a very small stream of beautifully clear water.
Upon either side the valley, the hills rose about 1400 feet; at that
season (September) the summits were in some places capped with
snow. The sides of the hills, sloping towards the glen, were either
covered with forests of spruce firs, or broken into patches of prairie
grass and sage bush, the latter about as high as the strongest
heather, and equally tough and tiresome.

The so-called camp was upon an extremely limited scale; a
little sleeping tent only 7 feet by 7, and 5 feet 8 inches in the
highest portion ; this had no walls, but was simply an incline from
the ridge-pole to the ground ; it was a single cloth, without lining
of any kind, and bitterly cold at night. This was rough work for
a lady, especially as our people had no idea of making things com-
fortable, or of volunteering any service. If ordered to come, they
came ; to go, they went ; to do this or that, they did it ; but there
was no attempt upon their part to do more than was absolutely
required of them. Shooting in the Big Horn range is generally
conducted upon this uncomfortable plan. It is most difficult to
obtain either men or animals ; but, although useless fellows for
any assistance in camp, they were excellent for looking after the
horses and mules, all of which require strict attention.

We had only four men, all told — my hunter Jem Bourne, the

204 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

cook Henry (a German), Texas Bill, who was a splendid young
fellow, and Gaylord.

Although I have travelled for very many years through some of
the roughest portions of the world, I have always had a considerable
following, and I confess to disliking so small a party. Including
my wife, we were only six persons, and it was impossible to con-
sume the flesh of the animals killed. I cannot shoot to waste ;
therefore upon many occasions I declined to take the shots, and
thus lost numerous opportunities of collecting splendid heads ; this
destroyed much of the pleasure which I had anticipated. There
were no Indians, as they are confined to their reservations ; there-
fore it was almost criminal to destroy wantonly a number of splendid
beasts, which would rot upon the ground and be absolutely wasted.
Several parties of Englishmen had not been so merciful ; therefore
the Americans had no scruples, and commenced an onslaught,
general and indiscriminate, shooting all animals, without distinction
of age or sex, merely for the value of the skins ; the carcases of
magnificent fat deer were left to putrefy, or to become the food of
the over-satiated bears, which themselves fell victims in their turn.

This was the slaughter in which Bob Stewart and Big Bill were
engaged in partnership. They never shot in company, but each
started upon his independent course at 8 or 9 o'clock a.m., after
having employed themselves since daylight in pegging out the skins
to dry, that had been shot on the previous day. The most valuable
of the deer-skins was the black-tail, which realised, at a price per
lb., lis. This hide is used for making a very superior quality of
glove, much prized in California.

I strolled over to the camp of the two partners one morning, as
I was on the way to shoot, and I found them engaged in arranging
their vast masses of skins, all of which were neatly folded up, per-
fectly dry, without any other preparation than exposure to the keen
dry air of this high altitude.

Upon my inquiry of Big Bill respecting his operations on the
previous day, he replied that he "guessed he had been occupied in
running away from the biggest grizzly bear that ever was cubbed."

Big Bill was a Swede by parentage, born in the States. By
trade he was a carpenter, but he had of late years taken to skin-
hunting. He was an enormous fellow, about 6 feet 3 or 4, with
huge shoulders and long muscular arms and hands. There was no
harm in Bill \ he was a first-rate shot with his *450 Sharp rifle,
which appeared to be the weapon in general favour ; but he had
met with an adventure [during the previous year which made him
rather suspicious of strangers.

x THE BEAR 205

Somewhere, not far from his present camp, a mounted stranger
dropped in late one evening. The man was riding a good horse,
but was quite alone ; so also was Big Bill. The camp of the skin-
hunter was then the same in appearance as when I saw him and
his partner Bob Stewart — simplicity itself; a long spruce pole was
lashed at either end to two spruce firs ; against this, leaning at an
angle of about 45°, were sixty or seventy straight poles laid close
together, and upon these were arranged spruce boughs to form a
thatch. This lean-to provided a tolerable shelter within the forest,
when the wind was sufficiently considerate to blow at the back
against the thatch, instead of direct towards the open face. The
ground in the acute angle was strewed with branches of spruce,
and a large fire was kept burning during night, exactly in front,
the whole arrangement exhibiting the principle of a Dutch oven.

In such a camp, Big Bill received the stranger with the
hospitality of the wilderness, and they laid themselves down to
rest in the close companionship of newly-made friends.

The morning broke, and as Big Bill rubbed his eyes with
mute astonishment, he could not see his friend. He rose from his
sleeping-place, and went outside in the cold morning air ; he could
not see his horses. A horrible suspicion seized upon him ; he
searched the immediate neighbourhood ; the animals had vanished,
both horses and mules were gone, together with the unknown
stranger, to whom he had given food and shelter for the night.

Fortunately there was a particular horse which Big Bill for
special reasons kept separate from the rest ; this animal was
picqueted by itself among the spruce firs at some little distance,
and had been unobserved by the departed stranger. To saddle
the horse, and to follow in pursuit at the highest speed upon the
trail of the horse-stealer, was the work of only a few minutes.
The track was plain enough in the morning dew, where ten or a
dozen mules and horses had brushed through the low prairie grass.
Big Bill went at a gallop, and he knew that he must quickly
overtake them; his only doubt lay in the suspicion that there
might be confederates, and that a strong party might have joined
together to secure the prize, instead of the solitary stranger being
in charge. However, at all hazards he pushed on at best speed in
chase ; at the same time, the horse-stealer, thoroughly experienced
in his profession, was driving his ill-gotten herd before him at a
gentle trot, thoroughly convinced that it would be impossible to be
overtaken, as the owner had been left (as he supposed) without a
horse.

At length, after a pursuit of some hours, upon attaining the

206 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

summit of a broad eminence, Big Bill's eyes were gladdened by the
sight of some distant objects moving upon the horizon, and he at
once redoubled his speed.

The stranger, innocent of suspicion, trotted leisurely forward,
whistling, and driving his newly acquired animals with professional
composure, without condescending to look back, as he felt certain
of security, having left his hospitable friend of the preceding night
with nothing better than his own legs for locomotion.

In the meantime, Big Bill was coming up at a gallop • he was
boiling with indignation at the treacherous conduct of his uninvited
guest ; and being fully alive to the manners and customs of the
West, he placed his Sharp rifle upon full-cock to be in readiness
for an explanation.

A few minutes sufficed to shorten the distance to 100 yards,
when the astonished horse-stealer was surprised by the sound of
hoofs upon the stony soil, and, turning round, he was almost
immediately confronted with the threatening figure of Big Bill.
The dialogue which ensued has not been historically described ;
there was none of the bombast that generally preceded the combats
of Grecian heroes ; but it appears that the horsestealer's right hand
instinctively grasped the handle of his revolver, not unseen by the
vigilant eyes of Big Bill, who with praiseworthy decision sent
a bullet through his adversary's chest from the already prepared
Sharp '450 ; leaving the lifeless body where it fell, he not only
recovered all his stolen animals, but also possessed himself of the
horse and saddle which only recently belonged to the prairie
horse-stealer without a name.

The gigantic Swede returned to his solitary camp, well satisfied
with his morning's work, as he had gained instead of lost, and
he had saved the State of Wyoming the expense and trouble of
hanging a man for a crime which is supposed to deserve no mercy,
that of "horse-stealing."

Of course this instance of determination and extreme vigilance
gained for Big Bill the admiration of the extremely limited number
of people who would be called " the public " in the outlying portions
of Wyoming ; but although contented with himself, Big Bill was
always suspicious of a solitary stranger, as he had an undefined
idea that some relative of the defunct horse-stealer might draw a
trigger upon him unawares. It was this redoubtable Big Bill who
now confided to me that he had been running away from some
monster grizzly bear only on the preceding day. He pointed out
the spot, as nearly as possible, from where we stood during his
narrative. "There," he said, "do you see that low rocky cliff on

x THE BEAR 207

the tip top of the hill just above us 1 That was the place just
beneath, on that little terrace-like projection with a few spruce firs
upon it. There's a steep but not a difficult way down by the side
of that cliff, and when young Edmund and I got down upon that
terrace, there were a lot of big rocks lying about, and all of a
sudden one of 'em stood up on end within 10 yards of me, and sat
up regularly smiling at me, with the most innocent and amiable
expression of countenance I ever saw. That was the biggest
grizzly bear I ever came across ; he was as big as the biggest bull
I ever saw in the ranche, and there he was, sitting up on end like
a dog, and almost laughing. There was no laugh in me, I can tell
you ; I just lost no time, but turned round, and hooked it ; and I
don't think I ever ran so fast in all my life."

"But why did you not shoot him1?" I exclaimed with astonish-
ment. " Shoot him 1 Oh yes, that's very likely, when he wasn't
farther than 10 yards off, and I should have had such a poor
start, and no place to run to ! No, I knew better than that, with
a single-barrel Sharp '450. If I had had your double-barrel "577,
with a big solid bullet, and 6 drams of powder, I shouldn't have
run away ; but I go hunting for skins with my little Sharp, and I
don't want a grizzly to go hunting for my skin ; not if I know it.
I've left him for you, and d'ye see, if you go up there this morning,
there's some snow about, and you'll likely come across his tracks.
If you do, you'll be astonished, I can tell you."

Ten minutes after this discourse, I was on my way up the
mountain side in the hope of meeting this extraordinary bear.

Upon arrival at the summit, there was a splendid view of the
main range of the Rocky Mountains, about 70 miles distant, across
a desolate region some 4000 feet below the point upon which we
stood. There was a little snow, but only in patches on the moun-
tain top, and, when near the terrace upon which Big Bill had had
his interview with the bear, we certainly discovered an enormous
track, the largest that I have ever seen.

We attempted to follow this for some hours, but to no purpose ;
on several occasions I could have taken deadly shots at black-tail
deer and wapiti, but I determined to reserve my bullet for the big
game, the object of our pursuit. The day passed away in failure.
The next day was equally disappointing ; from morning to sunset
I fagged over the summits and the spruce fir sides of the moun-
tains, without a trace of the big bear. We passed the old traces
that we had seen the previous day upon the snow, but they were
still more indistinct, and there was nothing fresh. I was de-
termined, if possible, to find this bear, therefore I devoted a third

208 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

day to the pursuit, discarding all other game. On the third
morning I started with Texas Bill and Jem Bourne, all mounted,
and we rode by a circuitous route to the summit of the hill above
the valley of our camp. The snow had melted in most places,
leaving only small half-thawed patches. We had so thoroughly
explored the entire hillside for a distance of several miles during
the last two days, that I arranged a beat on the other side of the
mountain, upon the northern slope, facing the far-distant Rocky
Mountains.

There were no spruce forests upon this side, but the long incline
was merely a sheet of rough prairie grass about 18 inches high,
intersected by deep ravines, filled with dwarf cotton-wood trees,
resembling the silver-barked black poplar. These trees grew about
25 feet high, and as thick as a man's arm, but so close together
that it was difficult to force a way through on horseback.

There were many isolated patches of this covert in various places
upon the face of this northern slope, all of which were likely to
harbour bears or other game. My eye caught instinctively a long
dark ravine which cut the mountain from top to base, extending
several miles ; this was intersected about a mile and a half from
the summit by a smaller ravine, also springing from the drainage
of the highest ridge, and at the point of junction the two formed
a letter Y, the tail continuing, widened by the increased flow of
water. There was at this season a very slight stream about an
inch in depth, which resulted from the melting of the small amount
of snow upon the heights.

There could not be a more likely place for bears, and I in-
structed my two men to ride to the bottom of the ravine, and to
force their horses through the thornless thicket, making no other
noise, but occasionally to tap the stems of trees with the handles
of their whips.

I dismounted, and my well-trained horse followed close behind
me down the steep hillside, exactly on the border of the ravine.
This was not more than 80 yards across ; thus I could command
both sides should a bear break covert, when disturbed by my two
beaters ; there could not have been a more favourable locality.

My men were thoroughly experienced, and the noise made by
the horses in struggling over stones and in rustling through the
cotton-wood trees was quite sufficient to disturb any animals that
might have been there ; accordingly they seldom tapped the tree-
stems.

Black-tail deer were very plentiful ; these were about the size of
an ordinary fallow-deer, and they were extremely fat and delicious

x THE BEAR 209

venison ; but their horns were still in velvet, and would not be
clean until October. I could have shot several of these animals ;
but I was full of good resolutions to resist all temptation, and to
restrict my shooting to the long-sought bear.

We had followed the course of the ravine for about a mile, when
I suddenly heard a tremendous rush among the cotton trees beneath
me on the right, followed by excited shouts — " Look out ! look
out ! A bear ! a bear ! "

I halted immediately, and in a few seconds three splendid
wapiti stags broke covert about 100 yards before me, and at full
gallop passed across the open ground by which I was descending.
My good resolutions crowded upon me as I instinctively aimed at
the stag with the finest head, and I resisted the temptation nobly
until they were nearly out of sight, passing down a hollow on my
left about 150 yards distant. Somehow or other I pulled the
trigger • a cloud of dust suddenly arose from the spot where the
three stags had disappeared, and I felt sure that the wapiti was
down.

At the sound of the shot my men struggled up the steep ascent
and joined me. " Why did you shout ' A bear ! a bear ! "? " I
asked. " It was a bear, wasn't it 1 I saw a great brown rump
for a moment, and I thought it was the bear." — " No bear at all,"
I answered, " and I have been fool enough to shoot at a wapiti.
... I think you will find it just in the hollow beneath the ridge."

The men rode to the spot, and sure enough a magnificent stag
was lying dead, shot through the shoulder. A wapiti stag weighs
about 900 lbs. when fat in August and September. The fat upon
the brisket of this animal was 5 inches thick, and that upon the
rump and loins was nearly 3 inches. We cut this off in one com-
plete piece, and when cold, within half an hour it stood up like a
cuirass. This was one of the finest that I ever saw, and we took
the trouble to cut up all the choicest joints, and concealed them in
the branches of a species of yew that was growing upon the edge
of the ravine. The delay from my folly in taking this shot exceeded
an hour, but the head of the stag was a handsome specimen, and
we placed it upon a large boulder of rock, to be sent for upon a
future occasion.

We again recommenced our search, comforting ourselves with
the reflection that "if the bear was in the ravine, the report of
the shot would not affect it ; and if it was not in the ravine, it
would not matter."

As we continued the descent of the mountain slope, the ravine
grew wider, and it was now quite 100 yards across; this would

p

210 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

increase the probability of finding game, as there was a larger area
of covert at the bottom. I was walking carefully in front of my
horse, when, without any alarm given by my men from the bottom
of the ravine, my attention was attracted by a rushing sound in
the dense cotton trees, and I observed several that were in the
thickest part shaking in an extraordinary manner, as though an
elephant or a rhinoceros was rubbing itself against the stems.

I ran forward towards the spot, and within 15 paces of me I
saw a wapiti stag caught by the horns ; these were completely
entangled among the stems of the thickly growing trees, and the
splendid beast was taken prisoner. I could only see occasionally
a portion of the horns, and then, as it struggled to escape, I caught
sight for a moment of a head and neck sufficient to prove that it
was a very splendid beast, with beautiful spreading antlers. The
animal was almost within my grasp, and I could have shot it with
a pistol ; but my good resolutions stood firm ; I refused the shot,
as we had meat of the finest quality that would keep for a week,
and to kill another wapiti would be mere waste of life. In a
couple of minutes occupied with this humane reflection, yet sorely
tempted to take the shot, the stag broke loose, and I heard it
crashing full speed down the ravine, and my men shouting loudly
that I should "look out!"

Hardly two minutes elapsed before I saw, at about 300 yards'
distance, the most magnificent stag that I have ever seen. This
splendid beast issued from the ravine, and exhibited a pair of
antlers that, large as the animal was, appeared quite dispro-
portioned to its size. They resembled the wintry appearance of a
large branch from an oak tree, and this was the prize which I
could not distinctly see when entangled in the cotton-wood, within
my grasp. This noble stag descended the mountain side at full
speed, and I watched it with longing eyes until it was completely
out of sight, fully determined that I would never indulge in good
resolutions again, that humanity was humbug, philanthropy puerile,
and that the rule of success depended upon the principle "Never
lose an opportunity."

I was fairly disgusted with myself, and calling my men, I
described to them the magnificence of my lost stag. Instead of
consolation they said, " Well, if you're come all this way to shoot,
and you won't shoot, I don't quite see the use of your coming."
That was all I received as a reward for having spared an animal's
life which I did not wish to sacrifice wantonly.

" All right ; go back and drive the covert to the end ; you may
depend upon it I'll take the next shot, whatever it may be." The

x THE BEAR 211

men rode down the steep sides of the ravine, and we recommenced
our beat.

Nothing moved for some time, and I mounted my horse as we
were approaching the junction of the smaller ravine on my left,
which formed the letter Y- I was about 100 yards ahead of my
two men, and I descended into the stony depression, crossed the
little stream, and ascended the opposite side with some little
difficulty, as it was extremely steep, and, together with my 12 lb.
rifle, cartridges, and a 26 lb. Mexican saddle, I rode about 18
stone. We reached the top, from which I could look down into
the larger ravine on my right, and the lesser on my left, but a
number of large rocks, 3 or 4 feet in height, and others of smaller
size, made it difficult for my horse to thread his way. Just at this
moment I heard the report of a revolver and shouts in high
excitement — "The bear! the bear!" Before I had time to
dismount in the awkward position among the rocks, I saw a large
bear within two yards of me, as he had run at full speed up the
steep bank from the bottom of the ravine without having observed
me, owing to the rocks ; he therefore passed close to my horse
upon the other side, only separated from us by the large rock
between. In an instant the bear, having seen the horse, turned to
the left, and dashed down hill into the smaller ravine which I had
just crossed. I jumped off my horse, and ran along the edge,
ready to take a shot the moment that I could obtain a clear view
of the bear, which I could see indistinctly as it ran along the
bottom of the channel, in which was the trickling stream. As I
followed, always keeping the animal within view, I felt certain
that it would presently forsake this narrow gully, and would cut
across the open to regain the large ravine from which it had been
dislodged. I therefore raised the 150 yards sight as I ran along
the edge, to be in readiness should it try the open. The bear kept
me running at my best to keep it in sight, and I was just beginning
to think it advisable to fire through the intervening bushes, when,
as I had expected, it suddenly turned to the left, ran up the bank
with extreme activity, and appeared upon the steep open grass-land,
with the intention of cutting across to the larger hiding-place.
This was a splendid chance, as the dark colour of the bear looked
well upon the yellow grass. I made a most satisfactory shot with
the *577 at 150 yards, the bullet passing through the kidneys,
and the bear rolled over and over the whole way down the steep
grassy hill, until stopped by the thick bushes, which alone prevented
it from rolling into the streamlet at the bottom.

My two men came galloping up, and shortly dismounted, and

212 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

we all descended to the place where the bear was lying, almost
dead. In fact, it died while we were standing over it.

" Well done ; that was a fine shot, and we've got the grizzly
bear at last," exclaimed Jem Bourne. " The bear % This is not
the bear that Big Bill ran from," I replied ; " impossible, this is a
silver-tip, and not a true grizzly." The argument that ensued
over the carcase of that bear was quite enough to make me an
unbeliever in the ordinary accounts of native hunters. I calcu-
lated that the body weighed about 600 lbs., as my two men were
6 feet high, and exceedingly powerful, and our united efforts could
not move the bear one inch from the spot where it had fallen ; it
may have exceeded that weight, as it was full of fat, and in the
finest condition. We skinned it, and had some trouble to induce
the horse to permit the hide to be lashed upon its back. Although
a fine bear, Big Bill on our return would not acknowledge that it
could be compared with the monster which he had seen with such
"a smiling countenance." I was quite of his opinion, as the
tracks which I saw in the snow were very much larger than the
paws of the bear that I have described.

The foot of a bear' leaves a print very similar to that of a
human being who happens to be flat-footed, but the breadth is
larger in proportion to that of a man. It is a curious fact, that a
shot through the kidneys of any creature occasions almost instant-
aneous death, and the animal falls immediately, as though shot
through the neck ; this proves the terrible shock to the system, as
the body is smitten with a total paralysis.

The opinions of professional hunters differ in such an extra-
ordinary manner upon the question of bears, that it would be
impossible for a mere visitor to arrive at a satisfactory decision.
It is admitted by all that the grizzly bear is the monarch ; next
to him in size is the cinnamon bear, named from the colour of its
fur ; No. 3 is the silver-tipped ; and No. 4 is the black bear.

The question to be decided remains : " Is the cinnamon bear
the grizzly, with some local difference in colour?" My people
called the silver- tipped bears " grizzlies," which was an evident
absurdity ; but, as they were men experienced in the Big Horn
range, it was difficult to disbelieve their evidence concerning the
occasional presence of a true grizzly. I found, whilst riding
through an extensive forest of spruce fir, an enormous skull of a
bear, the largest that I have ever seen, except that of the grizzly,
compared with which all others were mere babies ; what could
this have been, unless a true specimen of that variety 1

There can be little doubt that bears of different kinds inter-

x THE BEAR 213

mingle occasionally by cross breeds, and many are met with which
do not exactly correspond with the colouring which distinguishes
the varieties already mentioned ; but in my opinion those distinct
varieties actually exist, and any departure occasioned by cross
breeding is simply an accident. Eighteen months before my visit
to the Big Horn range, the present Lord Lonsdale, together with
a large party, was hunting upon the same ground, and at that
time the country, being new to British sportsmen, was undis-
turbed. The bears were so numerous and unsophisticated that
the party bagged thirty-two, and game of all kinds indigenous to
the locality was in the superlative. It is astonishing that any
game remains after the persistent attacks of gunners, especially in
such countries, where open plains expose the animals to the sight
of man. In the Big Horn range, at high altitudes of from 8000
to 12,000 feet, the open grass prairie-ground predominates. There
are plateaux and hill-tops ; deep canyons or clefts, from 1 500 to
2000 feet sheer, like sudden rifts in the earth's surface ; long
secluded valleys, with forest-covered bottoms extending for many
miles, and slopes of every conceivable gradient descending to a
lower level of frightfully broken ground, joining the foot of the
main range of Rocky Mountains at a distance of from 70* to 90
miles. There are also isolated patches of cotton-wood upon the
sides of slopes, which afford excellent covert for deer and bears.

The actual width from margin to margin of the high land does
not exceed 26 miles, although the length may be 100. It may
readily be imagined that a month's shooting upon this area would
be sufficient to scare the animals from the neighbourhood, more
especially as the hunters are invariably on horseback, and traverse
great distances each day.

When I was there we very seldom found bears upon the open,
as they retired to the obscurity of the forests before break of day.
Bob Stewart assured me that two seasons ago it was impossible to
ride out in the early morning without seeing bears, but he counted
up a long reckoning of seventy-two killed since the visit of Lord
Lonsdale's party. This must have sensibly diminished the stock,
and have afforded considerable experience to the survivors. Never-
theless upon several occasions bears exhibited themselves during
broad daylight without being sought for.

We were tired of nothing but venison in every shape, and
although the German cook, "little Henry," was a good fellow, he
could not manage to change the menu without other provisions in
the larder. I accordingly devoted myself one afternoon to shoot-
ing "sage-hens"; this is a species of grouse about the size of a

214 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

domestic fowl, and, when young, there is nothing better. The
old birds are not only tough, but they taste too strongly of sage,
from subsisting upon the buds and young shoots of the wild plant.
They were very numerous in certain localities, having much the
same habits as the black game of North Britain, therefore we knew
at once where to seek them.

Our camp was within a few feet of the little stream, just within
the forest at the bottom of the valley ; the dense mass of spruce
firs extended for 8 or 10 miles along the slopes, only broken at
intervals by gaps a few hundred yards wide, which divided the
forest from top to base, and formed admirable places for ascending
to the great plateau on the summit. This plateau extended for
several miles, and was nearly level, the surface being liberally
strewed with stones about 2 feet in length, but exceedingly flat,
as though prepared for roofing slates ; these had been turned over
incessantly by the bears, in search for what Bob Stewart called
"bugs" — the general and comprehensive American name for every
insect.

We found a number of sage-hens upon this plateau, and I picked
out the young ones with my rabbit rifle, as they ran upon the
sage-covered ground. Texas Bill was soon loaded with game, and
discarding the old birds that had been killed by mistake, we de-
scended the grass-covered gap between the forests, and returned
direct to camp. Little Henry had now a change of materials for
our dinner.

It was nearly dusk, and I went into the small tent to have a
hot bath after the day's work. I was just drying myself, after the
operation of washing, when I heard an excited voice shout " Bears !
bears ! " It was useless for me to ask questions through the
canvas, therefore I hurried on my clothes and ran out.

Texas Bill was gone. It appeared that two large bears had
been seen as they came along the glen, and turned up the open
slope, by which we had descended after shooting the sage-hens.
My best horse had not been unsaddled, as the evening was chilly ;
therefore Texas Bill had immediately jumped into the saddle, and
was off in full pursuit.

"What rifle did he take?" I inquired of little Henry. "He
didn't take any rifle, but he's got his six-shooter, which is much
better in his hands, as he knows it," was the reply.

There was very little light remaining, and with the long start
which the bears obtained, I could not think that Bill would have
the slightest chance of overhauling them before they reached the
forest \ this they would assuredly attempt, the instant they saw

x THE BEAR 215

themselves pursued. If Bill could only get them upon the open
plateau on the summit, he might be able to manage them, but with
a gallop up a steep hill to commence with, in the late dusk of
evening, the odds were decidedly against him.

It became dark, and we expected Bill's return every minute.
Jem Bourne, my head man, who was always a grumbler, and ex-
ceedingly jealous, began to ventilate his feelings. " A pretty fool
he's made of himself to go galloping after bears in a dark night,
and nothing but a six-shooter ! . . A nice thing for our best horse
to break his legs over those big rocks that nobody can see at night.
. . . Well, he'll have to sleep out, and he'll find it pretty cold
before the morning, I know. . . . What business he's got to take
that horse without permission, beats me hollow ! "

This sort of muttered growling was disturbed by two shots in
quick succession, far up, above the summit of the forest. There
could be no doubt that Bill had overhauled the bears.

By this time it was quite dark, and we drew our own conclusions
from the two pistol shots, the unanimous decision being that Bill
had fired in the hope of turning the bears when entering the forest ;
but what chance had he in the dark, and single-handed %

I did not take much interest in such a hopeless chase, but I was
anxious about the horse, as the country was so rough that it would
be most difficult to pick a way through holes and rocks, to say
nothing of fallen trees, which, even during daylight, required con-
sideration.

We piled immense pine-logs upon the fire, in addition to bundles
of spruce branches ; these made a blaze 20 feet high, and would
form a beacon as a guide in the dark night.

I had taken the time by my watch when we heard the two shots
upon the mountain top ; twenty minutes had passed, and my lips
were almost numbed by whistling with my fingers as a signal that
could be heard during a calm night at a great distance. Suddenly
this signal appeared to be answered by a shot, from a totally
different direction from the first that we had heard ; then, quickly,
another shot ; followed in irregular succession, until we had counted
six. " His six-shooter's empty now, but he's got plenty of cart-
ridges in his belt," exclaimed little Henry, the cook.

What was the object of these shots 1 He could not have followed
the bears that distance in the dark, as his position was quite a
mile from the spot where he had first fired ; and he was now, as
nearly as we could imagine, above a rocky cliff which bordered a
grassy gap that would enable him to descend into our valley ; he
would then find his way parallel with the stream direct to our camp.

216 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

My men wished to fire some shots in response, but I declined to
permit this disturbance of the neighbourhood, as it would have
effectually driven all animals from the locality ; we merely piled
logs upon the fire, which could be seen from the heights at a great
distance, and we waited in anxious expectation.

Nearly an hour passed away without any further sign. Bill
could not have fired those six shots in succession to attract our
attention, as it would have been a needless waste of ammunition :
if he had expected a response to a signal, he would have fired _a
single shot, to be followed by another some minutes later. We now
considered that he might have severely wounded the bear by the
first two shots that we had heard, and that he had followed the
beast up in some extraordinary manner, and at length discovered it.

We were about to give up all hope of his return, and knowing
that he, as a smoker, was never without a supply of matches, we
expected to see the glare of a distant fire, by which he would sit
up throughout the night, when presently we heard the sound of
whistling, and the clatter of a horse's feet among the stones of the
brook, within 150 yards of our position.

In a couple of minutes Texas Bill appeared, leading the horse,
which was covered with dry foam. In one hand he held a large
bloody mass ; this was the liver of a bear !

"Well done, Bill!" we all exclaimed, except the sulky Jem
Bourne, who only muttered, "A pretty state you've brought that
horse to ; why, I shouldn't have known him."

The story was now told by the modest Bill, who did not imagine
that he had done anything to excite admiration. This was his
account of the hunt in the dark : — "Well, you see, when the two
bears were going up the open slope, down which you and I came,
after shooting the sage-hens, all I could do was to gallop after
them, to keep them from getting into the forest ; when of course
they would have been gone for ever. One of them did make a
rush, and passed across me before I could stop him, and I didn't
mind this, as I couldn't have managed two. I got in front of the
other, and cracked my whip at him, and at last I got him well in
the open on the big plateau, where we shot the sage-hens. He
got savage now, and was determined to push by me and gain the
forest ; but I rode right at him, and seeing that I couldn't stop
him, I fired my six-shooter to turn him, just as he made a dash at
the horse. He made another rush at the horse, and I turned him
with another shot, within a couple of paces' distance. This made
him take off in a new direction, and he tried to cross the big
plateau, intending, no doubt, to get to the forest a couple of miles

X THE BEAR 217

away on the pointed hill. It was so dark that I could hardly see
him, and my only chance was to ride round him, and work him
till he should stand quiet enough to let me take a steady shot.

" He went on, sometimes here, sometimes there, and at last he
changed his mind, and seeing that he couldn't get away from the
horse across the open, he turned, and made for the 10 mile forest.
It was as much as I could do to drive him, by shouting and
cracking my whip whenever I headed him ; if I had only once let
him get out of sight, I should never have seen him again.
The ground is full of stones, as you know, which bothered the
horse in turning quickly ; but we went on, sometimes full gallop
straight away, at other times dancing round and round, until at
last the old bear got regularly tuckered-out, and he was so done he
could hardly move. There he was, with his tongue hanging out
of his mouth, standing, panting and blowing, and my horse wasn't
much better, I can tell you. Well, I was drawn up as close to
him as though I was going to strike him, and he was so completely
done there wasn't any fight in him ; my horse's flanks were heaving
in such a way that I could hardly load the two chambers that I
had fired. I was determined to have all my six shots ready before
I began to fire, and it was just lucky that I did, for I'm blessed if
I could kill him. There he stood, regularly exhausted-like, and
he took shot after shot, and never seemed to notice, or to care for
anything. At last I almost touched him, when I fired my sixth
cartridge between his shoulders, and he dropped stone dead. That's
all that happened, and I thought you wouldn't believe me if I came
back without a proof; so I cut him open, and took out his liver
to show you ; and here it is."

Although this fine fellow thought nothing of his achievement,
I considered it to be the most extraordinary feat of horsemanship
that I had ever heard of, combined with wonderful determination.
In the darkness of night, without a moon, to hunt single-handed,
and to kill, a full-grown bear with a revolver, was in my experience
an unprecedented triumph in shikar.

Early on the following morning I sent for the bear's skin. It
proved to be a large silver-tipped, and a close examination exhibited
the difficulties of the encounter during darkness.

Eight shots had been fired from the commencement, to the
termination by the last fatal bullet; but, although Texas Bill was
an excellent shot with his revolver, he had missed seven times, and
the eighth was the only bullet that struck the bear ! This had
entered between the shoulders vertically, proving the correctness
of his description, as he must have shot directly downwards. The

218 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

bullet had passed through the centre of the heart, and had escaped
near the brisket, having penetrated completely through this for-
midable animal.

Upon my return to England I immediately purchased a similar
revolver of Messrs. Colt and Co. — the long frontier pistol, *450
bullet.

Although bears were scarce, we occasionally met them unex-
pectedly. As a rule, I took Jem Bourne and Texas Bill out
shooting, the man Gaylord had to look after the twelve or thirteen
animals, and little Henry, the German cook, was left in camp to
assist my wife. Upon one of these rather dull days the camp was
enlivened by the visit of three large bears. These creatures
emerged from the neighbouring jungle, and commenced a search
for food within 50 yards of the camp, only separated by a narrow
streamlet of 10 feet in width. For about twenty minutes they
were busily engaged in working up the ground like pigs, in search
of roots or worms ; in this manner they amused themselves
harmlessly, until they suddenly observed that they were watched,
after which they retreated to the forest.

My acquaintance Bob Stewart assured me that the bears had
become so shy, that the only way to succeed was to "jump a bear."
This term was explained as follows : you were to ride through
forest, until you came across the fresh track of a bear ; you were
then to follow it up on foot, until you should arrive at the secluded
spot where the bear slept during the daytime, in the recesses of
the forest. It would of course jump out of its bed when disturbed,
and this was termed "jumping a bear." Of course you incurred
the chance of the animal's attack, when thus suddenly intruded
upon at close quarters.

I agreed to start with Bob upon such an excursion ; but I found
that this kind of sport was more adapted for his light weight than
my own, and that his moccasins were far superior to my boots, for
running along the stems of fallen spruce trees at all kinds of angles,
and for jumping from one prostrate trunk to another, in a squirrel-
like fashion, more in harmony with a man of 9 stone than one of 15.
We started together, Bob mounted upon his little mare, while I
rode my best horse, " Buckskin," who was trained, like many of
these useful animals, to stand alone, and graze, without moving
away from his position for hours ; should it be necessary to dis-
mount, and leave him. The horses thus tutored are invaluable for
shooting purposes, as it is frequently necessary to stalk an animal
on foot ; in which case, the bridle is simply arranged by drawing
the reins over the head, and throwing them in his front, to fall

x THE BEAR 219

upon the ground before his fore-feet. When thus managed, the
horse will feed, but he will never move away from his position, and
he will wait for hours for the return of his master.

We rode about four miles without seeing a living creature,
except a badger. This animal squatted upon seeing the horses,
and lay close to the ground, like a hare in form, until we actually
halted within 10 feet of its position. Bob immediately suggested
that we should kill it, and secure its skin (his one idea appeared to
be a longing to divest everything of its hide) ; but I would not
halt, as the day was to be devoted to bears. We at length arrived
at a portion of the forest where the young spruce had grown up
from a space that had formerly been burnt ; about 50 acres were
densely covered with bright green foliage, forming a pleasing con-
trast to the sombre hue of the older forest. This was considered
by my guide to be a likely retreat for bears ; it was as thick as
possible for trees to grow.

We accordingly dismounted, threw the reins over our horses'
heads, and, taking the right direction of the wind, we entered the
main forest, which was connected with the younger growth. It
was easy to distinguish tracks, as the earth was covered with old
half-rotten pine needles, which formed a soft surface, that would
receive a deep impression. Nearly all the old trees were more or
less barked by the horns of wapiti, showing that immense numbers
must visit these woods at the season when the horns are nearly
hard, and require rubbing, to clean them from the velvet. We had
not strolled more than half a mile through the dark wood when
Bob suddenly halted, and, like Robinson Crusoe, he appeared
startled by the signs of a footstep deeply imprinted in the soil. It
was uncommonly like a large and peculiarly broad human foot, but
there was no doubt it was a most recent track of a bear, and the
direction taken would lead towards the dense young spruce that
we had already seen. We followed the track, until we at length
arrived at the bright green thicket, in which we felt sure the bear
must be lying down.

This was an exceedingly awkward place, and Bob assured me
that if he were alone, he should decline to enter such a forest, as
it was impossible to see a yard ahead, and a bear might spring
upon you before you knew that it was near. As I had a double-
barrelled powerful rifle, I of course went first, followed by Bob
close behind. As noiselessly as possible, we pushed through the
elastic branches, and very slowly followed the track, which was
now more difficult to distinguish, owing to the close proximity of
the young trees that overshadowed the surface of the ground.

220 . WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

In this manner we had advanced about a quarter of a mile,
when a sudden rush was made exactly in my front, the young
trees were roughly shaken, and I jumped forward immediately,
to meet or to follow the animal, before I could determine what it
really was. Something between a short roar and a grunt pro-
claimed it to be a bear, and I pushed on as fast as I could through
the opposing branches ; I could neither see nor hear any-
thing.

Bob Stewart now joined me. " That's no good," he exclaimed,
"you shouldn't run forward when you hear the rush of a bear,
but jump on one side, as I did. Supposing that bear had come
straight at you ; why, he'd a been on the top of you before you
could have got your rifle up. True, you've got a double-barrel,
but that's not my way of shooting bears, although that's the way
to jump a bear, which you've seen now, and you may jump a good
many before you get a shot in this kind of stuff."

I could not induce Bob to take any further trouble in pursuit,
as he assured me that it would be to no purpose : the bear when
thus disturbed would go straight away, and might not halt for
several miles.

This was a disappointment j we therefore sought our horses,
which we found quietly grazing in the place that we expected.
Remounting, we rode slowly through the great mass of spruce firs,
which I had named the "10 mile forest."

There was very little underwood beyond a few young spruce
here and there, and we could see from 80 to 100 yards in every
direction. Presently we came across an enormous skull, which
Bob immediately examined, and handed it to me, suggesting that
I should preserve it as a specimen. He declared this to be the
skull of a true grizzly ; but some of the teeth were missing, and
as I seldom collect anything that I have not myself shot or taken
a part in shooting, I declined the head, although it was double the
size of anything I had experienced.

The forest was peculiarly dark, and the earth was so soft from
the decaying pine needles, that our horses made no noise, unless
when occasionally their hoofs struck against the brittle branches of
a fallen tree. We were thus riding, always keeping a bright look-
out, when Bob (who was leading) suddenly sprang from his mare,
and as quick as lightning fired at a black-tail buck, that was
standing about 80 yards upon our right. His shot had no effect •
the deer, which had not before observed us, started at the shot,
and stood again, without moving more than three or four yards.
Bob had reloaded his Sharp like magic, and he fired another shot,

x THE BEAR 221

hitting it through the neck, as it was gazing directly towards us ;
it fell dead, without moving a foot.

We rode up to the buck ; it was in beautiful condition, but the
horns were in velvet, and were useless. I now watched with
admiration the wonderful dexterity with which Bob, as a profes-
sional skin-hunter, divested this buck of its hide. It appeared to
me that I could hardly take off my own clothes (if I were to
commence with my greatcoat) quicker than he ripped off the skin
from this beautiful beast. With very little delay, the hide was
neatly folded up, and secured to the Mexican saddle by the long
leathern thongs, which form portions of that excellent invention.

Bob remounted his mare, with the skin strapped behind the
cantle, like a military valise ; and we continued on our way.
" That was a quick shot, Bob." — " Yes, 2 J dollars, or 2 dollars
at least, I'll get for that skin • you see there's no game that pays
us like the black-tail, and I never let one go if I can help it;
they're easy to shoot, easy to skin, easy to dry, and easy to sell at
a good price, and more than that, they're handy to pack upon a
mule."

That little incident having passed, we again relapsed into
silence, and rode slowly forward, with a wide-awake look-out on
every side.

We had ridden about a mile, when the fresh tracks of bears
that had crossed our route caused a sudden halt, and we immedi-
ately dismounted to examine them. They were of average size,
and there could be no doubt, from the short stride of each pace,
that they were retiring leisurely, after a night's ramble, to the beds
in which they usually laid up. We led our horses to a small glade
of good grass that was not far distant, and left them in the usual
manner.

We now commenced tracking, which was simple enough, as the
heavy footprints were distinct, and the bears had been travelling
tolerably straight towards home. At length, after nearly a mile
of this easy work, we arrived at a portion of the forest where some
hurricane must in former years have levelled several hundred acres.
The trees were lying about in confused heaps, piled in many places
one upon the other, in the greatest confusion. None of them were
absolutely rotten, but the branches were exceedingly brittle, and,
if broken, they snapped like a pistol shot, making a noiseless
advance most difficult. Through this chaos of fallen timber the
young spruce had grown with extreme vigour, and I never ex-
perienced greater difficulty in making my way than in this tangled
and obdurate mass of long trunks of gnarled trees, and branches

222 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

lying at every angle, intergrown with the green boughs of younger
spruce.

Bob Stewart wore moccasins, and being exceedingly light and
active, he ran up each sloping tree-stem for 40 or 50 feet, then
dropped nimbly to another fallen trunk below, bobbed under a
mass of heavy timber, like masts in a shipbuilder's yard, supported
as they had chanced to fall, and then dived underneath all sorts of
obstructions. He was followed admiringly, but slowly, by myself,
not provided with moccasins, but in high riding boots. If I had
been a squirrel, I might perhaps have beaten Bob, but after several
hundred yards of this horrible entanglement, which might have
been peopled by all the bears in Wyoming, we arrived at a small
grassy swamp in the bottom of a hollow, just beneath a great mass
of perpendicular rock, about 70 or 80 feet in height. In the
centre of this hollow was a pool of water, about 8 feet by 6. This
had been disturbed so recently by some large animal, that the mud
was still curling in dusky rings, showing that the bath had only
just been vacated. We halted, and examined this attentively.
The edges of the little pool were wet with the drip from the bear's
shaggy coat, as it had left the water.

Bob whispered to me, " Look sharp, there are bears here, more
than one I think, and if they've heard us, they'll be somewhere
alongside this rock, I reckon, or maybe up above." We crept
along, and beneath the fallen timber ; but it was so dark, owing
to the great number of young spruce which had pushed their way
upwards, that a dozen bears might have moved without our
seeing one.

We now arrived at a small open space, about 20 feet square ;
this was a delightful change from the darkness and obstructions.
The ground in this spot was a deep mass of pine needles, and in
this soft material there were three or four round depressions, quite
smooth, and about 18 inches deep; these were the beds of bears,
where in undisturbed solitude they were in the habit of sleeping
after their nocturnal rambles.

I was of opinion that we had disturbed our game, as several
times we had accidentally broken a dead branch, with a loud
report, when clambering through the abominable route. However,
we crept forward round the base of the rock, and arrived in the
darkest and thickest place that we had hitherto experienced.

At this moment we heard a sharp report, as a dead branch
snapped immediately in our front. For an instant I saw a large
black shadow apparently walking along the trunk of a fallen pine.
I could not see the sight of my rifle in the deep gloom, but I fired,

x THE BEAR 223

and was answered by a short growl and a momentary crash among
the branches.

We ran forward with difficulty, but no bear was to be seen.
We searched everywhere, but in vain. I came to the conclusion
that the game was hardly worth the candle.

Through several hours we worked hard, but did not find another
bear ; and it was past five o'clock when we arrived at our camp,
after a long day's work, in which we had certainly "jumped" two
bears, but had not succeeded in bagging one.

Texas Bill came to hold my horse upon our arrival ; he was
looking rather shy, and ill-at-ease. "What's the matter, Bill?
anything gone wrong ? " I asked.

"Well," he replied, "I hope you won't blame me, as I don't
think it right, but you know where you killed a wapiti a couple of
days ago, and we found the next morning that the bears had been
and buried it ; and you said we'd better leave the place quiet for a
day, and then you'd go early in the morning, and perhaps find the
bears upon the spot 1 Well, after you were gone with Bob this
morning, Jem Bourne proposed that we should go and have a look
at the place, and sure enough when we got there we found a great
big bear fast asleep, lying on the top of the buried wapiti, and her
two half-grown cubs asleep with her. So Jem had your Martini-
Henry with him, and he killed the mother stone dead, through the
shoulder. Up gets one of the young ones, and hits his brother (or
sister) such a whack in the eye with his paw that it just made me
laugh, and then he cuffs him again over the head, just as though it
was his fault that the mother was knocked over. Jem had reloaded,
so he put a bullet through this young fellow ; and then putting in
another cartridge, he floored the third, and they were all dead in
less than a minute. It's a fine rifle is that Martini-Henry, but I
think you'll be displeased, as we had no business to go nigh the
place ; it ain't my fault, and I wouldn't have done it myself, you
may be sure."

This was a glorious triumph for the jealous Jem Bourne, who
was highly offended at my having adopted the advice, and sought
the assistance of Bob Stewart, to "jump a bear." We had returned
as failures, and he had killed three bears with my rifle, within my
sanctuary, which I had specially arranged for a visit upon the
following day. He declared " that nobody should stop him from
killing bears, as his right was just as good as mine." This poach-
ing upon my preserves was rather too much for my patience,
therefore without any discussion or angry words I gave him a note
to carry 42 miles' distance on the following morning, to a friend of

224 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

mine at the second ranch e. " What horse shall I ride 1 " asked the
fellow sullenly. " The white mule," I replied. " When am I to
come back?" — "Not till I send for you," was the answer; and
Jem Bourne ceased to be a member of our party.

This was an excellent example, as many of these people are ex-
ceedingly independent, and although he received high wages (120
dollars monthly, in addition to his food, and a horse to ride), he
considered that he was quite the equal of his employer. Although
my other men received only half these wages, they were more useful,
and after this dismissal we were far more comfortable.

It was a strange study of the Far West in these outlandish
and utterly uninhabited districts. When looking down from the
summit of the mountains, facing north, we were positively certain
that for more than 100 miles in a direct line there was not a
human habitation, and the nearest point of embryo civilisation was
the Government Park on the Yellowstone river, at least 150 miles
distant. In our rear we were 80 miles from the abandoned
station of Powder Eiver, with only two ranches in the interval.
It may be readily imagined that the laws of civilised communities
were difficult to administer in such a wilderness.

The nearest railway station was "Rock Creek," about 240
miles, upon the Union Pacific, from whence we had originally
started; that point is about 7000 feet above the sea-level. A
curious contrivance, slung upon leather straps instead of springs,
represents a coach, which, drawn by four horses, plies to Fort
Fetterman, 90 miles distant. During this prairie journey the horses
are only changed twice.

There are no dwellings to be seen throughout the undulating
mass of wild grass ; this possesses extraordinary properties for
fattening cattle and wild animals ; but after a weary drive along
a track worn by wheels and other traffic, and occasionally well
defined by empty tins that had contained preserved provisions, a
small speck is seen upon the horizon, which is declared to be the
station for spare horses.

Upon arrival at this cheerless abode we entered a small log-
house, containing two rooms and a kitchen ; but the cooking was
conducted in the public room, an apartment about 13 feet square,
with a useful kind of stove in one corner. The man who repre-
sented the establishment had of course observed the coach in the
far distance, therefore he was not startled by the arrival of our
party, which consisted of the Hon. Charles Ellis, Lady Baker, and
myself. He had already begun to fry bacon in a huge frying-pan
upon the little stove, and he had opened some large tins of pre-

x THE BEAR 225

served vegetables, in addition to another containing some kind of
animal hardly to be distinguished. He had been successful that
morning, having killed an antelope; therefore we had quite an
entertainment in this log-hut, so far away from the great world.

The table was spread with a very dirty cloth, and our small
party was immediately augmented by the arrival of the coachman
(our driver), the man who looked after the horses, an outside
passenger of questionable respectability, and our host, who had
just cooked the bacon. It was an unexceptional fashion throughout
the country to reduce all clothing to a minimum. Coats were un-
known during the summer months (this was the middle of August) ;
waistcoats were despised ; and the costume of the period consisted
of a flannel shirt, and a pair of trousers sustained by a belt in lieu
of braces. Attached to this belt was the omnipresent six-shooter
in its holster. I was the only person who possessed, or at all
events exhibited, a coat; and I felt that peculiar and unhappy
sensation of being over-dressed, which I feared might be mistaken
for pride by our unsophisticated companions.

We were not a cheery party; on the contrary, everybody
appeared to be so determined not to say the wrong thing, that they
remained silent ; the dulness of the meal was only broken at long
intervals by such carefully expressed sentiments as "I'll trouble
you to pass the salt, if you please," or " Will you kindly hand the
bacon V

There was no vulgarity in this, and we were afterwards informed
that these rough people, who, as a rule, season their conversation
with the pepper of profanity, are painfully sensitive to the presence
of a lady, before whom they are upon their Fs and Q's of propriety ;
and, should an improper expression escape their lips in an unguarded
moment, they would be in a state of deep depression from the
keenest remorse, which might perhaps cause a sense of unhappiness
for at least five minutes. They most sensibly refrained altogether
from conversation in a lady's presence, to avoid the possibility of a
" slip of the tongue."

If they could have left their perfume behind, together with the
profanity, our table would have been sweeter ; but the flannel shirts
were seldom washed, to prevent shrinking, just as their owners
seldom spoke, to avoid swearing ; an overpowering smell of horses
was emitted by the driver, and of stables by the ostler, while the
proprietor exhaled the mixed but indescribable odours combined
from his various duties, such as cooking, cleaning up, sleeping in
his clothes, and never washing them.

The meal over, we again started. This stage was interesting,

o

22(3 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

as we left the- treeless expanse of prairie, and drove over high land
through picturesque forests of spruce firs among rocks and canyons.
About 20 miles of this scenery was passed ; then we descended a
long slope, and once more emerged upon the dreary, treeless prospect.

At the end of 35 miles another speck was seen, which eventually
turned out to be a station similar to that at which we had halted
in the morning. There were two pretty-looking and clean girls
here ; they had come to assist their brother, who " ran " the house.
It was curious to observe the little evidences of civilisation which
the presence of these girls had introduced. At first sight, among a
rude community, I should have had strong misgivings concerning the
security of young girls without a mother ; but, on the contrary, I
was assured that no man would ever presume to insult a respectable
woman, and the girls were safer here than they would be at New
York. It was a delightful anomaly in a society which otherwise
was exceedingly brutal, that a good woman possessed a civilising
power which gained the respect of her rough surroundings, and, by
an unpretentious charm, softened both speech and morals.

It was to be regretted that this benign influence could not have
been extended to the vermin. When the lamp was extinguished,
the bed was alive. I always marvelled at the phrase, u he took up
his bed and walked," but if the bugs had been unanimous, they
could have walked off with the bed without a miracle. Sleeping
was impossible. I relighted the paraffin lamp, a retreat was
evidently sounded, and the enemy retired. Presently an explosion
took place — the lamp had gone wrong, and burst, fortunately with-
out setting the place on fire. An advance was sounded, and the
enemy came on, determined upon victory.

I never slept in one of those prairie stations again, but we pre-
ferred a camp sheet and good blankets on the sage-bush, with the
sky for a ceiling.

On arrival at Fort Fetterman, 90 miles from Rock Creek station,
the coach drew up at a log-house of greater pretensions than those
upon the prairie. I had letters of introduction from General
McDowell (who was Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Coast) to
Colonel Gentry, who commanded Fort Fetterman, and Major
Powell of the same station.

Not wishing to drive up to the door of his private house, we
alighted at the log-hut which represented the inn. The room was
horridly dirty, the floor was sanded, and there was a peculiar smell
of bad drink, and an expression of depravity about the establishment.

The host was a tall man, attired as usual in a flannel shirt and
trousers, with a belt and revolver. He had evidently observed an

x THE BEAR 227

expression of disgust upon our faces, as he exclaimed, "Well, I
guess we ain't fixed up for ladies ; and p'r'aps it's as well that you
came to-day instead of last night, if you ain't fond of shooting
affairs. You were just looking at that table and thinking the
table-cover was a bit dirty, weren't you ? Well, last night Dick
and Bill got to words over their cards, and before Dick could get
out his six-shooter, young Bill was too quick and resolute, and he
put two bullets through him just across this table, and he fell over
it on his face, and never spoke a word. It's a good job too that
Dick's got it at last."

This little incident was quite in harmony with the appearance of
the den. I knew that letters had been previously forwarded from
San Francisco to the Commandant, therefore I strolled towards his
quarters, to leave my card and letter of introduction.

Fort Fetterman is not a fort, but merely an open station, with
a frontier guard of one company of troops. I met Colonel Gentry,
who was, very kindly, on his way towards the inn to meet us on
arrival. Upon my inquiring respecting the fatal quarrel across the
table, he informed me that he had held an inquest, and buried the
man that morning.

The deceased was a notorious character, and he would assuredly
have shot his younger antagonist, had he not been the quicker of
the two in drawing his pistol.

This was a satisfactory termination to a dispute concerning cards,
and there was a total absence of any false sentiment upon the part
of the common-sense authority.

We were most hospitably entertained by Major and Mrs. Powell,
to whose kind care we were committed by Colonel Gentry, who,
being a bachelor, had no accommodation for ladies. It was very
delightful, in the centre of a prairie wildernesss, to meet with ladies,
and to hear the rich contralto voice of Miss Powell, their daughter
of eighteen, who promised to be a singer much above the
average.

On the following morning we started for Powder River, 92 miles
from Fort Fetterman ; there was no public conveyance, as Powder
River station had been abandoned sincejthe Indians had been driven
back, and confined to their reservation lands. We were bound by
invitation to the cattle ranche of Mr. R. Frewen and his brother
Mr. Moreton Frewen; these gentlemen had an establishment at
Powder River, although their house was 22 miles distant upon the
other side, in the centre of their ranche. They had very kindly
sent a four-wheeled open carriage for us ; one of those conveyances
that are generally known as American waggons, with enormously

228 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chai>.

high wheels of cobweb-like transparency. Jem Bourne had been
sent as our conductor, having been engaged as my head man.

There was nothing but prairie throughout this uninteresting
journey, enlivened now and then by a few antelopes.

Castle Frewen, as the superior log building was facetiously
called by the Americans, was 212 miles from Rock Creek station,
and we were well pleased upon arrival to accept their thoroughly
appreciated hospitality. Their house had an upper floor, and a
staircase rising from a hall, the walls of which were boarded, but
were ornamented with heads and horns of a variety of wild animals ;
these were in excellent harmony with the style of the surroundings.
Here we had the additional advantage of a kind and most charming
hostess in Mrs. Moreton Frewen, in whose society it seemed im-
possible to believe that we were so remote from what the world
calls civilisation. There was a private telephone, 22 miles in
length, to the station at Powder River, and the springing of the
alarm every quarter of an hour throughout the day was a sufficient
proof of the attention necessary to conduct the affairs successfully
at that distance from the place of business.

Our kind friends afforded us every possible assistance for the
arrangements that were necessary, and we regarded with admiration
the energy and perseverance they exhibited in working with their
own hands, and in knowing how to use their own hands, in the
absence of such assistance as would be considered necessary in
civilised countries.

There were about 8000 head of cattle upon the Frewens' ranche,
all of which were in excellent condition. It was beyond my pro-
vince to enter upon the question of successful ranching, but the
Americans confided to me that the prairie grass, instead of bene-
fiting by the pasturing of cattle, became exhausted, and that weeds
usurped the place of the grass, which disappeared ; therefore it
would follow that a given area, that would support 10,000 head of
cattle at the present time, would in a few years only support half
that number. It might therefore be inferred that the process of
deterioration would ultimately result in the loss of pasturage, and
the necessary diminution in the herds.

From the Frewens' ranche, a ride of 25 miles along the course
of the Powder river brought us to the last verge of civilisation ;
the utmost limit of the cattle ranches was owned by very nice
young people, Mr. and Mrs. Peters, Americans, and Mr. Alston,
an English partner.

We had been hospitably received by these charming young
settlers, whose rough log-house was in the last stage of completion,

x THE BEAR 229

aud I fear we must have caused them great personal incon-
venience.

On the following morning we started for the wilds of the Big
Horn, and crossing the Powder river, we at once commenced the
steep ascent, for a steady pull of 4000 feet above the dell in which
the house was situated. We left them, with the promise to pay
them a few days' visit on our return.

It was then that we quickly discovered the peculiarities of our
four attendants, whom I had expected to be examples of stern
hardihood, that would represent the fabled reputation of the back-
woodsman.

Although they were fine fellows in a certain way, they astonished
me by their luxurious habits. In a country that abounded with
game, I should have expected to exist upon the produce of the rifle,
as I had done so frequently during many years' experience of rough
life. A barrel of biscuits, a few pounds of bacon, and a good
supply of coffee would have been sufficient for a crowned head who
was fond of shooting, especially in a country where every kind of
animal was fat. My men did not view this picture of happiness in
the same light ; they required coffee, sugar, an immense supply of
bacon, an oven for baking bread, flour, baking-powder, preserved
apples (dried), ditto peaches, ditto blackberries, together with the
necessaries of pepper, salt, etc.

It was always my custom to drink a pint of cafe au lait and to
eat some toast and butter at about 6 a.m. before starting for our
day's work ; after this I never thought of food throughout the day,
until my return in the evening, which was generally at five or six
o'clock.

My people were never ready in the morning, but were invari-
ably squatted In front of the frying-pan, frizzling bacon, when I
was prepared to start. Jem Bourne was a chronic grumbler
because we hunted far away from camp, instead of returning at
mid-day to luncheon. Excellent fresh bread was baked daily,
and I insisted upon the people supplying themselves with sufficient
food packed upon their saddles, if they were not hardy enough
for a day's work after a good breakfast.

I observed that my friends Big Bill and Bob Stewart were
also provided with a large supply of bacon, although they left the
fattest animals rotting in the forest, simply because they hunted
for the hides.

In the same manner I remarked the extreme fastidiousness of
these otherwise hardy people in rejecting food which we should
have considered delicious. I have seen them repeatedly throw

230 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, x

away the sage-hens that I have shot; these were birds which
we prized. On one occasion, as we were travelling when moving
camp, I shot a jackass rabbit from the saddle, with my *577 rifle.
It gave me considerable trouble to dismount and open this animal,
which would have gained a prize for fat j having cleaned it most
carefully, I stuffed the inside with grass, and attached it to the
saddle.

We never had an opportunity of eating this splendid specimen j
on inquiring, the cook had thrown it away, "because at this
season jackass rabbits fed upon sage shoots, and the flesh tasted
of sage !"

As we shall return to the Big Horn range when treating upon
the habits of wapiti and other animals, I shall now refer to the
Indian bears, and commence with the most spiteful of the species,
Ursus labiatus.

CHAPTER XI

the bear {continued)

The outline that I have already given of Ursus labiatus is
sufficient to condemn its character ; there are more accidents to
natives of India and Ceylon from the attacks of this species than
from any other animal ; at the same time it is not carnivorous,
therefore no excuse can be brought forward in extenuation. I
have already observed that this variety of the bear family does
not hybernate; it has a peculiar knack of concealment, as it is
seldom met during the daytime, although perhaps very numerous
in a certain locality. In places abounding with rocky hills, deep
ravines, and thick bush, it may be readily imagined that bears
obtain the requisite shelter without difficulty; but I have fre-
quently visited their haunts, where no perceptible means of
secreting themselves existed, nevertheless each night afforded fresh
evidences of their industry in digging pits, when searching for
white ants, within 150 yards of our camp. In these places we
seldom found a bear, although driving the jungles daily with
nearly two hundred beaters. This experience would denote that
the bears travel long distances at night, to visit some favourite
resort which produces the necessary food. The stomachs of all
wild animals when shot should be immediately examined, as
the contents will be a guide to the locality which they inhabit.
I have killed elephants in Africa at least 50 miles distant from
any cultivation, but their stomachs were filled with dhurra
(Sorghum vulgare), thus proving that they had wandered great
distances in search of a much-loved food that could not be obtained
in their native forests In the same manner all wild animals will
travel extraordinary distances to obtain either water or food in
countries where they are liable to be pursued. When the watchers
who protect the crops are in sufficient force to drive the nocturnal
intruders away with guns, the same animals will probably not

232 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

reappear upon the following night, but they will visit some well-
known spot in an opposite direction, and reappear forty-eight
hours later upon the forbidden ground.

The elephants in that portion of Abyssinia which is traversed
by the various affluents of the Nile, being much harassed by the
sword-hunters of the Hamran Arabs, never drink in the same
locality upon two nights consecutively j they drink in the Settite
river perhaps on Monday, march 30 miles in retreat, and on the
following night they will have wandered another 30 miles to the
river Gash, in a totally opposite direction. They will then possibly
return to the Settite, and after drinking, they will take a new
departure, and march to the river Royan or to the Bahr Salaam.

A bear is a rapid traveller, and although sluggish in appearance
when confined, it is extremely active ; therefore outward signs of
digging, although evidence of nocturnal visits, cannot be accepted
as proofs of the bear's proximity.

I believe that leopards may be frequently crouching among the
branches of trees, and remain unseen, while a person, unconscious
of their presence, may pass beneath ; but although the sloth bear
is most active in ascending a tree, it would be difficult for it to
remain unobserved, owing to its superior size and remarkable black
colour. A very large old tree with a considerable cavern-like hole
at the bottom should always be carefully examined, as bears are
particularly fond of these impromptu dwellings. I knew a man
who was thus surprised whilst cutting wood from a large tree,
unconscious of the fact that a bear was concealed within the hollow
trunk. The blows of the axe disturbed the occupant, which
immediately bolted from the hollow, and seized the wood-cutter by
the thigh. Fortunately the man had his axe, with which he at
once belaboured the bear upon the head until it relinquished its
hold. I saw the scars of the wound inflicted by the canine teeth ;
these were about six inches in length, extending from inside the
thigh to the knee-joint. The man declared that if his axe had
been heavier he could have killed the bear, but it happened to be
exceedingly light, and had very little effect.

My shikari Kerim Bux, who was a very powerful man, had a
serious encounter with a bear, which seized his master, and im-
mediately turned upon him when he rushed unarmed to his assist-
ance ; the bear seized him by the leg, but in the wrestling match
which ensued, Kerim came off victor, although badly bitten, as he
threw the bear over a precipice, upon the edge of which the struggle
had taken place. This man was head constable in the police, and
bore a very high reputation.

xi THE BEAR 233

The Ursus labiatus being one of the most vicious animals, I
have seen it upon two occasions attack an elephant, one of which
was quite unprovoked.

We had been driving jungle for sambur deer in the Balaghat
district, and instead of posting myself upon a mucharn, or occupy-
ing any fixed position, I remained upon my elephant Hurri Ram.
This was a tusker that had been lent to me by the Government
upon two occasions, and he was so good-tempered, and active in
making his way over bad ground in steep forests, that I determined
to try him as a shooting elephant. I took my stand upon the open
grass-land, which was beautifully undulating, and would have made
a handsome park. Standing behind a bush we were partially con-
cealed, and I waited in expectation that some animals might break
covert in my direction. Presently I saw a dark object running
through the low bushes upon the margin of the sal forest on my
right, and a large bear emerged about 100 yards from my position.
It stood upon the open for a few seconds, evidently taking a close
scrutiny of the surroundings, prior to a run across the country,
where no chance would be afforded for concealment. It suddenly
espied the elephant, and, apparently without a moment's hesitation,
it charged from the great distance of 100 yards at full speed
directly upon the nervous Hurri Ram. I had not long to wait,
but just as I pulled the trigger, when the bear was within 10
yards, the elephant whisked round and bolted down hill across the
open, towards the portion of the jungle that was about 250 yards
upon my left. Nothing would stop the runaway brute, but for-
tunately I had stationed a police constable at the very spot for
which the elephant was making, and he, seeing the state of affairs,
ran forward, shouting at the top of his voice and flourishing his
rifle ; this had the effect of turning the runaway, just as it was
about to enter the forest, where we should in all probability have
been smashed.

The bear had in the meantime gone across country, and although
we hunted it for more than a mile, we never saw it again. This
was a purely unprovoked attack, and it would have been interest-
ing to have seen the result had the elephant not bolted. I imagine
that the bear would have seized it by the leg, and afterwards
would have attempted a retreat.

Upon another occasion, at a place called Soondah in the same
district, I was upon Hurri Ram ; I had been working through the
high grass in the first-class reserves throughout the day, having
killed a splendid stag sambur, when we were attracted by the
peculiar short roar or moan made by a tigress calling either for her

234 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

cub or for some male companion. This was in the sal forest,
within a quarter of a mile of our position. It was a dangerous
attempt, upon such an untrustworthy elephant as Hurri Ram, to
look for a tiger in a thick sal jungle, as that species of tree grows
in long straight trunks exceedingly close together, to an extent
that would make it impossible for a large elephant to continue a
direct course. Should the animal run away, the result would
probably be fatal to the rider. We again heard the cry of the
tiger repeated ; this decided me to make the trial, and we entered
the forest, carefully advancing, and scanning every direction.

The sal tree produces one of the most valuable woods in India
for building purposes, and for railway sleepers. The bark is black,
which gives the forest a sombre appearance, and the trees grow
perfectly straight, generally to a height of 30 or 40 feet, before
they divide into branches ; it may be readily imagined that an
elephant would find a difficulty in threading its way through the
narrow passages formed by these mast-like growths. In addition
to this difficulty, there were numerous clumps of the tough male
bamboo, which nothing will break, and which is terribly dangerous
should a runaway elephant attempt to penetrate it, as the hard
wiry branches would lacerate a rider in a frightful manner. There
were numerous ravines in this forest, and we kept along the
margin, slowly and cautiously, peering at the same time into the
depths, in the expectation of seeing the wandering tiger.

It was very perplexing; sometimes we heard the cry of the
tiger in one direction, and upon reaching the spot, we heard it at
a different place. I was determined not to give it up, and we
worked for at least two hours, until we had thoroughly examined
every ravine, and all the smaller nullahs that would have been
likely hiding-places. " Past five o'clock," I exclaimed, upon look-
ing at my watch. It was time to turn homewards, as it would be
dark at six, and should we be benighted in the forest we should
not find our way, neither would it be possible to ride an elephant,
owing to the thick bamboo. We accordingly gave up our search
for the tiger, and steered in a new direction towards the
camp.

We had advanced for about half an hour through the gloomy
forest, and were within about f of a mile in a direct line of the
tents, when I observed a peculiarly dark shadow upon my right,
about 35 yards distant, close to a dense mass of feathery bamboos.
I stopped the elephant for an instant, and at the same moment
the black mass moved away towards the thick cover of the
foliage. Guessing the position of the shoulder, I took a quick

xr THE BEAR 235

shot with the Paradox gun ; the elephant, most fortunately, not
having observed the animal.

The effect was most extraordinary ; I never heard such a noise ;
there was a combination of roars and howls, as though a dozen
tigers and lions were engaged in a Salvation Army chorus. Away
went Hurri Ram, rendering it impossible for me to fire, as a large
bear came straight at us, charging from the deep gloom of a
bamboo clump, and growling, as it ran with the speed of a dog,
direct at the elephant.

I thought we must be knocked to pieces ; two or three smaller
trees fortunately gave way before the terrified rush of Hurri Ram,
but the power of the driving-hook was gone ; although the mahout
alternately drove the spike deep into his skull and hooked the
sharp crook into the tender base of the ears, the elephant crashed
along, threatening us with destruction, as he swept through
bamboos, and appeared determined to run for miles.

I had been accustomed to feed this animal daily with all kinds
of nice delicacies beloved by elephants, and at such times I always
spoke to him in a peculiar phraseology. Although I was in the
worst possible humour, and considerably anxious regarding our
safety, when rushing through forest at 15 miles an hour, I ad-
dressed Hurri Ram in most endearing terms — " Poor old fellow,
poor old Hurri Ram, where are the sugar-canes 1 where are the
chupatties, poor old boy 1" etc. etc. I believe thoroughly that
the well-known tones of my voice restored his confidence far more
than the torture of the driving-hook, and after a race of about
150 yards he stopped. "Now turn him round, give him the
point sharp, and drive him straight for the bear." The mahout
obeyed the order, and we soon approached the spot, where the
roars and howls still continued. My men were up the trees ; the
shikari had thrown a mighty spear upon the ground, and had
gone up the branches like a squirrel, as he did not see the fun of
meeting the bear's charge.

Before we had time to examine the actual condition of affairs,
the big bear suddenly dashed out again straight at the elephant,
and once more in a disgraceful panic he took to flight, without the
possibility, on my part, of taking a shot, when the bear thus
daringly exposed itself. Again I had to comfort Hurri Ram, and
by degrees we stopped his mad career, and once more returned to
the scene of his discomfiture. There was a slight depression in
an open hollow, where high grass in swampy ground intervened
between two sections of the forest. As we advanced, the elephant
being severely punished by the driving-hook and scolded by the

236 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

mahout, the bear suddenly uprose from the high grass, and stand-
ing upon its hind legs, it faced us at about 40 yards' distance,
affording a magnificent chance for a deadly shot. Away went
Hurri Ram again, whisking round before I had a moment to fire ;
and after two successive chances of this kind, the bear escaped
into the opposite jungle, and we searched for it in vain.

We now returned, and with some difficulty drove Hurri Ram
to the scene of conflict. There was a bear lying dead. The howls
and roars had ceased, and a few yards to the left of the dead bear
was a large black mass : this was another bear, in the last gasp.
Both had been knocked over by only one bullet from the
Paradox.

Although I had only seen one bear, and that most indistinctly,
it appeared that the bullet, being intensely hard, and propelled by
4 J drams of powder, had gone completely through the shoulder of
the original bear, and then struck an unseen companion, who must
have been some yards distant upon lower ground beyond. The
bullet had broken the shoulder of this unlucky friend, and was
sticking in its lungs, having carried a bundle of coarse black hair
from bear No. 1 and deposited it upon its course in bear No. 2.

Although these were full-grown bears, there can be little doubt
that the bear that had so determinedly attacked the elephant was
the mother, infuriated by the roars and howls of her dying
offspring. The penetration of the Paradox bullet was highly satis-
factory, but I was terribly disgusted with Hurri Ram, whose
misconduct had caused the loss of bear No. 3, which would most
certainly have been included in the list of killed had I had the
chance of only one second's quiet.

My men were not in the least ashamed when they descended
from the trees, as they considered that the better part of valour
was discretion. The large spear had been manufactured expressly
for this kind of emergency, by a celebrated native cutler, Bhoput
of Nagpur. It is always advisable that some powerful and plucky
shikari should carry such a weapon for approaching any wounded
animal, as accidents generally occur from carelessness, when the
animal is supposed to be lying helpless, at the point of death.
Such a spear should be 2 feet long, with a blade 3 inches wide,
and extremely sharp. There should be a short cross-bar about 22
inches from the point, to prevent the spear from running completely
through an animal, which could then writhe up the handle, and
attack. The socket should be large and long, to admit a very
thick male bamboo, as the mistake is too frequently made that the
spear is strong, but the handle is too weak. It is very important

xi THE BEAR 237

that a trustworthy attendant should be thus armed, as a dying
animal can then be approached with comparative impunity.

The risks that are run in following wounded animals are far
greater than the prime attack. Should an animal charge without
being wounded, it may generally be turned by a steady shot, if not
absolutely killed; but when badly hurt, the onset of a beast is
spasmodic, and nothing but death will paralyse the spring. I
could mention numerous cases where lamentable disasters have
occurred simply through thoughtlessness on the part of the hunter,
who has been sacrificed in consequence of his neglect. One of the
saddest catastrophes was the death of the late Lord Edward St.
Maur, son of the Duke of Somerset, who died from the effects of
amputation necessitated by the mangled state of his knee from the
attack of a bear some years ago in India. This unfortunate young
sportsman was shooting alone, and having wounded a bear, he
followed up the animal for about a mile. When discovered it
immediately charged him, and although again seriously wounded
by his shot, the bear seized him by the knee, pulled him to the
ground, and in the struggle that ensued he was seriously mauled.
The bear was driven away by his attendants, and he was conveyed
to camp. There was no blame in this instance attached to himself,
or to any other person. In a most courageous manner he defended
himself against the bear with his hunting-knife, and the body of
the animal was recovered after some days by his shikari ; but this
promising young nobleman was cut off in the early days of his
career, and was probably sacrificed through a want of surgical
experience on the part of the native operator.

I remember an instance of carelessness, which might have had
a disastrous result, many years ago, when I was hunting in Ceylon.
My brother, the late General Valentine Baker, was riding with me
through the jungles in the district called "The Park." I had
been caught by a rogue elephant a few days before, and my right
thigh was so damaged that I could only walk a few yards with
difficulty. Suddenly the man who walked before my horse ran
back, and shouted " Wallahah, Wallahah " (Bears, Bears), and we
caught sight of some large black object rushing through the jungle,
close to our horses' heads. Valentine Baker jumped nimbly off,
and I heard a shot almost immediately ; my wounded leg was
perfectly numbed, and I had no feeling in my foot ; therefore, as
it touched the ground without sensation, I fell over on my back.
Gathering myself together, I managed to run in chase, and I shortly
found myself close to the retreating heels of two bears that were
trotting through the dense underwood. One of these brutes,

238 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

feeling that it was pursued, turned quickly round, and immediately
jumped upon the muzzle of my gun, which I fired into its stomach
and rolled it over. I now heard my brother shouting my name at
only a few yards' distance ; running towards him, as I feared some
accident, I found a large bear half lying and half sitting upon the
ground, growling and biting at the hard-wood loading-rod which V.
Baker had thrust into a bullet wound behind its shoulder; he
seemed surprised that the bear would not die at once. This was
exceedingly dangerous, as the animal might have recovered sufficient
strength to have directed an attack at an unguarded moment.
Having a heavy hunting-knife of 3 lbs. weight, I gave it a blow
across the skull, which cleft it to the brain and terminated its
struggles. This was exactly the occasion upon which an accident
might have occurred, and when a spear would have been of use.

I cannot understand why persons who reside in India neglect
the assistance of dogs for the various kinds of hunting. Bull
terriers would be invaluable for tracking up a wounded tiger or
bear, and the latter might be hunted by such dogs even without
being wounded. At any rate, well -trained dogs would be of
immense assistance, but I have never seen them used. During
the cool season of Central and Northern India the climate is most
favourable, and the dogs could work during the hottest hours of
the day without undue fatigue. Mr. Sanderson set the example
some years ago, and had some interesting hunts ; he describes the
Ursus labiatus as rendered powerless, in spite of its great strength
and activity, as one bull terrier invariably seized it by the nose ;
this is the most sensitive part, and easy to hold, as it is long, and
connected with a projecting upper lip, which is almost prehensile
in this variety. His experience proved that three dogs were
sufficient to hold any bear, as the claws, although dangerous to the
tender skin of a man, were too blunt to tear the tough but yielding
hide of the dog.

There are two other varieties of bears in the continent of India,
the black ( Ursus Thibetanus) and the brown, both of which are
confined to Cashmere and the Himalayah range. I have had no
personal experience of these animals, therefore I do not presume to
offer myself as an authority ; but from the accounts I have received
from those who have hunted them successfully, they are much the
same in their habits as the average of their species.

The dangerous character of bears, in like manner with all other
animals, was accredited at a time when breechloaders and high
velocities were unknown, but with a -577 rifle and 6 drams of
powder, or a No. 12 spherical and 7 drams of powder, I cannot

XI

THE BEAR 239

conceive the possibility of escape for any bear or other creature
below the standard of a buffalo, if the hunter is a cool and steady
shot. The conditions of this theory will include a solid bullet, not
a hollow projectile dignified by the term " Express."

I will conclude this notice of the bear with an example of the
failure of the hollow bullet, -577 Express, fired by a native gentle-
man, Zahur al Islam, when shooting with me in the reserves of
Singrampur in the Central Provinces last winter.

We were driving for any kind of animals that the jungle might
produce, and, being on foot, we constructed the usual little hiding-
place by cutting half through a sapling about 3 feet from the root,
and bearing down upon the young tree so as to form a horizontal
rail in front of our seat; a similar cut at the back of another
sapling about 3 inches thick, facing the stem already laid, and that
was also pressed down to interlace with the branches of the prostrate
tree. This makes a screen which can be rendered still more opaque
by the addition of a few green boughs.

The grass was parched to a bright straw colour, and was about
4 feet high. As the beaters approached, a bear rushed forward
and passed within 1 5 paces of Zahur. He fired ; the bear emitted
a short growl and passed on.

I assisted in tracking this animal by the blood upon the grass.
Zahur described the shot he had taken as oblique ; as the bear had
passed him, therefore the bullet must have struck either the hind-
quarters full, or the thigh.

We found a teak tree about 14 inches in diameter covered with
small pieces of flesh resembling sausage-meat, for a height of 6 feet
from the ground. The yellow grass at the foot of this tree was
covered with blood, and many minute fragments of flesh adhered
to the leaves. Searching the place carefully, we picked up two
pieces of bone covered with blood ; these were very thick and
strong, the larger fragment being 2 J inches in length and 1 inch in
width, evidently pieces belonging to the upper portion of the
thigh.

After tracking the wounded bear for about 200 yards through
the high grass and jungle, we came to a tolerably deep nullah,
where we expected to find the animal lying down. Instead of this,
we discovered another large piece of fractured thigh bone, which
proved that the hollow Express bullet, although *577, had broken
up upon striking the bone, instead of penetrating throughout the
body. The muscles of the thigh and the bone had been shattered
to atoms, and the flesh so completely exploded that it had flown in
all directions, dispersed in the smallest fragments ; nevertheless

240 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xi

this bear had gone right away, and was never more seen, although
we expended more than an hour in its search, both with men and
elephants.

There could not be a more cruel example of the effect of a hollow
projectile when striking a bone. If that had been a solid bullet,
it would have raked the animal fore and aft, and would have rolled
it over on the spot.

CHAPTER XII

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS

Africa is the only portion of the world which produces this ex-
traordinary animal, and we find it distributed in almost all rivers
that are comprised within 26 degrees of latitude North and South.
It is supposed that in a remote age the hippopotamus of the Nile
extended its journey towards the north as far as Cairo, but it has
been driven towards the south by the increase of traffic, and is now
limited to the distant portion of the Soudan in the neighbourhood
of Dongola. Even there it is scarce, and no great numbers are to
be seen north of Khartoum, N. lat. 15° 30', although the animals
actually exist, and take refuge upon the wooded islands of the Nile
throughout its course from Berber to Abou Hamed.

It is curious to observe how a comparatively short interval of
time will effect a change in driving animals from a particular
neighbourhood, and compelling them to seek seclusion by travelling
distances that would to some persons appear incredible. I well
remember that twenty -eight years ago I saw crocodiles in con-
siderable numbers at Dendera upon the lower Nile, far to the north
of the cataracts at Assouan. These creatures have disappeared,
and the disturbance occasioned by steamers has not only exiled
them from their old haunts upon the lower river, but they are
become scarce where they were exceedingly plentiful twenty years
ago, between the first and second cataracts to Wady Haifa.

When we have been ourselves eye-witnesses of such a change
within the short interval of a few years, it becomes easy to com-
prehend the disappearance of the hippopotamus during the last
thousand or fifteen hundred years. This animal, in like manner
with the crocodile, would not migrate suddenly to a distant point,
but would gradually recede before advancing civilisation, and would
disappear from a district by slow degrees that would hardly be
appreciated at the time of its retreat.

E

242 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

The hippopotamus is heavier than the black rhinoceros, but
would be about equal in weight to the white variety; it may
therefore be ranked as second in weight to the elephant. The
flesh and hide are more dense than those of the elephant, which
causes it to sink immediately when shot within deep water; if
within 25 feet depth, the body will ascend and float when the gases
shall have distended the carcase, which will take place in about
two hours.

The specific gravity would be greater than the displacement in
water, but so nearly balanced that the animal can rise to the
surface with very slight muscular exertion ; and it can at the same
time run along the bed of the river at great speed, as hardly any
weight would press upon the limbs, the body being almost self-
supporting in the water.

The feet of the hippopotamus are shaped in a peculiar manner,
which enables it to clamber up greasy and slippery mud-banks, at
the same time that they are well adapted for swimming, or for
travelling upon the spongy bottom. There are only four toes upon
each foot ; these are tipped with horny points, which afford good
holding power either for ascent or descent. The toes spread widely
upon soft ground, and although not actually web-footed, the skin
between each toe expands to a certain degree, which assists the
animal's progress when swimming by offering a considerable surface
for resistance to the water.

I measured a bull hippopotamus, 1 4 feet 3 inches from snout to
end of tail ; the latter being about 9 inches.

The legs are exceedingly short, being in the same proportion to
the height of the animal as those of a well-bred pig. The head is
enormous, and the mouth is the largest of any terrestrial creature
in existence. Cuvier describes the teeth as follows : — " Six grinders
on each side of both jaws, the three anterior of which are conical,
the posterior presenting two pair of points, which by detrition
assume a trefoil shape ; four incisors above and below, those of the
upper jaw being short, conical, and recurved, the inferior prolonged,
cylindrical, pointed, and horizontally projecting; a canine tooth
on each side above and below, the upper straight, the lower very
large and recurved, those of the two jaws rubbing against each
other."

The tusks exactly resemble, on an enormous scale, those of the
wild boar, and the lower tusks are sharpened in the same manner,
by attrition against the upper. The enamel upon the surface of
the two defensive tusks is extremely thick and hard : the amount
of silica in its composition is so great, that, in cutting out the tooth

xii THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 243

with an axe, showers of sparks are occasionally produced, when the
steel strikes the tusk obliquely.

The front teeth of both jaws appear to be specially arranged as
scarifiers for raking and tearing out roots of aquatic plants, or for
gathering tangled grasses from the river's bank. Although the
skull is of prodigious size, the brain is very small, in no case ex-
ceeding the size of a man's fist. The eyes are large, and are sur-
mounted by a projecting arch of bone, which is a peculiar feature ;
the ears are small, and the animal has a habit of shaking them
with great rapidity, to rid them of water when it first emerges
upon the surface. The tail is exceedingly short, and is flat upon
the sides j this can be of no service practically, as it is too small to
act as a rudder when swimming, and Nature can only have added
it as the termination of the ugliest of her handiworks. The nose
of the hippopotamus is an enormous protuberance, which includes
a firm and cartilaginous upper lip.

Stupidly ferocious when in the water, the bull will frequently
attack a boat without the slightest provocation ; but if disturbed
when on land, it will immediately retreat to the concealment of
the river's depths by plunging off the bank. I have seen them
recklessly jump or tumble from a precipitous bank 12 or 16 feet
in height, and fall into the water with an extraordinary commotion,
when suddenly intruded upon in a mid-day's sleep beneath some
shady trees.

There are exceptions to all rules, and although this stupid
animal will generally retreat from man, I have known two instances
when fatal accidents occurred on shore. One of these was upon
the Atbara river, during the dry season, when the Arabs cultivated
water-melons upon the exhausted bed, near a large and deep pool,
from which they obtained the water necessary for irrigation. The
hippopotami amused themselves with munching ripe water-melons
during the night, and when the proprieter appeared to drive them
from his garden, he was immediately seized in the jaws of a well-
known bull and destroyed by one crunch of the terrible rows of
teeth.

On another occasion I had wounded a very ferocious bull that
was an old enemy of the natives, near a village on the borders of
the White Nile. On the day following they went in search, and
discovered the animal lying upon a sandbank in a shallow portion
of the river. Considering that it was helpless, they descended
the bank, and approached it with their spears, but it immediately
rushed upon the foremost man, and bit him into halves by seizing
him at the waist.

244 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

I was visited by a sheik of the Shillook tribe when camped
at a station upon the White Nile ; this old man was blind, and
he was paddled across the broad river by his son in a canoe formed
of the stems of an exceedingly light wood known as ambatch.
Upon the return journey, just as he had left me to recross the
river, a bull hippopotamus ascended from the bottom, seized the
frail canoe, together with the blind sheik, in his jaws, and reduced
the little vessel to a hundred fragments, killing the old man at the
same moment. I was standing upon the bank, and witnessed the
splash of the attack and the utter wreck of the canoe, while the
sheik's son swam in consternation to the shore.

The skin of a bull hippopotamus is from 1 J to 2 inches thick.
The entire hide when fresh would weigh about 5 cwts. Although
I never actually weighed a skin, I once skinned a big bull with
the intention of preserving it, and when, after great exertion, we
succeeded in loading a powerful camel, it could hardly carry the
weight. The usual desert load for a good camel is 500 lbs.,
therefore I concluded that the skin which caused a difficulty
must have far exceeded the weight to which the animal was
accustomed.

It is difficult to decide the limit of time during which a hippo-
potamus can remain beneath the water. The nostrils have the
power of closing, with the action of valves, and the animal sinks
itself with the lungs inflated. The blood is nourished with oxygen
from this supply of air during immersion, and when the animal
appears upon the surface, it blows out the expended air with a
peculiar snort, accompanied by a jet of spray, very similar to the
manner in which the whale and other cetacea " spout."

Precisely in the same way the hippopotamus blows off the
impure air, and again refills the lungs by an instantaneous effort
like the cetacea ; and by the time that the eye detects the jet of
spray, the lungs have been emptied and again inflated.

I have very frequently observed, and taken the time by my
watch, but I have found that hippopotami vary in the times of
total immersion. Five minutes is about the usual interval of
breathing, when it becomes necessary for the animal to ascend for
a fresh supply of air, but this depends upon circumstances, as the
hippo can sustain ten minutes without fresh air, should it choose
to remain concealed.

If a hippopotamus has been shot at several times, and is only
slightly wounded, it will remain as long as possible beneath the
water, and when it appears upon the surface, it will, in an artful
manner, only expose the great round nose ; this will just break

xii THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 245

the water for the tenth part of a second, during which the air will
have been exchanged and the lungs inflated instantaneously.

Although it is a stupid animal, it certainly exhibits a consider-
able amount of cleverness, in thus preserving its head from attack,
and when it takes to such tactics as exposing no other portion than
the nose, it is quite impossible to shoot with any effect.

At a former period the tusks of the hippo were more valuable
than the ivory of the elephant, as they were in request by dentists
for artificial teeth. Their superiority to ordinary ivory consisted
in the permanence of colour, as they never turned yellow. For
this reason the price was exceedingly high, as much as 25s. per
lb. having been given at the commencement of this century. It
was necessary to clean off the hard enamel by a revolving grind-
stone before it was possible to manufacture the close-grained
material beneath. The American invention of porcelain enamel
for artificial teeth has destroyed the value of hippopotami tusks,
which are now lower in price than the ivory of elephants.

The value of the hippopotamus depends at present entirely upon
its hide and fat; the former is used for whips, and for facing
revolving wheels when polishing steel surfaces. Hippopotamus
fat is excellent, being free from any strong flavour, and closely
resembling lard in consistency when boiled and clarified. A well-
conditioned hippo will yield about 200 lbs. of pure fat, which is
much esteemed by the Arabs, as their domestic animals are
usually devoid of anything beyond muscles, both hard and lean.

I have never seen a female with more than two young ones,
and very frequently with only a solitary calf; they are affectionate
mothers, and the little ones usually stand upon the back of their
careful parent, who swims about with them and occasionally
brings them to the surface in the same position, whenever she
considers that they require fresh air.

They are pugnacious brutes among themselves, and the bulls
are constantly fighting during the night, roaring bellicose challenges
to each other in prolonged deep-toned snorts, that vibrate through
the bottom of the vessel when moored for the night on the desolate
White Nile.

I have frequently witnessed tremendous combats between bull
hippopotami, when they have appeared upon the surface with their
huge jaws locked together, and utterly regardless in their fury of
any external danger. Upon one occasion, in a very narrow channel
of the labyrinth-like branches of the White Nile, I found a herd
containing numerous individuals ; and as the channel was hardly
30 yards in width, they were completely at my mercy whenever

246 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

their heads were above the surface. There are two certain shots
with a powerful rifle — one behind the ear when the animal is
looking in an opposite direction, the other exactly beneath the eye
when you are vis-ct-vis ; both of these shots reach the brain. I
had fired with great rapidity, and the breechloader had been very
fatal; the channel being narrow, and perhaps only 9 or 10 feet
deep, a great commotion was caused by fifteen or twenty
hippopotami, some of which were wounded, others, that were
killed, had sunk to the bottom, and the remainder were in a frantic
state of excitement. Presently a wounded bull rose to the surface,
and snorting a jet of bloody spray, it rose several feet out of the
water : immediately another bull appeared upon the scene, and
with open jaws it seized its comrade by the neck and held on like
a bull-dog. The fight continued for two or three minutes, and.
although I was standing unconcealed upon the bare and open bank
not 3 feet above the channel, the two animals fought and wrestled
together until, coming within 4 or 5 yards of my position, I put a
ball behind the ear of one, and into the head of the other with the
left-hand barrel, which settled the affair. I had more than 1500
men to feed, therefore I was not in the humour to lose an
opportunity.

There is no animal that I dislike more than the hippopotamus,
if I am compelled to travel at night upon an African river in an
ordinary boat. There is no possibility of escape should a hippo
take the idea into his head that your vessel is an enemy. The
creature's snort may be heard at a few yards' distance in the
darkness, and the next moment you may be overturned by an
attack from beneath, where the enemy was unseen. I have some-
times been benighted when in an open boat, having been exploring
throughout the day; in returning across a lake, guided by the
well-known signal (a red light hoisted at the masthead of my
diahbeeah), I have heard the snorts and the threatening splashing
of hippopotami around our dinghy, momentarily expecting a blow
from below that would send us flying, and capsize us helplessly
in the dark. All of my boats were more or less damaged by
hippopotami in the course of three years' work upon the upper
Nile. On one occasion there was a boat full ot sheep being towed
astern of the diahbeeah, which was going 6 or 7 knots before a
favourable wind, when a hippopotamus suddenly charged from
beneath, threw the boat completely out of the water, knocked a
big hole in her bottom, and capsized her with all the sheep, every
one of which was drowned. On another occasion we were in a
very large flat-bottomed canoe, cut out of a single tree. The floor

xn THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 247

of this was at the least 3 or 4 inches thick, and happily it was a
tough quality of wood. This heavy canoe was 27 feet in length,
but when approaching a bank of high reeds, a hippopotamus
charged from beneath, and struck the bottom with such force that
the canoe was actually lifted partially from the water ; had it been
an ordinary boat, the bottom would have been knocked out, and
we should have been capsized.

Dr. Livingstone describes an accident which befell him, when
his large canoe full of natives was thrown into the air, and capsized
with the entire crew, by a savage hippopotamus when descending
some channel of the Zambesi.

Accidents were frequent with these animals. In broad daylight
a hippo charged the steamer that was towing my diahbeeah. Not
content with breaking several floats off the paddle-wheel, it
reappeared astern, and, striking the bottom of our iron vessel, it
perforated the plates in two places with its projecting tusks,
causing a dangerous leak.

Our vessel was filling rapidly, although, the steamer having
dropped astern to our assistance, we discharged our cargo upon her
deck, and at the same time kept pumping and baling out with
every conceivable utensil. At length the engineer succeeded in
finding the two holes with his naked feet, which he used as stoppers
until we were able to reduce the water. He then repaired the
damage with a clever impromptu device, by covering a small plank
thickly with white lead and tow, mixed together, and laid 2
inches thick upon a piece of felt. This was inverted upon the two
holes; a man stood upon the plank, thus pressing the tow and
white lead into the apertures. In the meantime an upright batten
was fixed from beneath a cross-beam, upon the plank, and a wedge
was driven to tighten the pressure of the batten ; this secured the
plank across the leaks.

A hippopotamus can move at a considerable pace along a river's
bed. We had proof of this while running down the Bahr Giraffe
with the steamer, the speed with the stream being about 10 knots
an hour. The river was narrow, and in places rather shallow.
We observed the head of a very large hippopotamus, which rose
and snorted upon the surface about 100 yards ahead of the vessel.
When the animal disappeared, we could plainly see the wave that
denoted the course of the hippo which had this long start in an
exciting race. There was very little space upon either side in the
narrow channel, and we felt sure that if the hippo continued a
straight course, we should either run over it, or be struck should
it turn to charge.

248 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

It was some time before we actually gained upon it, but when
the engineer put on full steam, there could be no doubt of our
superiority in speed. The wave in the river was close under our
bows, and in another moment the steamer of 108 tons gave a leap,
as we rose over the body of the hippopotamus, in water that was
too shallow to permit it to pass beneath our keel. We had no
means of ascertaining the fate of this animal.

The most ferocious attack that I have ever witnessed occurred
in the Bahr Giraffe, at a time when we were cutting a passage for
the flotilla of fifty-seven vessels through the obstruction caused by
aquatic vegetation, which had accumulated to an extent that
blocked the navigation of the river. During the middle of the
night a bull hippopotamus charged our diahbeeah, and sank a
small boat that was fastened to the side. The infuriated beast
then bit the side out of a boat that was 17 feet in length, and the
crash of splintered wood betokened its destruction. Not satisfied
with this success, it then charged the iron vessel, and would
assuredly have sunk her if I had not stopped the onset by a shot
in the skull with a No. 8 rifle. This hippopotamus was evidently
a desperate character, and I concluded that it must have been
attracted to our vessel by the smell of blood, as the small boats
destroyed had contained flesh that had been cut into strips from
the body of a hippo which I had shot on the previous day. There
was an additional provocation in the presence of a dead hippo,
which I had fastened to the rudder, as we had no time to prepare
the flesh ; this was floating astern, and assisted in arousing the
fury of the ill-tempered bull. When I succeeded in killing this
animal, after an exciting defence, we discovered that it had been
frequently scored by the tusks of antagonists of its own species ;
one wound was several feet in length along the flank, and was
recently healed. The scars of numerous conflicts were a sufficient
evidence of a vicious character.

The Hamran Arabs and some other tribes attack the hippo-
potamus with the harpoon. I have witnessed these hunts, which
are intensely exciting.

When a small herd of these animals are floating upon the sur-
face, basking half asleep in the mid-day sun, a couple of hunters
enter the river about 200 yards up-stream, and swim cautiously
with the current in their favour until they arrive within 5 or 6
yards of the nearest hippo. They hurl the harpoons simultane-
ously, and at the same instant they dive beneath the surface,
and swim in an opposite direction, making direct for the nearest
shore.

xii THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 249

The hippo, if well struck, is fixed by two harpoons, to each of
which a rope is attached. A float of exceedingly light wood, the
size of an ordinary man's head, is secured to the extremity of each
rope, and these are arranged in lengths proportioned to the maxi-
mum depth of the river, generally about 30 feet.

When the hippopotamus feels the wound, it immediately
plunges to the bottom, and rushes madly to and fro until it again
rises to the surface to take breath. It at once perceives the large
float at the extreme end of the line, and frightened at the unaccus-
tomed object, it seeks the concealment of the bottom.

In the meantime the hunters have safely landed, and are joined
by their numerous companions, well provided with long ropes, and
armed with spare harpoons and well-sharpened lances.

The difficulty of capturing the hippopotamus would at first
sight appear most formidable, but a very clever, though simple,
plan enables the hunter to secure the float which is fastened to
the harpoon line. The river may be about 150 yards in width.
One of the hunters swims across, or wades if he can find a shallow
ford, about 100 yards above the spot where the float upon the
surface denotes the place beneath which the hippo is hidden in
the river's depths. The man who crosses over takes the end of a
long rope. This is more than sufficient to reach from bank to
bank, and either end is now in possession of a howarti (hippo-
hunter). An exceedingly strong but a lighter line is fastened to
the centre of the rope, which is now stretched across the river,
and the end of this second line is held by the same man who holds
the superior rope ; thus, upon one shore a man holds one end only,
while upon the other shore his companion holds the extremities of
two lines, one being fastened to the middle of the larger or main rope.

It may be easily understood that the angle may be increased
or decreased simply by widening the base through an extension of
the two ends of the lines.

In this manner the two hunters advance upon either bank,
dragging the rope upon the surface until they can touch the float
which they intend to secure. They manipulate their lines in a
manner that enables them to catch the float between the two
ropes. When this is accomplished, the hunter on the opposite
side of the river "slacks off his rope, as his companion joins his two
lines together and hauls upon the float, which is now secured in
the angle between them. The man who has let go his end of the
rope now rejoins his companions, and they all haul away upon
the lines that have captured the float, to drag the hippopotamus
towards the shore.

250 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

The fun begins ; the hippo, feeling that it is dragged, offers the
greatest amount of resistance, but by degrees, and with careful
management, it is guided within striking distance, and another
harpoon is fixed within its stubborn hide. There is no longer any
delicacy necessary, as the collective power of the hunters can be
distributed upon the various ropes attached to their respective
harpoons without fear of breakage.

I have seen a hippopotamus, under these conditions, quit the
refuge of deep water and boldly challenge the crowd of his pursuers
by landing upon the bank and making a general onslaught upon
them. These splendid fellows fought the enraged animal with
lances, some of which were caught and crushed within its powerful
jaws. But the most telling defence was made with handfuls of
sand, which, thrown in the prominent eyes, immediately forced the
half-blinded beast to retreat to the welcome river, where it could
wash, and prepare for a renewal of the conflict. Upon one occa-
sion I saw a hippopotamus, which, when harpooned, had emerged
from the river to attack the hunters, return over and over again to
the charge, until it had smashed and broken so many spears that I
was forced to terminate the fight by a bullet in its brain.

The natives of Central Africa do not advance to the attack by
swimming like the Hamran Arabs, but they harpoon the hippo-
potamus from canoes ; and they are frequently upset by the
infuriated animal before they have time to escape by paddling.
Swimming would be a safer method of harpooning, as the hunter
can save himself by diving, unseen by the hippopotamus, which
invariably looks upwards when in the water, as it instinctively
directs its vision towards the light ; but in the White Nile and in
the lakes there are crocodiles in such great numbers that few people
would presume upon the risk.

Although the hippopotamus affords excellent sport when hunted
in this fashion, the ordinary method of shooting these animals in
the water exhibits the poorest form of amusement. It is impos-
sible to determine whether it is killed or otherwise, until the body
appears upon the surface. The bullet may be heard to strike, and
the huge head will instantly disappear, but the most experienced
person may be deceived in accepting the shot as fatal, and a sudden
snort a few minutes later will prove that the hippo is in being ;
after which it will rarely expose its head to another aim.

A No. 10 rifle, very accurately sighted, with a powder charge
of 10 drams, is the best weapon for shooting these animals, as the
bullet will crash through the skull, and will frequently stun the
hippo, although it may have escaped the brain. Upon such occa-

xii THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 251

sions the immense creature will roll over, belly uppermost, and the
frantic kicking of its short legs, and its convulsive struggles, will
raise an extraordinary commotion in the water; until at length
this amphibious creature drowns, through a long-continued immer-
sion during a state of unconsciousness. I have very often killed
them in this manner with a heavy rifle, that has crushed the
cranium ; and upon one occasion the *577 bullet performed unex-
pectedly with the same result, although the skull of the animal
was only slightly split, and the bullet remained wedged and shape-
less in the crevice. The hippo, after rolling helplessly for several
minutes, sank to the bottom, reappearing upon the surface a couple
of hours later. The skull of this female hippopotamus is in my
possession, showing the position of the bullet, which remains fixed
upon the bone.

It would be a natural conclusion that the hippopotamus, which
is a pugnacious creature, would occasionally attack the crocodile ;
but although these reptiles are in great numbers, I have never
heard of such a conflict. At the same time, I have seen dead
hippopotami that have remained a couple of hours under water
after the fatal shot ; these were scored in many places by the sharp
teeth of crocodiles, which had vainly attempted to make an aper-
ture. I have observed the large heads of these creatures floating
upon the surface, in attendance upon the tempting carcase, proving
that, should an opportunity offer, they were ready to snatch a
mouthful of a beast, when dead, which they feared to attack when
living.

There is a probability that the calves of hippopotami may occa-
sionally be carried off by crocodiles, but this must remain an open
question, as it cannot be proved by an eye-witness, and, in such a
case, the attacking party would certainly be charged by the
desperate mother.

A young calf hippopotamus is delicious eating. The feet, when
stewed, are far superior to those of any other animal, and the skin
makes excellent turtle soup. The fresh hide of a full-grown hippo,
if cut into small pieces, soaked in vinegar for an hour, and then
boiled, so closely resembles turtle that it would be difficult to dis-
tinguish the difference. The flesh of this animal is always palat-
able ; and although that of an old bull is tough, it can always be
successfully treated, by pounding and beating it upon a flat stone
until the fibre is totally destroyed. If this is mixed with chopped
onions, pepper, and salt, and wild thyme, it will form either rissoles
or cotelettes de veau, by a pleasing transformation of the old bull.

As the female hippopotamus generally produces one calf at a

252 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

birth, these huge creatures do not multiply in any great degree,
and their numbers in certain places, where they appear to have
assembled in large herds, must be accepted as periodical gatherings,
which are altogether exceptional, and by no means represent the
average area of a locality.

I have seen a bend in the White Nile, during the dry season,
which was literally crowded with hippopotami ; and as the steamer
was coming down the stream at about nine miles an hour, I thought
it would be impossible to avoid a collision ; somehow they all made
way for our passage, and we passed through a crowd of heads, some
snorting and blowing jets, while others disappeared in their usual
instantaneous manner.

A hippopotamus differs from most aquatic animals, as it sinks
backwards, and disappears by throwing its nose upwards ; all other
creatures dive head first.

In such secluded places as the banks of the White Nile, where
dense masses of high reeds fringe the course of the river, far away
from any habitation, the hippopotami pass a considerable portion
of their time in marshy retreats among the canes ; such dens would
be impervious to human beings, and would not be observed unless
from a vessel upon the river. The tangled mass of vegetation is
pierced in numerous places by dark tunnels, which have been bored
out by the bulky forms of hippopotami, and these gloomy routes
form their channels of retreat, where they retire to sleep. Females,
with their calves, are especially fond of these impervious bowers,
where they are secure from all chances of molestation by man or
beast.

Although this animal may be shot from the shore, without the
slightest danger of an attack upon the hunter, I have described a
sufficient number of casualties to exhibit thettrue ferocity of its
nature, when in the element which affords the greatest scope for
its activity. Upon one occasion I was a witness to a most un-
provoked aggression. We were swimming a herd of several hundred
cows across the White Nile, about 20 miles south of Gondokoro :
the natives as usual accompanied the cattle, sometimes holding on
to the horn, at other times by the tail of a cow, but as they swam
they directed the course of their animals by shouts and by the aid
of a stout bamboo.

Suddenly the herd was invaded by several hippopotami, and I
myself saw their enormous heads and necks emerge from the water,
and with opened jaws they seized several cows and dragged them
beneath the surface, never to appear again.

This was sheer rage, as the hippo is not carnivorous. It is

xii THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 253

impossible to know what happened beneath the water, but, as the
cows did not reappear, they must have been held at the bottom for
a considerable time, until quite drowned.

It may be generally accepted that the hippopotamus is a fierce
and dangerous animal when in the water, and that it will frequently
attack boats, especially at night, or any other object that may
attract its senseless fury, but when on land it very rarely ventures
to provoke a contest ; on the contrary, it prefers retreat, and be-
takes itself precipitately to the river's bed, where it feels secure
from molestation.

The ivory having decreased in value, owing to the American
invention of enamel for artificial teeth, and the demand for its hide
having been reduced by the British interference in Egypt, where
the courbatch (hippopotamus whip) has been abolished, the hippo-
potamus will remain the undisturbed inhabitant of the great White
Nile, monarch of the river ; upon which fifteen English steamers
were plying when the Soudan was abandoned by the despotic order
of Great Britain, and handed back to savagedom and wild beasts.

CHAPTER XIII

THE CROCODILE (CROCODILUS)

This reptile is an intruder among the mammalia, and may appear
out of place in a description of wild beasts and their ways, but it
inhabits the same localities as the hippopotamus, and, being equally
amphibious, I venture to exalt it to the society of superior animals.

As lizards are found distributed in great varieties throughout
the world, in like manner we find the largest of all lizards, the
crocodile, under various, names, in nearly every river of the tropics.
In America this reptile is generally known as an alligator, and some
persons pretend to define the peculiarity which distinguishes that
variety from the crocodile, but I regard the distinction in the same
light as that between the leopard and the panther, the difference
existing merely in a name. As we see many varieties of cats which
are classed as leopards, in the same manner the different varieties
of alligators may be classed under the name crocodile. There is a
peculiar species in the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and other Indian
rivers which, although included in the name, exhibits marked
variations from all others ; this is known as the gavial. The long
beak-shaped jaws, with a lump upon the extremity of the nose,
distinguish this creature from all other varieties. The gavial grows
to a great length, sometimes attaining 20 feet and upwards, but it
is deficient in bulk, and is by no means so formidable as other
varieties of the species. This creature lives upon fish, and it seldom
attacks either men or animals. The head is far longer in pro-
portion than the ordinary crocodile's, and the gavial remains
distinct, per se, as no instance has been known of a cross, or in-
termediate variety. In other respects the habits are the same;
the female lays her eggs in a sandbank near the river, to the
number of fifty or sixty, and when they are hatched by the heat of
the sand, the young ones immediately take to the water.

Few persons have the opportunity of witnessing the rapid dash

chap, xni THE CROCODILE 255

of a crocodile when it rushes towards its prey, but when it is
considered that fish constitute the ordinary food, it may readily be
imagined that the maximum speed of the reptile must be sufficient
to overtake the swiftest swimmer.

The crocodile of the Nile is the same as those of Ceylon and
India : in the latter Empire it is generally distinguished as the
" mugger," but it is inferior in size to those of Ceylon and Africa,
with a few exceptions.

The teeth of this species are specially arranged for seizing, as
they interlock, and the two longest of the lower jaw penetrate
through corresponding holes, the points appearing through the top
of the upper jaw, above the snout.

There are thirty-four teeth in the upper, and an equal number
in the lower jaw. These are hollow, and they are renewed by
others which are contained within them ; by degrees they develop
into a full growth, and at a subsequent period they push out the
old teeth and usurp their place, to be themselves displaced upon
the same principle in later years.

This special provision of nature for replenishing teeth would
infer that the crocodile is a creature which surpasses all others in
the duration of life. This is probably a true presumption, except-
ing the tortoise, which is in some eastern countries the emblem of
longevity. There is a tortoise in a garden at Mutwal, near
Colombo, which is known to be 150 years old, as it had been for
a long time in possession of the Dutch before the British annexa-
tion of Ceylon ; but its age, when first captured, remains a mystery.

The fore feet of the crocodile somewhat resemble the form of a
short human hand ; these are armed with five long horny claws,
sometimes measuring 4 inches, and are used for holding the prey
whilst tearing it with the teeth. The claws of the hind feet are
shorter, and are only four in number. It is a mistake to suppose
that a crocodile seizes and immediately swallows its victim ; it
may do so in the case of small animals, such as fawns which have
been captured while drinking from the river's bank, or dogs caught
while swimming, but large animals are dragged beneath, and held
below the surface until drowned ; they are then dragged away to
some favourite hiding-place and devoured at leisure.

The male is difficult to distinguish from the female, as the
penis and testicles are concealed inside, within an aperture that
would be accepted as the female parts. Unlike the snakes, which
are double, the crocodile has a single penis. The male produces
four glands of musk, two of which are upon either side, beneath
the jaws, and two upon either side of the groin. These are highly

256 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

prized by the Arabs in the Soudan, where crocodile-hunting is
pursued as a profession, and the four glands of an average-sized
specimen are worth 30s.; those of a very large male would be
valued in proportion. The Soudanese women string the musk-glands
upon a necklace, together with other beads j when dried they are
about the size of a small nutmeg. I have frequently inquired of
the natives throughout India, but they are entirely ignorant of the
existence of musk-glands in the crocodile. The scent is remark-
ably strong, and I have frequently been attracted by the odour
when, in a vessel passing down the White Nile, we had been
forewarned of the basking-place upon the bank, before we had come
in sight of the reptile. It is usually considered by the natives that
the female is attracted to the spot by the musky exudation from
the male. Although the female possesses an equal number of
musk-glands, they are smaller, and not so powerful.

The crocodile is harpooned by the Arabs precisely in the same
manner as the hippopotamus, with the exception that, instead of
being struck when floating upon the surface, the hunters swim
under cover of the bank when they have descried a crocodile
asleep upon a bed of sand ; the harpoon is then cast, and as the
crocodile immediately plunges into the river, the hunters with
equal agility jump out. In many portions of the Soudan the
hunters are armed with rifles, but the harpoon in dexterous hands
is more effective, as the creature seldom escapes. Great numbers
of crocodiles may be shot, but very few in proportion are actually
secured, as the body sinks immediately in deep water ; and, unlike
the hippopotamus, it will not rise to the surface for several days,
until decomposition shall have set in, and the belly has become
inflated with foul gas.

Within the last few years the hide of the crocodile has been
generally used for the manufacture of travelling bags and various
lighter articles. It is to be hoped that the increased demand may
have the effect of reducing the numbers of these reptiles, which
are a terrible scourge to every country which they infest. Person-
ally I have studiously avoided a swim in any water inhabited by
crocodiles, but it is astonishing to see the risks that are continually
incurred by Arabs, whose faith in some special charm, received
from a faky or priest, is sufficient to induce them to brave all
dangers, and to defy the fate which so frequently befalls them.
There is no possibility of escape should a person be seized in the
water, although the crocodile might be of a small size ; he would
assuredly be dragged beneath the surface.

If the creature should be of large size, the force of the snapping

xiii THE CROCODILE 257

jaws would crush any human bone. As the sixty-eight teeth,
which are long and sharp-pointed, fit exactly into the interstices
between them, it may be imagined that such a rat-trap formation
would effectually preclude escape. The throat of a crocodile is not
only large, but is capable of great expansion, and, although the
habits of the creature usually permit the body of a victim to rest
in quiet until it is devoured in piecemeal, there are many exceptions
to the rule ; large crocodiles will swallow a small person without
the slower operation of dismemberment. Mr. Bennett, in his
excellent work upon Ceylon published in 1843, affords an example
of this swallowing capacity, which he himself witnessed : — " A
native in the act of bathing was seized by a crocodile and swallowed,
with the exception of the head and one hand, which were found
on the margin of the river ; from which it was inferred that the
poor victim had seen the animal approach, and had endeavoured
to save himself, but was overtaken just as he had grasped the
overhanging branch of a tree in the last fruitless effort to escape.

"Immediately upon the report reaching the collector of the
district, James Agnew Farrel, Esq., he ordered a general search
for the amphibious monster; which on the second day proved
successful ; for just as our picnic party was about to sit down to
dinner, two carts lashed together, and containing the body of the
animal, which was 17 J feet in length, were driven to the door.
We had it removed instantly to the sea-side, and opened ; when
the body of a native, already a mass of putrefaction, was taken
out, and a coroner's inquest held upon the spot."

This is direct and interesting evidence, as we have not only the
description of an eye-witness, but the length of the crocodile is
given, 17| feet. We thus have an undeniable fact that a creature
of that length can actually swallow an ordinary human being, if
it chooses. Crocodiles have been frequently killed in Ceylon that
have measured 22 feet, and there can be little doubt that this
length is occasionally exceeded. I have seen the teeth sufficiently
large to form boxes for carrying percussion-caps, before the days of
breechloaders. The power of the jaws is terrific, and I have had
the metal of a large hook, the thickness of ordinary telegraph wire,
completely bent together, the barbed point being pressed tightly
against the shank, and rendered useless; this compression was
caused by the snap of the jaws when seizing a live duck which I
had used as a bait, the hook being fastened beneath one wing.
The crocodile took the bait, but I made a mistake in immediately
striking and hauling upon the line. After a rush of a few yards,
the monster sulked among the aquatic reeds at the bottom of the

258 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS ciiap.

lake, until prodded by a harpoon from a canoe, which I had sent
to disturb it. The boatman could not pierce through the thick
scales ; and suddenly the line slackened, and I hauled up my line,
at the end of which was a completely flattened duck, together with
my hook, compressed and useless, as I have described.

I have shot immense numbers of crocodiles in various countries,
and, if upon the shore, I have generally secured them. A very
accurate rifle is necessary, as there are only two points that are
immediately fatal — No. 1 is just behind the eye, No. 2 exactly
through the centre of the shoulder. The latter shot will break
both joints of the fore legs, and will pass directly through the
lungs. Although I prefer a #577 rifle, the '450 solid bullet will
be always fatal, if it is placed exactly as I have described.

The hard scales of crocodiles were said to be proof against a
rifle bullet. This may have been the case at the beginning of the
century, when rifles were loaded with only 1 dram of powder ; it
was at that date that the grizzly bear was considered almost
bullet-proof, when the first settlers encountered it with no better
weapon than the No. 70 pea-rifle ; but a hardened solid bullet,
propelled by 6 drams of powder, will drive through a crocodile like
a sheet of paper.

General H. Browne, when at Jubbulpur, showed me a '577
solid bullet, -^ tin, which he had fired completely through a large
crocodile when lying on the margin of the river, and he dug the
bullet out of the hard bank, into which it had penetrated for at
least 1 foot. This bullet was so little injured in form that it
might have been used a second time.

Although the hippopotamus and the crocodile are both
amphibious, there is a vast difference between them in the power
of remaining under water. The former has enormous lungs, wiiich,
when inflated, contain sufficient air to nourish the blood during
five, or at the most ten minutes, at the expiration of which it is
compelled to reappear upon the surface.

The crocodile has valves which close two small orifices in lieu
of ears, and also the nostrils, but the lungs are not extraordinary
in size, in proportion to the weight of the reptile. Notwithstanding
this apparent inferiority in lung capacity, it can remain beneath
the water for almost any length of time, and when it appears upon
the surface, it does not blow out a jet of spray, neither does it
exhibit any sign of a desire for inhalation, but it merely looks
around, as though scrutinising the immediate neighbourhood,
either in search of prey, or in the fear of danger.

The crocodile has the power of hybernating. This may be

xni THE CROCODILE 259

seen in many parts of India, where these creatures exist in small
lakes or tanks, which are perfectly exhausted during the hottest
season. At that time there cannot be the slightest doubt that
they are buried in the mud, which dries and hardens above them,
in which torpid state they exist until released by the refilling of
the tank in the rainy season. Under such conditions the crocodile
never grows to a large size, but it is limited to 8 or 9 feet.

The largest that I ever saw were of such extraordinary dimen-
sions that I could scarcely believe the reality, although within
only a few yards of our canoe; I had a life's experience among
these creatures, but I never had the faintest conception that such
monsters were in existence. We were travelling up the Victoria
Nile, — my wife, myself, and two attendants, in addition to the
native crew of a very large canoe (about 30 feet in length).
Another canoe was about 50 yards astern, full of wounded men :
the troops were marching through forest parallel with the river ;
this was about 500 yards in width, very deep, with a current so
slight as to be almost imperceptible. There had been serious
fighting during a forest march of seven consecutive days, and
although we were approaching a friendly tribe, I did not wish to
proclaim our presence by the report of firearms.

We were paddling with six rowers along this desolate river,
bordered upon either side by lofty papyrus and sombre forests,
when we observed a small island, a portion of the area being over-
grown with the very graceful but mournful-looking rush (papyrus) ;
this had taken root in a shallow soil formed by rotten vegetation,
which had drifted upon the hard granite that formed the basis of
the isle. The bare gray granite shelved gradually towards the
water, and exposed a clear surface of about 60 feet ; upon this
were large rounded masses resembling boulders of rock, which had
resisted the process of gradual disintegration. It was a pictur-
esque and unexpected island, a huge rock rising suddenly from the
deep water.

The canoe drew near, and when within about 20 yards the
great boulders of granite began to move ! I could not believe my
eyes ; great masses commenced to unfold, and in a few seconds
resolved themselves into two vast forms, each as thick as the
body of a hippoptamus, and of enormous length. These two
antediluvian monsters glided slowly and fearlessly along the
gently sloping granite, and when half beneath the water they
exposed a breadth of back which was the most extraordinary sight
I have ever seen in my long experience of crocodiles.

We stopped the canoe for a few moments, but I would not fire

260 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

for the reason already given, and after gazing at us for a short
time, the great heads sank below the surface ; the scene was then
restricted to a rather flat granite island, without any boulders, and
a dense tuft of papyrus rushes on the western side.

I would not presume to estimate the length of these extraor-
dinary creatures, but the deep and broad river, flowing silently
through one of the oldest portions of the earth, suggested, by the
exhibition of these mighty forms, that no change in the inhabit-
ants of the stream had taken place since the original creation.

Crocodiles, like all other creatures, vary in their characters
according to the conditions under which they exist. Although
they prey upon any living thing that comes within their reach,
they, as inhabitants of the water, are by nature fish-eaters. When
cutting wearily during two seasons through the dense obstructions
of aquatic vegetation which had closed the navigation of the
White Nile, we occasionally entered upon horrible solitudes of
shallow swamp, peopled by countless snakes ; the air, sultry and
redolent of malaria, was humming with mosquitoes ; and in this
chaos, if a few square yards of sandbank appeared above the
marsh, there were the belly scales of some large crocodile printed
upon the surface. Nothing could be more horrible than such
associations : the loud hoarse snorts of the hippopotamus at night,
and the reptiles that were present in the daylight ; these formed
a combination which conveyed an indelible impression of ante-
diluvian realities. This was the natural position of the crocodile,
in which fish must have constituted its nourishment.

I remember upon one occasion, in the Albert Nyanza, we found
one half of a fish (Perca Nilotica) that was bitten as clean
through as though divided by a knife ; this was the work of a
snap from the jaws of a crocodile. The fish would have weighed
about 70 lbs. when whole. It was almost certain that the fish
caught nightly in our trammel-nets would be taken by crocodiles ;
and, not content with an endeavour to abstract them, they tore
the net into large holes with teeth and claws, in their determina-
tion to possess them.

The most dangerous time for a man to enter a river is just
before or after sunset, as the fish invariably visit the shallows
during evening; the crocodiles follow them, and they may fre-
quently be seen at that hour dashing like huge pike most furiously
at the larger varieties, which sometimes jump to a great height
out of the water, in an attempt to evade their pursuers.

When I was in command of the Khedive's expedition, our
losses through crocodiles were very distressing, all of which were

xin THE CROCODILE 261

terrible examples of the ferocity, combined with cunning, which
characterises this useless scourge. On one occasion the vessels
were sailing up the White Nile with a strong north wind, making
at least 7 knots an hour ; one of the cavasses was sitting upon
the deck, with his legs dangling over the sides of the deeply laden
vesssel, his feet being half a yard above the water. Suddenly a
rush was made by a very large crocodile, and the man was seized
and carried off in a shorter time than it would take to announce
the fact. This was done in the presence of a hundred men on
board the vessel, and nothing was ever heard of the unfortunate
cavass.

On another occasion one of the sailors was sitting upon the
rudder to wash himself; the vessel was in motion, but he was
carried off by a crocodile in sight of his comrades on the deck.

These attacks prove that the fact of a vessel travelling through
the water does not in all cases terrify this horrible reptile, but, on
the contrary, it snatches its prey from the vessel itself while in
movement.

I lost so many men by these creatures that I made a point of
shooting every crocodile that showed its head above the surface, or
that was basking upon the shore. The rifle that I invariably
carried was a '577 of extreme precision, and I slaughtered a vast
number of these vermin in revenge for their misdeeds.

On one occasion I killed a crocodile which, although not longer
than 12 feet 3 inches, was very thick in the body; this was proved
to be a malefactor by the testimony of two bracelets and a neck-
lace, belonging to a missing girl, which we found within its
stomach.

Upon opening the stomach and examining the contents we dis-
covered upwards of five pounds weight of gravel or pebbles, mixed
with a woolly substance and aquatic weeds. The wool was the
hair of the girl, and her ornaments were discovered among the
gravel.

The necklace was made of small pieces of wood threaded upon
a string ; these wooden beads were partially abraded by the action
of the pebbles, which no doubt are swallowed for the purpose of
assisting digestion, as fowls and other birds swallow sand and
stones for the same object. Nearly every crocodile that I have
examined contained a certain amount of coarse gravel within its
stomach. This has a peculiar power of contraction and expansion,
capable of sustaining great privation when food is scarce, and of
accommodating itself to any amount of sudden plenty.

Among the accidents that occurred to my expedition, one man

262 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

had his arm bitten off at the elbow, being seized while collecting
aquatic vegetables from the bank. He was saved from utter loss
by his comrades, who held him while his arm was in the jaws of
the crocodile. The man was brought to me in dreadful agony,
and the stump was immediately amputated above the fracture.
Another man was seized by the leg while assisting to push a vessel
oft' a sandbank ; he also was saved by a crowd of soldiers who were
with him, engaged in the same work : this man lost his leg.

The captain of No. 10 tug was drowned in the dock vacated by
the 108 ton steamer, which had been floated into the river by a
small canal cut from the basin for that purpose. This channel was
about 30 yards in length, and 3 feet in depth. No person ever
suspected that a crocodile would take possession of the dock, and it
was considered as the safest place for the troops to bathe.

One evening at muster the captain was absent, and, as it was
known that a short time previously he had gone down to wash at
the basin, he was searched for at the place. A pile of clothes and
his red fez were upon the bank ; but no person was visible. A
number of men jumped into the water, and felt the bottom in every
portion of the dock, with the result that in a few minutes his body
was discovered ; one leg was broken in several places, being
severely mangled by the numerous teeth of a crocodile. There can
be little doubt that the creature, having drowned its victim, had
intended to return.

This must have been a peculiarly wily monster to intrude into
a place which was so continually disturbed. We could never dis-
cover any crocodile in the immediate neighbourhood upon which we
could cast a suspicion as the depredator. Some months after this
incident, a terrible calamity in the canal was adjudged to have
been occasioned by the same crocodile, although no actual proof
could be adduced.

About 7 p.m., Lady Baker and myself, together with Com-
mander Julian Baker, R.N., were sitting in an open shed in the
comparative cool of evening, when a man rushed past the sentries,
and threw himself upon the ground, clasping my legs in an agony
of terrified excitement. The sentries immediately rushed forward,
and seized him by the back of the neck. Releasing him instantly
by my order, the man gasped out, " Said, Said is gone ! taken
away from my side by a crocodile, now, this minute ! " — " Said !
what Said?" I asked: "there are many Saids." — "Said of the
No. 10 steamer, the man you liked; he is gone; we were wading
together across the canal by the dock where Reis Mahomet was
killed ; the water is only waist deep, but a tremendous crocodile

xiii THE CROCODILE 263

rushed like a steamboat from the river, seized Said by the waist,
and disappeared. He's dragged into the river, and I've run here
to tell you the bad news."

We immediately hurried to the spot. The surface of the river
was calm, and unruffled in the stillness of a fine night. The canal
was quiet, and appeared as though it had never been disturbed.
The man who had lost his companion sat down, and sobbed aloud.
Said, who was one of my best men, was indeed gone for ever.

There were many accidents among the natives, which may easily
be imagined, as they were continually in the habit of swimming
across the river when accompanying their herds of cattle. Upon
these occasions the crocodiles usually extorted a toll, and sometimes
they took a proprietor instead of being satisfied with a cow.

A curious incident occurred, which thoroughly exemplified " the
biter bit," and I should imagine that such an event has very rarely
taken place.

I had three large cows with exceedingly long horns, which I had
brought from the Bor tribe to Gondokoro. These were totally
different from the small and active cattle of the Bari, and they
were regarded with great admiration by the natives. When I was
about to leave for the interior, I confided these valuable animals to
the especial care of a neighbouring chief, who was to make use of
the milk, but to be responsible for the safety of the cows.

Upon my return, two years after, the chief appeared, and, in
reply to my question, he declared that the cows were all well, and
that one of them was regarded with veneration by all his people.
Every morning fresh flowers were garlanded around her horns, and
she had become the sheik of all the herds, because she had
accomplished a feat which had never been performed by any other
animal. She had caught a crocodile !

This proved to be correct. She had gone to the river to drink,
in a place where the bank shelved very gradually towards the
water. As she was drinking, a large crocodile seized her by the
nose, and in the usual manner attempted to drag her into its own
element. Instead of this, the bank being favourable, the heavy
and powerful cow commenced the game of " tug-of-war," and as
the crocodile maintained its hold, the cow, instead of being dragged
in, succeeded in dragging the attacking party out. Nothing would
induce the tenacious monster to let go ; therefore by degrees,
whilst struggling, both the cow and crocodile retreated many
yards from the river's margin. The natives were attracted by the
bellowing of the cow, and seeing the position, they at once rushed
to the rescue, and mobbed the crocodile with their spears. Thev

264 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

had kept the head as a trophy ; and the cow was regarded as a
heroine.

I was a spectator upon one occasion when a very large crocodile
seized a bullock and pulled it into deep water ; several times the
animal in its struggles could be seen upon the surface, although the
head was held beneath by the steady grasp of the captor : at
length all disappeared except the tail of the ox, which twisted
and writhed convulsively in the air like a wounded snake. In
about two minutes it ceased to move, and the entire body floated,
drowned, while the long head of the triumphant crocodile rose
alongside, and quietly contemplated its victim.

There can be no doubt that crocodiles can see beneath the
water to a considerable distance, should it be clear ; on the other
hand, they rarely discover their prey in this manner, but, perhaps
unseen, the reptile's projecting eyes are just above the surface at
some little distance, and it sees an animal upon the bank, so near
the margin that it can easily be surprised. The crocodile then
sinks, and approaches beneath the water, until it ventures upon
another stealthy peep from a closer distance. When certain of the
position it sinks again, and swimming until within reach of the
unsuspicious object, it makes a sudden rush with extraordinary
velocity, and generally succeeds in snapping its prey within those
merciless jaws from which there is no escape.

It is always dangerous either to sit or stand upon the extreme
edge of a precipitous bank, unless many feet above a river. Should
a crocodile be unable to reach an object with its jaws, it will
frequently strike with the tail so suddenly that the animal or
person is tripped up, and knocked into the water, to be instantly
seized by the teeth and carried off. I have watched upon many
occasions the stealthy advance of a crocodile to capture small birds,
when in flights of many thousands they have settled upon the
yielding branches of dwarf willows overhanging the Atbara river.
The elastic boughs bent down beneath the weight of the innumer-
able flock, and the crocodile's head appeared above the surface at
a distance, sank below, and quickly reappeared (the eyes and
crown alone above the water) within 10 yards of the unsuspecting
birds, all of which were busily engaged in twittering excitement,
quarrelling for places, and occasionally dipping their beaks in the
water when the bending twigs permitted them to drink. In a few
moments after the disappearance of the wary eyes, a tremendous
splash was accompanied by a pair of open jaws, which swept the
occupants of the lower branches into the greedy throat. This
artful attack was frequently repeated, and generally with success.

xin THE CROCODILE 265

The Soudanese Arabs eat the flesh of crocodiles, therefore a
professional hunter can earn his living by the value of various
portions of the reptile, in addition to the musk. The skin is soaked
until it becomes soft : it is then cut into long, thin strips, to be
used for lashing any wood -work that may be fractured. No
animal's hide is so hard as that of the crocodile when treated in
this manner, and a good supply is invaluable to an expedition,
where repairs are necessary almost daily. The contraction of the
wet hide during the process of drying is sufficient to draw together
the split stock of a gun, and render it stronger than the original.

I have seen wheels of field-guns, the spokes of which had
become loosened by the dry climate and exposure to the sun,
rendered tighter than when new, by interlacing them with raw
crocodile's hide, well soaked for two or three days ; these were
dried in the shade gradually, and they resembled a cobweb in
appearance, but were as hard as horn.

The difference of taste is unaccountable ; the natives of Central
Africa refuse the flesh of a crocodile, although they will eat stinking
fish. The Arabs eat the crocodile, but are most particular that
fish should be free from taint.

The eggs of crocodiles are like those of the goose, both in size
and shape.. The female scrapes a hole in the sand, and lays from
fifty to a hundred, which she carefully buries. The young, when
hatched, find their way to the river, and are no longer an object
of maternal care.

I have never eaten the eggs, but they are much prized by some
tribes, although rejected by others. The natives of the Garo Hills,
in the neighbourhood of the Brahmaputra river, collect a harvest
of these ova during the season when the river has forsaken the
high shore, and the sandbanks are raised above the level. It is a
simple matter to discover the nest, as the claw-marks and the
heavy trail of the crocodile are distinct upon the sandy soil.

Crocodiles may be easily captured in nets, and I am surprised
that so little attention is bestowed upon their destruction, now
that the skin has a marketable value. When shooting these
creatures the hunter should be provided with a single-barbed
harpoon only half an inch in width, with an extremely sharp point.
This should be made of the best steel, and should be fitted upon a
bamboo, or some other light but strong pole, about 25 feet in
length. A rope should be fixed to the harpoon, and secured to
the centre of the pole. When a crocodile is shot, it sinks to the
bottom : it must therefore be sought from a canoe, and when felt
by the harpoon, it nan be speared.

CHAPTER XIV

THE BUFFALO (BUBALUS)

The genus Bos is the most useful to mankind. The bull has been
from time immemorial venerated as an emblem of procreative power.
The winged bulls of Nineveh are now stored in that grand asylum
of the ancient world, the British Museum ; and we look back to
the earliest history in Egypt, where we see the bull-calf Apis sacred,
as symbolical of strength and procreativeness, that should supply
mankind with the herds of cattle necessary for their existence.

The veneration for the bull was so firmly implanted in the human
mind, that we read of the first symptoms of antagonism to the
teaching of Moses, in Exodus, when the Hebrews sought the
assistance of Aaron to mould them a bull-calf in imitation of the
Egyptian Apis, directly that their leader and deliverer had dis-
appeared for a few days to seek the counsel of the Lord upon
Mount Sinai.

In the savage regions of Central Africa, where the worship of a
Deity is unknown, the bull is regarded with a respect that is not
bestowed upon any other animal. Vast strength, the perfection of
masculine vigour, and indomitable courage, form the combination
which has attracted the adoration of mankind.

This genus Bos is distributed in immense variety throughout the
globe, but in Africa we find an extraordinary anomaly, that although
domestic cattle (the generally accepted Bos) are omnipresent, even
among those savages who have been until recent years entirely
excluded from the world's history, there is no such creature ex-
isting in its wild state, and we are at a loss to discover a progenitor.
We know three varieties upon the African continent, but these
belong specially to the Bubalus, and are distinct from the ordinary
wild cattle (B. taurus) of Europe or other countries.

The African buffalo, or Bos Caffer, has two varieties, in which
the distinction is only to be found in the horns. No. 1 are convex,

chap, xiv THE BUFFALO 267

and meet at the base across the forehead. No. 2 has flat-fronted
horns, very broad, but they do not actually unite across the front
of the skull.

There is also a species which is quite distinct • this is the Bos
brachyceros, or short-horned buffalo. This is found upon the West
Coast of Africa, and is very beautiful. It is a fawn colour, with a
tinge of dark chestnut, and about the size of a Jersey bull. The
ears are long, and are tipped with a long tuft of hair ; the eyes are
large, the head remarkably small, and delicately shaped : the horns
are about 12 inches long, broad at the base, without much curve,
and sharp at the points. The hair of the body is short and smooth,
like an English cow in summer condition, and the dewlap is soft and
large. The tail is long, with a black tuft of hair at the extremity.

Like all the Bos tribe, the bull is savage when provoked. My
nephew, Commander Julian A. Baker, R.N., nearly lost his life in
an encounter with one of these animals. He was at that time in
command of the Foam on the West Coast of Africa, and he had
landed at some convenient spot, from which he strolled inland,
accompanied by a faithful Kruman as a shikari : this man carried
a spare rifle. They had not gone far when he observed a bull
grazing in a narrow glade, and upon firing within 100 yards, the
animal fell, and blundered into a small bush. Being rather excited
with the novelty of a strange species, he ran up to the place where
the bull had fallen ; but no sooner had he reached the spot than the
beast that he had supposed to be dead, or dying, charged furiously
at him from the impervious cover which had sheltered it. His
rifle missed fire, and in another moment the bull thrust one horn
into his thigh, and lifted him off the ground. He was in this
manner thrown upwards, and found himself fixed securely upon the
animal's head. Fortunately he was well practised at acrobatic
feats, and in this dilemma he managed to hold on to one horn, and
to disengage his perforated thigh from the other, falling to the
ground the instant that his leg was released ; but he never relaxed
his hold of the right horn. He was now upon his back, with the
infuriated bull attempting to gore him as he lay, but with great
presence of mind he remembered the plan used in Africa for throw-
ing oxen ; and bringing his full weight to bear, by pulling with his
right hand upon the animal's left horn, he twisted the nose with
his left hand upwards in a contrary direction, thus exerting the
greatest leverage upon the neck. In this manner he was able to
prevent the horns from entering his chest, and, knowing that the
bull was shot through the shoulder, he trusted that it could not
survive a sufficient time to complete his destruction. In the

268 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

meantime, his faithful Kruman shikari had rushed to his aid, and,
fearing to shoot lest he might wound his master, he fired both
barrels right and left in the air, close to the ear of the assailant, in
the hope that it would be frightened by the sound. This had not
the slightest effect. Throwing away his useless rifle, he drew a
long and extremely sharp hunting-knife, and seizing the bull by the
soft and pendulous dewlap, he held it tight, and with one desperate
drawing cut across the throat he reached the spine. As the blood
rushed from the several arteries the bull fell struggling upon the
ground, and when, after considerable delay, assistance was obtained,
Julian Baker was carried to his ship, where for nearly three months
he was laid upon his back, with a vivid recollection of his first
interview with the "Bos brachyceros." The head of that animal,
carefully prepared by Mr. Rowland Ward, the well-known naturalist
of Piccadilly, is now among my collection. It is very small, and
delicately shaped, differing entirely from all other varieties of the
buffalo, and exhibiting its connection with that species only by the
peculiar shape and texture of the horns. If such a struggle had
taken place with an ordinary buffalo, the strongest man would
have been killed almost instantaneously, without the chance of
escape.

The Bos Caffer is about the same in size and shape as the
Indian variety, but differs in the shape of the head and the forma-
tion of the horns. All the Bos tribe are more or less savage, but
the African buffalo is a peculiarly ferocious brute, especially when
wounded.

All buffaloes delight in swampy plains, where they can obtain
rich pasturage of the coarsest description, that would not be eaten
by ordinary cattle ; they love to wallow in the mud during the
mid-day sun, and to lie in shallow pools with only their heads
above the surface of the water. A buffalo appears to have only
just escaped the classification of amphibious. The love of water
becomes an actual necessity, as the buffalo, although so useful as a
beast of burden, or for draught purposes, requires a rest during the
hottest hours of a tropical day, to enable it to bathe, and roll itself
in the dearly beloved mud ; without which it would refuse to work,
and would ultimately lose condition.

The buffaloes of Italy and Egypt retain the original type of
their Oriental race, but they have dwindled in size, and have lost
both length and weight of horns. There cannot be a better
example of a theory than this animal, as it has been domesticated
for so great a length of time that we are enabled to observe the
peculiar changes effected by local peculiarities. This proves that

xiv THE BUFFALO 269

various conditions of localities produce special results in the
development and character of animals.

The buffaloes of Ceylon are the same as those of India, but the
horns are very inferior. The horns of all animals in Ceylon are
comparatively small, as there is a deficiency of the necessary
ingredients in the pasturage for their production ; we therefore
see elephants without tusks, and both deer and buffaloes with
horns far smaller than those of India belonging to the same species.

In Ceylon the so-called domestic buffaloes are extremely vicious.
In Egypt and Italy they are the reverse, and children are seen
mounted upon their backs or driving them to pasture. In China
they are equally good-tempered.

The horns of the Indian buffalo are enormous, and, when
measured in the curve from tip to tip, they have been frequently
known to exceed 12 feet.

Like all other wild animals, the buffaloes of India are much
reduced in numbers. The modern breechloaders, with increased
facilities for communication, which enable Europeans to penetrate
without much difficulty to their haunts, threaten to exterminate
everything which has been attractive to the hunter, and in another
twenty years the game will have disappeared.

I have myself witnessed the distressing change in many
localities, which, when I was young, were teeming with wild
buffaloes and other animals. People will now hardly credit the
fact of their existence. My earliest introduction to the buffalo
was at Minneria, Ceylon, in 1845 ; such a creature is now unknown,
as the few that remain have left the open plain, and betaken them-
selves to distant jungles.

There was no road to Minneria from 1845 to 1849 except an
overgrown footpath for 22 miles from Narlandd, which had to be
specially cleared at the traveller's cost when he ventured upon the
journey. I can never forget the impressions of my first visit ;
we had been cutting our way through jungle in a long day's
march, assisted by a number of Singhalese with their sharp bill-
hooks {catties), and, oppressed with the sultry heat of the dense
bush, we were at length overjoyed when we suddenly emerged
upon the beautiful green plain. The grass was about 6 inches
high, and the plain, which was irregular in shape, extended for
a great distance. I cannot improve upon the description which I
gave of this spot in the Rifle and Hound in Ceylon, published
many years ago: — "At 4 p.m., and 80 miles from Kandy, we
emerged from the jungle, and the view of Minneria lake burst
upon us, fully repaying us for our day's march. It was a lovely

270 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

afternoon. The waters of the lake, which is 20 miles in circum-
ference, were burnished by the setting sun. The surrounding
plains were as green as an English meadow, and beautiful forest
trees bordered the extreme boundaries of the plains like giant
warders of the adjoining jungle. Long promontories, densely
wooded, stretched far into the waters of the lake, forming sheltered
nooks and bays teeming with wild-fowl. The deer browsed in herds
on the wide extent of plain, or lay beneath the shade of the spreading
branches. Every feature of lovely scenery was here presented.
In some spots groves of trees grew to the very water's edge ; in
others the wide plains, free from a single stem or bush, stretched
for miles along the edge of the lake ; thickly wooded hills bordered
the extreme end of its waters, and distant blue mountains mingled
their dim summits with the clouds. . . . The grass was most
verdant, about the height of a field fit for the scythe in England,
but not so thick. From this the snipe rose at every 20 or 30
paces, although the ground was perfectly dry. Crossing a large
meadow, and skirting the banks of the lake, from which the
ducks and teal rose in large flocks, we entered a long neck of
jungle which stretched far into the lake. This was not more
than 200 paces in width, and we soon emerged upon an extensive
plain bordered by fine forests, the waters of the lake stretching
far away upon our left, like a sheet of gold. A few large rocks
rose above the surface near the shore ; these were covered with
various kinds of wild-fowl. The principal tenants of the plain
were wild buffaloes.

" A herd of about a hundred were lying in a swampy hollow
about a quarter of a mile from us. Several single bulls were
dotted about the green surface of the level plain, and on the
opposite shores of the lake were many dark patches undistinguish-
able in the distance ; these were in reality herds of buffaloes.
There was not a sound in the wide expanse before us, except
the harsh cry of the water-fowl that our presence had already
disturbed. . . . Not a breath of air moved the leaves which
shadowed us, and the whole scene was that of undisturbed
nature. The sun had now sunk low upon the horizon, and the
air was comparatively cool. The multitude of buffaloes en-
chanted us, and with our two light double-barrels we advanced
to the attack of the herd before us. "

I have extracted this passage as a picture of the hunter's
paradise, which I so well remember, but which now exists as a
scene still lovely, but almost devoid of game.

In those days the buffaloes were quite unsophisticated, as

xiv THE BUFFALO 271

they were never disturbed ; the plain was their territory. I will
not repeat what has already been published in the Rifle and
Hound in Ceylon, but that first interview with the buffaloes,
when we (my late brother and I) " advanced to attack the herd
before us," very nearly wound up my early experience of shikar.

The " two light double-barrels " were quite inadequate to the
power required, but from that date I invariably used my heavy
rifles, which arrived on the following morning, and the 3-oz.,
with 12 and sometimes 16 drams of powder, proved irresistible.

The Indian buffalo, although savage, is not so dangerous as that
of Ceylon. The horns are immensely superior to the Ceylon species,
but they are not so handy ; and, as the hunter is generally mounted
upon an elephant, he is tolerably secure, while in Ceylon he would
be forced to advance to the attack on foot.

There is extreme danger in this sport unless the hunter is a
cool and accurate shot, armed with a rifle of heavy calibre. The
hide of a buffalo is intensely tough, and of great thickness ; it is
almost free from hair, and resembles the bare appearance of india-
rubber. The frontal bone is thick, and although easily penetrated
by an ordinary bullet with a large charge of powder, it is difficult
to hit, as the animal, when facing an antagonist, carries its nose
thrown upwards. The nose, therefore, should be the point of aim,
as a bullet well directed will by this route reach the brain. It
may be readily understood that when a vicious animal is your vis-
a-vis the duel has commenced, and your shot must be delivered as
a " settler." If you miss, or if the shot be uncertain in its effect,
the buffalo will in most instances charge.

The charge of a buffalo is a very serious matter ; many animals
charge when infuriated, but they can generally be turned by the
stunning effect of a rifle shot, even though they may not be mortally
wounded; but a buffalo is a devil incarnate when it has once
decided upon the offensive. Nothing will then turn it ; it must be
actually stopped by death, sudden and instantaneous, as nothing
else will stop it.

If not killed, it will assuredly destroy its adversary. There is
no creature in existence that is so determined to stamp out the life
of its opponents, and the intensity of fury is unsurpassed when a
wounded bull buffalo rushes forward upon the last desperate charge.
Should it succeed in overthrowing its antagonist, it will not only
gore the body with its horns, but it will endeavour to tear it to
pieces, and will kneel upon the lifeless form, and stamp it with its
hoofs until the mutilated remains are disfigured beyond all
recognition.

272 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

I have killed some hundreds of these animals, and I never regret
their destruction, as they are naturally vicious and most dangerous
brutes, whose ferocity is totally uncalled for. The Bos Caffer and
the ordinary buffalo of Ceylon are about equal in pugnacity, and
the duels between the bulls are a magnificent display of taurine
strength and determination.

In such trials of strength the vanquished party generally retreats
at full speed, followed for a certain distance by its adversary, who
endeavours to drive its horns into the posterior. This is a difficulty,
as the great curvature of the horns renders a direct thrust impossible.
The victorious bull, left upon the field of battle, has kindled the
fire of fight, and longs to seek some new antagonist more worthy
of its strength. It does not much signify at that moment of ex-
citement whether it be man or beast, but if the former, it is to be
hoped that he is well prepared.

I have frequently witnessed such battles between old bulls, and
then walked up to interview the victor, with a 3-oz. rifle, upon the
open plain. Nothing can be grander than the sight of a thoroughly
excited bull who is determined to assume the offensive, provided
that you have a double-barrelled No. 8 with 1 2 drams of powder,
or the 3-oz. with 14 or 16 drams.

The terrific power of the old 3-oz. belted spherical bullet was
frequently exhibited upon Minneria plain ; and it was a grand ex-
perimental shooting-ground in those days, when buffaloes were
within shot at all hours from sunrise to sunset. The 3-oz. was an
absolute exterminator, and no buffalo had a chance, provided the
rifle was held steadily and straight. This weapon was a single-
barrel, and in those distant days it was of course a muzzle-loader,
therefore I could not afford to miss, in the event of danger; I
accordingly got into the habit of shooting straight, having a thorough
confidence in the crushing power of the rifle.

Upon one occasion a single bull, which had evidently been
fighting, as it showed the white scores of an adversary's horns upon
its black hide, was venting its rage by pawing the green turf, and
ploughing the soft ground with its angry head, when I dismounted
from my pony, and advanced upon the open plain. Seeing me, it
made hostile demonstrations, and marched slowly and determinedly
forward, as though determined to settle the dispute at the closest
quarters. When within 100 paces it stopped, and, after tearing
up the ground most viciously for a few minutes, it started at full
speed in as direct a charge as it could take ; I met it in the chest
with a bullet from the 3-oz. rifle, and the bull was killed so
suddenly, that the momentum of its attack turned the body a

CO

xiv THE BUFFALO 273

complete somersault, aud it lay motionless upon the ground, within
about 30 yards of my position. The bullet had entered the chest,
and, after passing through the heart and viscera, I found it beneath
the skin of the hind-quarters, having completely raked the animal
from stem to stern.

Upon two occasions, on the plain of Minneria, I killed two
buffaloes with one bullet from the deadly 3-oz. rifle. There was a
great commotion among a large herd of these animals, and upon my
approach I discovered that a fight was going on between two very
large bulls. When I drew near, the herd departed in fall gallop,
and left me alone with the two bulls, which were far too much
engaged in their contest to notice my presence. I accordingly
continued my approach until, when within about 50 yards, they
condescended to observe me, and they at once resolved upon retreat ;
but their strongly curved horns were hooked together in their
combat, and when attempting a departure, they pulled in vain to
disengage themselves, ranging side by side in their efforts to effect
a separation. Seeing the opportunity, I fired exactly through the
shoulder of the nearest bull, and it dropped dead upon the spot,
thus unlocking the horns and releasing its antagonist. This ran
for a short distance, and then halting, it faced about, reeled to and
fro for about a minute, with bloody foam issuing from its mouth,
and rolled suddenly upon its side, dead.

The 3-oz. bullet, with 16 drams of powder, had smashed both
shoulders of the first bull, and passed clean through the body ; it
had then entered behind the shoulder of the second bull, passed
through the lungs, and was found just beneath the tough skin upon
the opposite side, not much the worse for this extraordinary pene-
tration.

On another occasion, as a herd was crossing me at full speed, I
fired at the shoulder of a large bull, and dropped it on the spot ;
the herd continued at a gallop, but presently a cow lagged behind,
and stopped ; she reeled to the right and left, and fell dead, the
bullet having passed completely through her, after having perforated
the bull.

This large rifle was a wonderful performer, and it would be
endless to record the various examples of its power, but it may be
instructive to give an account of an incident which will show by
comparison the danger of small rifles in the pursuit of such hard-
skinned beasts as buffaloes.

Mr. Frederick Dick, who was subsequently murdered at Negombo
by a shot from a malefactor whom he, as Police Magistrate,
attempted to capture, was shooting with me upon one occasion at

T

274 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

my happy hunting-grounds, Minneria lake and plain ; buffaloes were
swarming. The 3-oz. was in the best of humours, and its per-
formance led my friend Dick to imagine that buffaloes were, after
all, not such resolute beasts as had been described. He was armed
with a ridiculous single-barrelled rifle, No. 20 spherical ball. He
had fired a number of shots from this toy uselessly, and I had killed
the various buffaloes with the heavy weapon ; I prevailed upon him
to double his charge of powder. After some time, during which
we had walked a considerable distance along the margin of the
lake, we saw a solitary bull buffalo in a state of great excitement,
on the opposite side of a small creek leading from the lake towards
the jungle, about half a mile distant. As we drew nearer, the
buffalo faced us, and tore up the turf with its horns, at the same
time looking down the perpendicular bank, as though questioning
the possibility of a descent. We now arrived at the creek ; there
could not have been a more favourable position for Dick's little
rifle with a double charge (about 3 drams), as the breadth of water
which divided us from the opposite bank was not more than 30
yards. There was no danger, as the vertical bank, upon which the
angry bull was standing in a menacing attitude, was at least 12
feet high, therefore it was impossible for the animal to cross over.
I told Dick to be ready, and to aim at the back of the neck should
the buffalo lower its head. To effect this, I threw a hard clod of
earth across the creek ; this splashed loudly in the water imme-
diately beneath the buffalo's position. It looked down, and exposed
its neck ; at the exact moment Dick fired. The bull turned round
convulsively, and fell upon its side. " Well done, Dick ! " I ex-
claimed, " the double charge has done it ; " and we hurried round
the creek, wading through a shallow place as a short cut. Upon
arrival at the spot, we found a mighty specimen of a bull buffalo ;
in the exact centre of the massive neck a minute hole, that was
hardly perceptible, denoted the position of the tiny bullet which
had overthrown this colossal animal. Dick stood in front of the
bull's head, and revelled in the delight of his first buffalo, which
he had killed by a neat shot from so insignificant a weapon.

" Never stand at the head of a buffalo, whether dead or alive,"
I exclaimed to my excited and delighted friend ; " but always
stand upon the side facing the back of the animal, well away from
the legs as I am standing now."

The words were hardly uttered when, to our intense surprise,
the apparently dead buffalo suddenly sprang to its feet, and
blundered forward straight at the astonished Dick, who was not
3 feet distant. He attempted to jump backwards to avoid the

xiv THE BUFFALO 275

horns, but the ground being full of ruts, he tripped, and fell upon
his back, immediately in the path of the savage bull. Instinctively,
as quick as lightning, my right hand had drawn my long hunting-
knife and plunged it hilt-deep exactly behind the shoulder. To
my amazement, the buffalo fell to the blow • and the kicking of
all four legs, and the convulsive twitching of the tail, showed
unmistakably that this time the mighty bull was beyond recovery.

I had jumped back upon the instant, to clear myself from the
animal ; Dick had only just recovered himself, and was staggering
away, until I called him back. " He's dead enough this time,"
I shouted, as I showed him the long knife streaming with blood,
which had paralysed so suddenly an attack which must have been
fatal.

Our native attendants appeared stupefied ; the whole affair,
from the moment we had surveyed the apparently dead buffalo to
its actual death, had not occupied one minute.

This was a very wonderful escape, and a most practical example
of the teaching which I was giving when the resuscitation took
place. The questions would naturally be asked — " What sort of
a hunting-knife was this?" and "What was the nature of the
wound which effected such an instantaneous collapse 1"

The knife was a portion of a real old " Andrea Ferrara " High-
land claymore. The blade was 18 inches in length and 2 inches
in breadth, double-edged, and as sharp as it was possible to make
it. The point was as keen as a lancet ; that is the condition in
which a hunting-knife should always be kept. I never leave the
camp for a day's work without first examining the edge and point
of my knife : if necessary, I personally sharpen it upon a Turkey
hone, and I never allow a servant to handle it.

We made a careful post-mortem examination of the buffalo.
The small No. 20 spherical bullet had settled upon the spine at
the back of the neck, but had not damaged the bone ; the shock
had stunned the animal for a few minutes. The sharp double edge
of the long hunting-knife had completely divided the great artery
of the heart, which was split open exactly at the orifice.

From that moment my companion declined to fire at buffaloes ;
I felt no hesitation in supporting his determination, as his weapon
was totally inadequate to the work required.

Although it appears to have been a wanton destruction of life,
I had no pangs of conscience in shooting these ferocious animals,
as it would have been exceedingly dangerous in those days to have
gone out snipe-shooting with an ordinary smooth-bore, while so
many bulls were possessors of the plain. The practice with the long

276 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

3-oz. rifle was most interesting, and afforded instructive experience
iii the penetration and stopping power of the heavy bullet. Upon
one occasion I managed to separate a herd, and five buffaloes swam
across a bend of the lake and reached a long but narrow spit of
land which extended for several hundred yards into the water.
Upon reaching the base of this narrow promontory I saw that the
buffaloes would dispute the right of possession, and I advanced
with extreme caution, the 3-oz. rifle in my hand, while a trust-
worthy native carried the long 2-oz. My people were so thoroughly
confident in the power of these weapons that they had no fear of
animals, which in ordinary circumstances they would certainly
have avoided. We had not proceeded far when the buffaloes
which were on the point ranged up together, and, without much
demonstration, a large bull made a determined charge at full
speed upon us, fortunately without being accompanied by his
companions.

A shot from the 3-oz. met him exactly in the chest, and his
momentum was so great that, being shot through the heart, he
turned a complete somersault, and lay dead upon the muddy
ground. This two-grooved rifle was easy to load, as the belt of
the bullet was so prominent that it fitted at once into the broad
and deep lines of the barrel. I had just placed the cap upon the
nipple when, undismayed by the fate of the first buffalo, another
bull charged, but not with the same velocity. This fellow was
regularly crumpled up, and lay floundering upon the ground, the
bloody foam from the mouth proving the death-wound through the
lungs. Reloading, I assumed the offensive, and I knocked over
another, leaving only two from the original number. One of these
now took to water, but received a bullet in the neck ; the other
made a rush as though wishing to charge past me to reach the
plain ; this one got the 2-oz. through the shoulder-blade at close
quarters, and fell struggling in a confused heap, both shoulder-
bones being smashed.

This was sharp work for two single -barrelled muzzle-loaders,
but nothing could resist them. The effective power of such
weapons induced me to order four double-barrelled No. 10 two-
grooved muzzle-loaders, which proved to be exactly the weapons
required for Ceylon shooting at that period, as they had nearly the
same power as the 2-oz. rifle, with the additional advantage of the
double-barrels.

As a rule, no person should attempt to shoot dangerous game
with a single barrel, if on foot. Although the modern breech-
loader has simplified the system of loading, there are many cases

xiv THE BUFFALO 277

when an accident might occur which would be obviated by the
possession of a second barrel. I once had an unmistakable
reminder, which I never forgot.

The heavy 3-oz. rifle had been so great an ally, that I regarded
it as invincible. Instead of remaining satisfied, I attempted a fresh
improvement, and I had a 4-oz. mould that produced a sharp-pointed
cone, instead of the original spherical but belted ball. In actual
practice the rifle was not so powerful, as the shock upon impact
was reduced by the pointed projectile, and was inferior to the larger
surface of a hemisphere. The pointed bullet did not produce the
same knock-down blow, and it was deflected from a direct course if
it struck a bone.

I was loaded with this new bullet upon one occasion when a
very large rogue elephant was grazing in a lake, and we resolved if
possible to shoot it. The lake was several miles in circumference,
and was, as usual, surrounded by open grass-land, backed by the
thickest jungle. In one locality there was a patch of perhaps two
or three acres of the densest thicket, growing partly in the water,
and forming an isolated jungle separated only by about 100 yards
of turf-like grass from the main body of the forest. If we could
manage to place the guns behind some favourable bushes for con-
cealment, close to the main jungle, and then drive the elephant into
the isolated patch, it would probably march straight through, and
expose itself to a steady shot at close quarters, from the hidden
guns.

My brother was my companion, and having taken our places,
we sent the men round to disturb the elephant, and to drive it, if
possible, in our direction.

I was concealed behind a bush, only a few yards in front of the
jungle behind me, and about 90 yards from the isolated patch, into
which we expected the elephant to be driven.

The beaters were thoroughly experienced, the wind was favour-
able, and in a short time the heavy splashing in the water warned
us that the elephant had retreated from the lake into the clump of
bush, exactly as we had expected. The beaters closed up, but
nothing moved.

There was no doubt that the rogue was there, but the difficulty
had commenced. Who was to drive it out 1 The soil was muddy,
and the men could not move quickly, therefore they refused to
venture within the thorny bush, where escape would have been
impossible. I gave the men a gun, and ordered them to commence
at the rear of the isolated patch, to fire several shots, to shout, and
by these means to drive the elephant in the required direction.

278 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

This plan was adopted. We heard two or three shots, the
beaters had ascended the trees, from which they were shouting like
demons, and suddenly a magnificent rogue elephant, a gigantic
bull, emerged from the jungle, and advanced majestically in direct
line for my concealed position. It was a grand sight, and having
thorough confidence in my rifle, I disdained concealment, and stood
in front of my bush to meet him. The instant that the rogue dis-
covered me, his demeanour changed; for a moment he halted, then
swung his head to and fro, and without further introduction he
charged full speed upon me. I awaited quietly, covering the exact
spot in the forehead, and fired. The smoke of the heavy charge of
powder hung like cotton wool around me, and for a moment obscured
the view ; but feeling sure that he was down, I looked beneath,
and to my horror I saw the trunk, the cocked ears and the expres-
sion of fury just above me.

To throw down my heavy rifle and to bolt upon one side was
the work of half a second, but the elephant turned after me, and
the race commenced over the most lovely piece of turf, like a well-
kept lawn tennis ground. I could run in those days, and I flew
along the level surface with this horrid brute behind me, going his
best, and gaining in the race. Keeping parallel with the jungle, I
hoped that the elephant would relinquish the pursuit and turn
suddenly into the welcome covert ; but no, he seemed determined
to overtake me. This race lasted for about 100 yards, when I
suddenly doubled to my left, which would necessitate a correspond-
ing move upon the part of my pursuer, that would bring him into
the crowd of beaters who were advancing from the isolated patch.
At that moment the elephant turned to the right, and was lost in
the thorny jungle ; while I was breathless, and relieved from the
exciting chase.

We never saw that elephant again, although we followed some
distance upon his tracks in pursuit. My brother and my shikaris
declared that the bullet had struck him exactly in the right place,
but that his head was carried very high, and thrown back j the
conical sharp -pointed bullet had therefore deflected, instead of
continuing a direct course.

I had another unsatisfactory experiment with an elephant,
which determined me to have nothing more to do with this
pointed projectile, and I returned to my old love, the 3-oz. belted
spherical.

In those days we always used the finest grained powder, as we
were afraid of a miss-fire with a muzzle-loading rifle, unless the
grains could be distinctly seen in the nipple before we adjusted the

xiv THE BUFFALO 279

cap. This strong and quick-burning powder produced a severe
recoil, but the penetration was enormous. It is this power which
is absolutely necessary when shooting buffaloes, rhinoceros, etc.
If the animal charges, you have no chance of escape unless you
possess a rifle that will rake it from end to end. When making a
post-mortem examination of a bull buffalo that has been killed in
this superior manner, the passage of the bullet through such dense
masses of muscles and bone appears incredible. The depth of
chest through the brisket from the front is at least 2 feet of solid
matter, chiefly gristle and breast bones ; that alone will stop an
ordinary bullet; but a 2-oz. hardened spherical with 12 drams of
powder will drive through the entire animal, and the ball will be
discovered nestled beneath the hide somewhere below the tail. I
have known a 3-oz. hardened conical bullet pass completely through
an African bull elephant, from one shoulder to that opposite, from
which it escaped. These are the sort of tools for heavy game ; and
if the hunter is strong enough for his work, and is properly armed
with double-barrels, there will be every chance in his favour, and
he will not be included in the gloomy list of casualties that have
befallen so many of his race, chiefly through the inferiority of their
weapons.

I have killed elephants with a No. 16 spherical bullet (1 oz.),
and African buffaloes and rhinoceros with a 24 bore (*577) and
only 2 J drams of powder, in the old days of muzzle-loaders ; but
these were favourable shots in positions which afforded slight
resistance. Such instances of success are exceptions to the rule,
and I cannot too energetically impress my experience upon all
beginners, that they must be especially armed with rifles that are
of proportionate strength to the animal to be encountered.

Although the bull buffalo is generally more formidable than the
female, the latter is even more determined to destroy her antagonist
if in defence of her calf. I have already described, under the head
of the " Tiger," the courage of the buffalo in attacking that formid-
able beast should it presume to invade the sanctity of the herd.
There is no creature in existence so determined as the buffalo to
fight to the last gasp, when once its combative spirit has been
aroused.

There are very few persons who have had a really wide experi-
ence of buffaloes in the various countries which they inhabit, and
the description that I have given might appear somewhat superla-
tive ; but although many may be shot which offer no resistance,
and fall unresistingly before the rifle, these are not to be depended
upon as guides or examples. The hunter of buffaloes who follows

280 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the pursuit for years, will find that the true character of the
animal is one of stubborn unflinching courage, and unmitigated
revenge should it gain the ascendant.

During eight years' experience in Ceylon I was fortunate in
escaping from any casualties among my followers, although very
nearly caught myself; but in Africa I lost my best man, only
through the fact of his being badly armed.

I shot a bull, late in the evening, upon the marshy border of
the White Nile ; this was knocked over, apparently dead, by the
first bullet from a No. 10 rifle. My men actually danced in
triumph upon its body, in the anticipation of a feast, after a long
absence from fresh provisions during a voyage upon the desolate
river. Instead of hamstringing the lifeless beast, they continued
their insane gesticulations, when suddenly the buffalo jumped up,
and sent them flying into the river, like so many frogs, swimming
for their lives towards my diahbeeah. The buffalo disappeared in
the swamp of high reeds and aquatic vegetation. On the following
morning, supposing that the beast must have died during the
night, about thirty or forty men, armed with double-barrelled
smooth-bores, went ashore to look for the dead animal. They had
not been ashore for many minutes when I heard a shot, then
another, followed by a regular volley. My people returned with
the head of the buffalo and a large quantity of meat, but they also
carried the body of my best man, who, when leading the way
through the high reeds upon the traces of blood, actually stumbled
over the buffalo lying in the swamp, and the light guns failed to
stop its charge.

The crooked horn had hooked him beneath the ear, and pene-
trating completely through the neck, had torn out the throat, as
though it had been cut. The savage beast had then knelt upon
the body and stamped it into the muddy ground, until it fell dead
before the united fire of thirty men.

I have never experienced any great difficulty with African
buffaloes, for the best of reasons, that I have been extremely
cautious, and have always shot with very powerful rifles. Baron
Harnier, a Prussian, was the first unprofessional hunter to visit
the White Nile as an independent traveller. He had his own
vessel and two German servants, both of whom died of fever.
Although he had great experience in buffalo-shooting, he was
eventually killed by a large bull, which attacked his native servant
after having received a death- wound from a single-barrelled rifle.
Being unloaded, Baron Harnier attacked the buffalo with his
clubbed rifle, in the hope of driving it away from his servant, who

xiv THE BUFFALO 281

was lying upon the ground ; instead of this, the bull turned upon
its new assailant, and stamped and gored his body beyond recog-
nition. His large gold signet ring was found by the missionaries
some yards from his remains, and the body of the buffalo was
lying by his side, proving that the beast continued the savage
assault until the wound proved mortal ; vicious to the last gasp.

The celebrated sword-hunters of the Hamran Arabs excel in
riding down the Bos Coffer and hamstringing it with a blow of
the sharp sword while at full speed. I was with these people
on one occasion, where the rocky hills were so much against the
horses that they dared not venture sufficiently close to a large
bull, which turned to bay upon a small plateau covered with
boulders. The bull stood to bay for some minutes, but at length,
as we tried the ruse of a feigned retreat, it turned and galloped
down the hill. In an instant four horses clattered after it in
renewed pursuit, and after a run of about five minutes over the
most unfavourable ground, which precluded all attempts at
closing with the game, the bull reached a narrow but impervious
jungle. My artful allies now rode to the opposite side to wind-
ward, and having thereby given their wind to the hunted animal,
they shouted, and threw stones into the jungle, in order, if
possible, to drive the buffalo within sight of myself on the other
side.

I presently heard something moving among the tangled
branches, and being on a steady horse I rode to the extreme edge.
I, now saw the buffalo standing in the deep shade, broadside on,
exposing the shoulder to a deadly shot. Taking the steadiest
Aim, exactly behind the shoulder-joint, with my handy little 24
bore, and only 2 J drams of fine grained powder, I fired. The
buffalo did not flinch, or respond in any way to the shot. I re-
loaded, but before the bullet was rammed completely home, the
animal reeled to the right and left, and fell. It was dead,
struck through the centre of the lungs, and the bullet was dis-
covered in a rib upon the opposite side. Here was an instance
where a large and powerful beast was killed by a single shot from
an inferior weapon, but this was an exception, as such a chance
seldom occurs of obtaining a quiet shot within 30 yards exactly
at right angles with the shoulder. It will be seen from the
description I have given from my own experience that the buffalo
should be held in due respect, and that no unnecessary risks
should be thoughtlessly encountered. Above all, do not follow
a wounded bull into a thick jungle, or you will assuredly have
trouble ; it is a common trick for a badly wounded beast to turn

282 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xiv

from its direct course, and conceal itself in dense bush or high
grass, from which it will rush unexpectedly, and charge your flank
as you are following up the track of blood. If the forest is
sufficiently open to enable you to see 30 or 50 yards ahead,
there is no great danger, but thick and opaque bush will certainly
lead to a mishap, that may be fatal. It must be well remembered
that when a buffalo attacks, it never quits the body of its enemy
until it has stamped out every sign of life.

CHAPTER XV

THE AMERICAN BUFFALO (BOS BISON AMERWANUS)

Theee is no portion of the globe which exhibits the results of
Eta more painfully than the prairies of North Amenoa
The Indians have given place to the externum of the white
man's swaT and, as the wild tribes have dimimshed m proportion
to the^ease of European races, in like manner the wild
animal X retreat to more distant solitudes, or cease to
ex 7 The buffalo of America, which at one time blackened
^plains with its countless herds, has now become a rarity,
and in certain localities, where formerly the prame grass was
eaten close by thousands of these uncouth but interesting beasts,
not a solitary specimen can be discovered. .....

The W is a grand-looking creature, and in my opinion i is
thP most Ttrikino- of all wild animals. There is a peculiar
ava^in he aspect of a shaggy old bull in its winter coat
Xh Surpasses in wildness of appearance all other species of
Ime Although in reality a bison, this animal is invariably
teZed the American buffalo. The bull is about 15J to 16
haTds atthe shoulder, but this gives an erroneous idea of the
proportions of the animal, as the shoulder is abnormally high,
?ud from the withers, the back, instead of being sraight slopes
towads the hind-quarters. These are ^proportioned to the
massive front of the animal, as they are very inferior to ttie fore-
nuaiters. The tail is shorter than in any of the bovine tribe.
The hoofs are small in proportion to the great size of the—.
The ponderous strength of this animal is exhibited in the head,
ueck and fore-quarters; these are enormous. A shaggy mass
of nearly black hair covers the head and almost conceal, the eye ;
Is Tie-like covering descends, and terminates in a long beard,
wl ch ^ hes to the'knees. The horns, like all the bisons, are
Sort and curved. In the winter months the coat is thickly furred

284 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

with exceedingly close and curly hah, almost resembling a line
brown wool. The skins at that season are valuable as "buffalo
robes," and have for a long time been in great request, but owing
to the diminution in numbers of the animals, they are becoming
exceedingly scarce.

Although the bison has a ferocious aspect, it is a perfectly
harmless creature, and, unlike the buffalo of Africa and India,
it would never offend unless previously attacked. Even then, it
will escape if possible, but is furious when brought to bay.

The annual slaughter of these fine animals by the Indian tribes
has been well described by Cattlin. These hunts took place at
the commencement of winter, when the hides were in prime
condition, and the temperature was so low that the flesh could
be prepared as pemmican.

The Indians, who were instinctively adepts at the pursuit of
these splendid creatures, hunted them on horseback, until they
managed to drive a vast herd into some favourable ground, where
they could be surrounded by the tribe. The massacre then com-
menced, with arrow and lance, until none remained.

In the deep snow of winter, when the heavy bisons could
scarcely plough their way through the unstable mass, and they
struggled breast-deep along the drifts in search of some bare spot
where the keen wind had exposed the scanty pasturage, the active
Indians, shuffling in their snow-shoes upon the surface, could easily
overtake and kill the tired buffaloes. This was a war of extermina-
tion, and the advent of the white man, with his usual talent for de-
struction, has nearly completed that which the wild Indian had begun.

I had heard much of this and other stories of the "buffalo."
It was therefore a pleasurable surprise to find upon our arrival in
the Big Horn range in 1881 that, although the plains had been
deserted, there were many of these animals upon the mountains.

We had been toiling for some hours up the mountain face, at
the base of which the Powder river flows, and upon arrival at the
summit, our guide was obliged to confess that " he had never been
there before ! " This was a perplexity, as the vast extent of
mountain range was entirely trackless, and apparently devoid of
water. Under such circumstances, although boiling with indigna-
tion, it is advisable not to express your sentiments, as such a policy
will only add to the confusion of the guide. I therefore instructed
him to cross a small valley, and to ascend the opposite hill, from
which he would obtain a more extended view ; he was to examine
the whole landscape, and to report should he observe any appear-
ance of water.

xv THE AMERICAN BUFFALO 285

I rode with my wife across the same valley, but we ascended
the range of hills upon our right, from which we could embrace an
immense extent of country, and I immediately perceived a long
green line, winding through the yellowish grass, between low hills,
like a velvet ribbon. I knew this would represent a stream.
Upon our left was a descent of 600 or 700 feet into a deep dell,
at the bottom of which a similar green thread betokened water ;
this joined almost at right angles the original green line, after
which the stream continued along a dark ravine, until lost in the
thick forest of spruce firs, almost beneath the spot upon which we
stood.

At the distance of about 1J mile I could distinguish four black
objects upon the face of a knoll to the right of the green ribbon,
and upon an examination with my binoculars I discovered them to
be four buffaloes lying down upon the yellow grass, about 50 yards
to the right of the small stream. I immediately arranged that
Lady Baker should take the people and camp below the forest on
our left, while I should endeavour to stalk the buffaloes and procure
some meat for our first dinner. There was high ground between
the two green streaks, which formed almost a triangle from the
apex of their junction, therefore the distance across the base, from
the buffaloes to the camp, would not be above a mile.

We separated. Upon arrival at the bottom of the steep hill, I
found the water, as I had expected, running in a clear stream only
a few inches deep, between green rushes ; following this for some
little distance, I arrived at the junction, and I then ascended the
larger stream. I was accompanied by my hunter, Jem Bourne,
and we had sent our horses, together with the pack animals, to the
proposed camping-spot. My long riding boots made walking most
unpleasant, as the grassy slopes were slippery in the absence of
nailed soles. By preference I waded up the shallow stream, until
we considered that the animals were sufficiently near to detect the
sound of splashing. We at length arrived at a mound which I
had particularly remarked, owing to the presence of a large rock,
which I had at first mistaken for some wild animal. I knew that
the buffaloes, when we first saw them, were lying down upon the
slope on the other side of this unmistakable position. Quitting the
low bed of the stream, I now carefully ascended the steep slope,
stooping low until I neared the summit. There was very little
wind, but it was in our favour. Gradually, upon nearing the top
of the knoll, I raised myself; at the same moment there was a
rushing sound of heavy feet, and the next instant I saw the four
buffaloes going at full speed down the slope towards the small stream

286 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

that we had just quitted. The nearest was about 60 yards from
me, and with the *577 rifle I aimed at the root of the tail. As the
bullet struck within a couple of inches of the mark, this magnifi-
cent bull plunged heavily upon the ground. The three remaining
buffaloes, all bulls, dashed through the shallow stream, and
struggled up the opposing bank ; this was so steep that they
scrambled with the greatest difficulty, and no tame animal of that
weight could have accomplished the ascent. I had immediately
reloaded, and I took a lovely aim between the shoulders of each
bull, as it exposed itself to a deadly shot, almost perpendicular,
within 70 or 80 yards' distance ; but I would not fire ; I had them
completely in my power, and that was sufficient. Buffaloes were
being destroyed wholesale, and I would not join in the brutal list
of destroyers.

In the meantime this grand bull was sitting paralysed, with
the two hind legs stretched wide apart. It had attempted to move
down hill after the first shock of the bullet, and had managed to
slide itself for only a few feet forward by the action of the fore legs.
It was now upon its knees, struggling to rise, but completely help-
less in the hind-quarters. I called the attention of Jem Bourne
to the effect of the '577 solid bullet, and I told him to watch the
result of a merciful quietus, exactly through the shoulder-bone.
The bull fell over upon its right side, and never moved.

I trust that I may not be considered hard-hearted in recounting
such shots in detail, and their results ; I do so in the scientific
interests of rifle practice, to produce examples of the actual
practical effects of certain weapons, used against particular
animals. Had I been as I was in my younger days, without a
life's experience, I could have shot thirty or forty of these splendid
animals with ease ; but from the moment of this first example I
determined to kill no more, but only to admire. In accordance
with this determination, I took great pains upon many occasions
to obtain a shot, and after long stalks, having obtained a magni-
ficent position, I raised my rifle, took a most deadly aim, and
touched the trigger, having carefully kept the rifle upon half-cock.
Away went the buffalo, to live for another day, instead of being
slaughtered uselessly, to rot upon the plains, or to be devoured by
wolves, or buried in the soil by bears. This sort of stalking
afforded me much pleasure, but it did not suit my American
attendant. " Well, if you came all the way from the Old Country
to shoot, and you won't shoot when you've got the chance, you'd
have done better to stop at home." This was the consolation I
received for my self-denial when sparing buffaloes.

xv THE AMERICAN BUFFALO 287

I did not inind these remarks ; I had my own reward. The
buffaloes on many occasions fed around our camp within 300 or
400 yards. "We could watch them with the binoculars, and we
enjoyed the study of their ways with far greater pleasure than I
should have felt in shooting them.

That big bull which I had extinguished was quite enough to
prove all that I required ; it was so heavy that, when Texas Bill
arrived, our united efforts could not turn it upon its side.

There was nothing new in American bisons, unless it was the
mercy shown to them on this occasion. That was a grand fellow ;
his mighty head is in my hall at this moment, stuffed and set up,
as though alive, by that great artist Mr. Rowland Ward, who
declared it to be the finest he had seen, huge, black, and snaggy,
the dark colour of the head contrasting with the nut-brown of the
neck and body.

It was an interesting post-mortem examination of this bull, and
should ladies honour these pages with a perusal, they will of course
pass over the descriptions which can so easily be avoided. The
•577 solid bullet, with a 6-dram charge of powder, had entered
about 2 inches upon the left of the tail-root. This had passed
through the pelvis, which was fractured, and had occasioned the
paralysis of the hind legs. The bullet then perforated the
intestines, passed through the paunch and lungs, and, having
traversed the entire cavity of the body, it was found imbedded in
the fleshy mass of the neck.

I can only ask those persons who patronise the hollow Express
bullet — Where would that wretched projectile have been after
striking such a bone as the pelvis of a bull bison 1 It would never
have broken such a bone, but it would have smashed into a hundred
fragments, as though it had struck an iron target; there would
have been an end to it • the buffalo would have gone on, not much
the worse for the encounter.

It was very interesting to watch these bisons, as they almost
daily appeared, either near the camp, or while I was out shooting.
Frequently I saw them beneath me, when upon a cliff I was
looking for big horns (mountain sheep) ; at other times I have
come upon them suddenly, when they have jumped up from a
lower terrace, as I descended the mountain side, but upon no
occasion would I fire at them, as we always had plenty of venison
in camp and I did not want them.

My fine young fellow Texas Bill was an expert hand at the
lasso, and he captured a cow upon one occasion, but she was too
strong for him to manage single-handed. I do not consider that

288 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS cthap.

the great difficulty consists in throwing the lasso, but rather in the
management of the animal when entangled. The Mexican saddle
has an upright pillar about 9 inches long in front ; this is called
" the horn," and one end of the lasso is secured by a round turn
being taken when the animal is caught. It is manipulated entirely
from this horn, as it can be slacked off, or drawn tighter, as the
occasion may require; but there is considerable danger, as a
powerful animal may dash away before the hand of the lasso-
thrower is clear of the coil, in which case it might be caught
between the loose coils and the wooden pillar or horn. While I
was there, a man lost two fingers by catching them in this
manner, just as a buffalo jumped off, and the hard line cut them
off like a knife, against the still harder horn.

The Americans show scant mercy to the buffalo, as they declare
that it cousumes as much grass as would fatten two bullocks ;
also, that the presence of many of these animals will attract the
Indians. I do not credit either of these statements, as the
buffaloes are not found upon the cattle ranches, but upon the
mountains far beyond. They have long since been driven from
the plains in the vicinity of man, and they have retired to higher
altitudes, where they are comparatively undisturbed. The Indians
are bound by law to remain upon their reservation grounds, and
they would have no chance of following upon the tracks of
buffaloes; it is merely an excuse for the destruction which is
rapidly annihilating the wild animals of the once interesting
" Far West."

I have adhered throughout my description to the local misnomer
of "buffalo," but it must be borne in mind that the American
species is the true bison.

In India there is the so-called Indian bison, but naturalists
deny the right of this animal to such an appellation, and designate
it as Bos Gaurus, commonly known in India as the gaur.
Although I have been five times a visitor to our magnificent
Indian Empire, I have never yet had an opportunity of shooting a
gaur ; the day may, I trust, arrive, as I hope to revisit the country
next winter, and instead of returning home in the spring, I shall
devote those months of the driest season to the jungles, when it is
far easier to discover the desired game.

As I have never experienced the gaur personally, I cannot enter
into the details of its habits. It has decreased in numbers in the
Central Provinces, not only from the annual destruction by the
rifle, but from epidemics, to which all members of the bovine family
are peculiarly liable. I remember about forty years ago, when in

xv THE AMERICAN BUFFALO 289

the northern portion of Ceylon, the stench was unbearable in certain
places, where both wild and tame buffaloes had died in hundreds.
A few years since, the district of Reipore was visited with a similar
calamity, which destroyed the gaur in such numbers that some
localities were left entirely deprived of these animals.

The gaur is supposed to be the largest of the Bos tribe, measur-
ing 17 to 18 hands in the height of shoulder. The head is enor-
mous, with a peculiar formation of the frontal bone, which projects
above the cranium. A bullet must therefore be placed lower than
it would be in an ordinary ox to reach the brain.

This grand animal is generally to be found among hills that are
covered with forest, in which the bamboo is plentiful, as the latter
is the principal food of the gaur. In the winter months, when I
have generally visited India, such jungles are so dense and green
that they are almost impenetrable. At that season there is water
in every channel, and torrent -beds at the foot of hilly ranges;
therefore it is impossible to find the gaur, which is then upon the
summits, securely lodged in thick bamboo retreats. The yak is
another species of which I have had no personal experience. This
beautiful animal is a denizen of the most lofty mountains, and is
found at elevations that could hardly be attained by any other
animal of its weight. It is a most sure-footed beast, and is used
for riding among the Himalayahs in its domesticated state.

There is a species of wild ox, or rather bison {Bison bonassus),
still remaining in the forests of Lithuania ; this was the original
aurochs of Central Europe, which was at one time plentiful ; but
the increase of population and the invention of firearms drove these
animals into the remotest forests, until by degrees they have been
nearly exterminated.

It may be accepted as a fact that only two species of the true
bison are known to exist, the Bison Americanus (or so-called
buffalo) and the European species, Bison bonassus, both of which
are distinct from all others belonging to the Bovidce, in possessing
fourteen pairs of ribs.

u

CHAPTER XVI

THE RHINOCEROS

The " unicorn " of the ancients has been one of those animals that
appear to defy the attacks of man. It is thus described by
Cuvier : — " They are large animals, with each foot divided into
three toes ; and the nasal bones, very thick and united into a kind
of arch, support a solid horn, which adheres to the skin, and is
composed of a fibrous and horny substance, resembling agglutinated
hairs. They are naturally stupid and ferocious • frequent marshy
places; subsist upon herbage and the branches of trees; have a
simple stomach, very long intestines, and a great ccecum.

" The Indian rhinoceros. (Rh. Indicus, Cuv.) In addition to
its twenty grinders, this species has two stout incisive teeth in each
jaw, together with two other intermediate smaller ones below, and
two, still more diminutive, outside of its upper incisors. It has
only one horn, and its skin is remarkable for the deep folds into
which it is thrown behind, and across the shoulders, and before,
and across the thighs.

" The Javanese rhinoceros (Rh. Javanus, Cuv.), with the great
incisors and single horn of the preceding, has fewer folds in the
skin, though one of them on the neck is larger; and what is
remarkable, the entire skin is covered with square angular
tubercles.

" The Sumatran rhinoceros (Rh. Sumatrensis, Cuv.), with the
same four great incisors of the foregoing, has no folds to the skin,
which is besides hairy, and there is a second horn behind the
first.

"The African rhinoceros (Rh. Afiicanits, Cuv.), or rather
rhinoceroses, three species of them being now ascertained. Two
horns as in the preceding; and no folds in the skin, nor any incisor
teeth, the molars occupying nearly the whole length of the jaw.
This deficiency of incisors might warrant a separation from the

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chap, xvi THE RHINOCEROS 291

others. The great rhinoceros {Rh. simus, Burchell), which con-
siderably exceeds in size any of the others, is further distinguished
by its pale colour, its very long and straight anterior horn, and re-
markably short hind one, and particularly by the form of its upper
lip, which is not capable of elongation, and a certain degree of
prehension, as in all the others ; it is the most gregarious of any,
and also the most inoffensive, frequenting the open karoos. The
common Cape rhinoceros (Rh. Africanus, Cuv.) is darker, with
also unequal horns, the posterior being shorter; and the Ketloa
rhinoceros (Rh. Ketloa), recently discovered by Dr. Smith, is an
animal of solitary habits, with horns of equal length, reputed to
exceed the rest in ferocity."

I have extracted the definition assumed by Cuvier to exhibit
the peculiar varieties of this species. His Rh. simus is the white
rhinoceros of Southern Africa. This does not exist north of the
equator. The peculiar form of lip to which the great naturalist
directs attention proves, being broad and rounded, that the animal
is a grass-eater, in which it differs from those with prehensile lips,
which feed upon the extreme ends of twigs and tender branches ;
to gather these, they require an embryo proboscis, which the pre-
hensile lip actually represents, and the next stage of evolution may
be seen in the development of the same member in the tapir.
Cuvier omits to describe the peculiarity of the molars of the pre-
hensile lip varieties ; these teeth have sharp overlapping cutting
edges, which, when the jaws are closed, exactly represent the action
of a pair of shears. The prehensile lip catches a bunch of twigs,
and forming them into a compact bundle, introduces it into the
mouth ; the shear-like teeth then cut it off as neatly as though
pruned with a switching-hook.

There has been a great diversity of opinion concerning the
varieties of rhinoceros, and I feel convinced that it cannot be solely
determined by the length or shape of horns ; these differ as much
as the horns of stags, although the animals belong to the same
species. The great white rhinoceros is a distinct species, which is
marked by the blunt muzzle, the rounded and non-prehensile lip,
the shape of the head, the enormous size, and the extraordinary
length of the horn.

All the varieties of rhinoceros have the same peculiar formation
of foot, confined to three horny toes, each of which forms nearly a
half-circle. The horn of the Indian variety is so short as to be
valueless as a trophy, and the length of 8 inches would be con-
sidered above the average, although the base is remarkably thick.

I do not agree with Dr. Smith that the horns of the Ketloa are

292 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

of equal length. It is quite possible that some may be equal,
where the anterior horn has been ground away by long service ;
but as a rule the anterior horn is considerably longer, and always
different in shape, being rounded from its broad base, and continu-
ing always round until it terminates in a sharp point.

The posterior horn is flattened at the sides, and rises with a
sharp edge along the ridge, with a raised centre, which forms a
point.

All rhinoceros horns are of the same texture, being simply
agglutinated hairs, which, if cut in a thin transverse section and
placed beneath a microscope, exhibit the capillary tubes glued
together by a horny substance into a solid body. There is no
material that can equal in toughness the horn of rhinoceros, and it
has always been in request from time immemorial for various
useful and other imaginary purposes. The belief that a cup
formed of rhinoceros horn will detect poison is very common, and
is thoroughly accepted by the Arabs of the Soudan. I have three
in my possession, mounted in silver, which were presented to me,
when leaving Africa, by the great sheik of the deserts, Hussein
Khalifa Pasha.

The horns are not attached to the skull, but they are merely
seated upon the hard and thick bone, which forms a foundation,
slightly convex, above the nose. The skin is immensely thick at
the base from which the horn springs, and it appears bristly and
rough, to a degree that would suggest gradual development into
horn, which is actually the case.

When a rhinoceros has been killed, and the head has been
exposed in the sun to dry, the horns will fall off upon the third day
if struck lightly with a stick, and they will expose the foundation
upon which they rested ; this closely resembles the bottom of an
artichoke when the prickly leaves have been removed.

Although the horns would appear unsuitable for rough work,
being merely attachments to the skin, they are most powerful
weapons of offence. It has been asserted that the rhinoceros will
kill an elephant ; this is highly probable, if it had an opportunity
of striking it in the belly or the flank by an unexpected attack ;
but no rhinoceros would have the remotest chance in actual conflict
with an ordinary bull elephant, as the weight and strength would be
immeasurably superior, in addition to the length and power of the
two tusks. Elephants are much afraid of rhinoceros, but they are
almost equally timid with other animals, while the rhinoceros is a
sullen, stupid brute that is afraid of nothing.

I have never seen more than one species of rhinoceros east of

xvi THE RHINOCEROS 293

the White Nile, from Abyssinia to within 1° 14' of the equator;
this is the variety known as the Ketloa. It well merits the dis-
tinction of superior ferocity, as it will attack either man or beast,
frequently without the slightest provocation. It is especially
likely to attack should it obtain the wind (scent) of any person or
strange animal before it appears in sight. This makes it extremely
dangerous when riding through thick jungle or high grass, should
a rhinoceros be somewhere concealed to leeward. I have myself
been hunted out of the jungle by two rhinoceroses which thus
gained our wind, just as we had become aware of their existence
through the presence of fresh droppings. Fortunately there was
no lady, and our party was confined to the Hamran Arabs and
myself; but three sharp whiffs close at hand in the thick jungle,
like jets of steam let off to ease the boiler, were immediately
followed by the animals themselves, which came tearing down upon
us at full speed, and sent us flying in all directions.

No lady upon a side saddle could possibly have ridden through
that thorny jungle without being dragged from her seat. As it
was, after a mad chase the animals lost sight of us, but when we
collected together, everybody was more or less damaged, by either
tumbling over rocks, or being torn by the hooked horns.

The sure find for rhinoceros is in the neighbourhood of a
peculiar red-barked mimosa. This is the much-loved food, and the
appearance of the bushes will immediately denote the presence of
the animal ; they are clipped, as though by pruning shears, all the
shoots being cut off in a straight line where the rhinoceros has
been browsing. This neat operation is effected by the prehensile
lip and the shear-like teeth. Another proof of rhinoceros will be
found in the vast piles of dung, nearly always against the stem of
a considerable tree ; it is a peculiar custom of this animal to visit
the same place every night, and this regularity of functions brings
it into the traps which are cunningly devised by the natives for
its capture.

A round hole, the size of an ordinary hat-box, is dug near the
tree. This is neatly formed, and when completed, it is covered
with a wooden circle like the toy wheel of a child's waggon. The
spokes are made of flat bamboo, with sharp points overlapping
each other in the centre, in the place where the nave would be.
This looks rather like a sieve when fitted carefully as a cover to
the hole. If any person were to thrust his fist through this
elastfc substance, the points of the bamboo would prevent his
hand from being withdrawn, as they would retain his arm. In
the same manner this sieve-like cap would retain the leg of an

294 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

animal, should it tread upon the surface and pass through.
Accordingly a noose is laid upon the surface. The rope is con-
structed specially, of great strength, and the end is fastened to a
log of wood that weighs about 200 or 300 lbs. This is buried
slightly in the earth, together with the cord. A quantity of dung
is thrown carelessly over the freshly turned ground to conceal the
fact.

The rhinoceros, like many other animals, has a habit of scraping
the ground with its fore foot when it visits the nightly rendezvous ;
during this action it is almost certain to step upon the concealed
trap. The foot sinks through, and in the withdrawal the noose
fixes itself upon the leg, prevented from slipping off by the pointed
support beneath, which remains fast, adhering to the skin.

The moment that the rhinoceros discovers that its leg is noosed,
it makes a sudden rush ; this draws the noose tight, and, at the
same time, the jerk pulls the buried log out of the trench. The
animal, frightened at the mishap, gallops off, with the heavy log
following behind. This arrangement is excellent, as it leaves an
unmistakable trace of the retreat, which can easily be followed by
the trappers on the following -morning. At the same time, there
is not the same risk of the rope breaking that would be occasioned
by a steady pull. The log, which trails behind, catches in the
innumerable bushes and thorns, causing great fatigue, until the
rhinoceros, thoroughly wearied, is obliged to halt. When dis-
covered by the hunters, it is generally entangled by some attempt
to turn, which has hooked the log around a tree ; the fight then
commences, as the beast has to be killed with spears, which pene-
trate the hide with difficulty. Accidents frequently happen when
the rhinoceros, thoroughly enraged, succeeds in snapping the rope.

I have seen a horn in Khartoum that was brought down the
White Nile by one of the slave-hunting companies, which came
from the distant west, in the latitude of Lake Chad ; that must
have belonged to a different species of rhinoceros, as it was quite
3 feet long, and immensely thick ; no Ketloa or black rhinoceros
ever possessed such a horn. The longest one I have ever shot
measured 23 inches, and I have never seen a larger one in pos-
session of the natives.

There was a ready market in Gellabat, the frontier town of
Abyssinia, as in that country the horn is in great demand for the
handles of swords belonging to the chiefs. In 1861 in that locality
the ordinary price was a dollar per lb.

The skin of the rhinoceros is exceedingly compact and dense.
When stretched over a block and dried, it is rubbed down with

xvi THE RHINOCEROS 295

sand-paper, and oiled; it then becomes semi-transparent, like
clouded amber, and is much esteemed by the great personages of
Abyssinia for shields ; these are beautifully mounted with silver,
and are highly ornamental. I have a piece of skin tanned which
measures 587 square inches and weighs 13| lbs. In its fresh
state it would weigh more than double.

Although the Soudanese Arabs eat the flesh of this animal, it is
refused by the savage tribes of the White Nile regions. These
people say that the Arabs are hyaenas, who will eat anything, even
crocodiles. The reason given by the blacks for their objection to
the flesh of the rhinoceros is, that the blood is unlike that of any
other animal ; that should your hand be bloody, and you close your
fist for a few moments, the fingers stick together, and you have a
difficulty in opening them.

I have eaten young rhinoceros, and found it quite as good as a
buffalo calf, but I imagine that anything young is tolerable. This
was a curious incident. I was shooting, and exploring the affluents
of the Nile from Abyssinia, and having examined the course of the
Atbara and Settite rivers, I passed into the territory of Mek
Nimmur, who was at war with the Egyptians. The first march
from his camp brought us to the rivers Salaam and Angrab, at
their junction ; and I was following the course of the main river
below this point, when we came upon the tracks of rhinoceros.
Following upon these, I left the two camels behind, with the ropes,
etc., which they always carried to secure any animals I might shoot.

We had not advanced far through the tolerably open jungle
when we arrived at the foot of a rocky hill. There were many
large boulders lying about, when suddenly one of my Arabs touched
my arm and directed my attention to an object that appeared to be
a rock ; almost at the same moment a rhinoceros rose quickly from
the ground, and had evidently obtained our wind. I made a good
shot with a No. 10 rifle through the shoulder, and after turning
round twice, and uttering a peculiar squeaking sound like the
bellows arrangement of a crying doll, it fell to the ground and died.
We now observed a fine young animal which was standing upon
the opposite side of the mother, and I suggested to my famous
Hamran hunters that we should call up the camels and endeavour
to secure the calf with our good supply of ropes.

This was quite opposed to their ideas, as the young one was
sufficiently advanced to boast of a pair of small horns, which the
Arabs declared to be too formidable to warrant an attemot at
capture.

I thought otherwise, therefore I arranged that we should make

296 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

a trial. The camels were brought, and the ropes arranged. Nooses
were prepared, and I suggested that we should attempt to mob the
young one, and then secure its legs.

My Arabs declined this plan, as they rightly declared that the
ground was unfavourable, owing to the number of large rocks,
which would prevent them from getting out of harm's way should
the animal charge. It was ultimately arranged that Taher Noor,
my head Arab, was to lend me his sword, and that I was to go
first, while they would follow with the ropes and nooses, to en-
deavour to trip up the calf should it charge past me.

Taher Noor drew his sword. This was a beautiful blade, that
had belonged to his family, and been handed from father to son for
several generations ; the cross hilt and fittings of the handle were
solid silver, also the knob at the end, through which the tongue
was riveted. He cautioned me to beware of striking a stone, and
he evidently parted with regret from his familiar weapon.

The calf was about 3 J feet high, and was standing by the body
of its mother, evidently ignorant of her death. As I cautiously
approached, it looked much larger than when I had seen it at a
distance, and I began to think the Arabs were right in their con-
clusion. There was not much time for reflection, for the young
tartar gave an angry shake of its ugly head, emitted the usual three
sharp whiffs, and charged at me as fast as it could gallop.

I jumped quickly backwards, by a large rock, and it passed
within 3 feet of me, but immediately halted, instead of continuing
so far as the spot where the Arabs were in waiting with the ropes.

It now turned round, and seeing me, it repeated its charge in
reverse, as hard as it could go. I again jumped back, but as I did
so, I delivered a lightning-like downward cut with Taher Noor's
favourite sword. The young rhinoceros fell stone-dead, all in a
heap !

The Arabs ran to the spot. Taher Noor took the sword care-
fully from my hand, and pointing it at arm's length, he looked
along the edge ; he then wiped the blade upon the body of the
rhinoceros, and, to prove the perfection of his weapon, he shaved a
few hairs off his naked arm ; then exclaimed with a deep sigh of
pleasure and astonishment, " Mashallah" and returned it to the
scabbard.

We now carefully examined the young rhinoceros. Although
only a calf, it was a large animal, and the neck was about 15
inches thick. The blade had fortunately struck exactly between
two vertebrae, and had slipped through the gristle as though it
had been a carrot. Continuing its course, it had severed the neck

xvi THE RHINOCEROS 297

completely, leaving only the thick skin of the throat, to which the
head was still attached.

This was a magnificent stroke, which delighted the sword-
hunters, and I should much like to hear the story as it is now
told by them, if alive, or by their descendants. They will
assuredly have converted the calf into a full-grown rhinoceros, as
the length of time now elapsed will have accounted for the change ;
but the incident will certainly be remembered, and narrated by
the owner of the sword, and will be handed down to posterity with
some few exaggerations.

We opened and cleaned the calf, and the united efforts of six
men secured it across a camel ; we then cut the shields off the
large rhinoceros, and took the calf to camp, as Taher Noor wished
particularly to exhibit the trophy of his sword to the Sit (Lady
Baker).

As we arrived, we found a large body of Abyssinian hunters,
who asked us for meat. " Meat 1 " exclaimed my men. " We've
left an entire rhinoceros only just skinned, about twenty minutes'
walk from this. Look, you can see the vultures gathering in
the air."

" Vultures ? Yes, there are plenty of them ; but if you took the
skin off, there'll be no meat by the time we get there."

" Not if you stop here talking," my men replied. " Run, and
you will be in time .to get something."

About twenty fellows started off in the direction pointed out
by the hovering birds. In less than an hour the Abyssinians
returned with a report "that only the skeleton remained upon
their arrival."

There is no animal which parts with its hide so easily as the
rhinoceros. Directly that the fatal shot has been fired, the Arab
hunters measure the body by so many spans, the thumb stretched
from the little finger. The rhinoceros should yield eight large
squares of hide, each of which will produce a circular shield about
2 feet in diameter, or rather larger. When the operation of
skinning is commenced, it is curious to see the want of attachment
between the hide and the flesh • it detaches immediately, simply
upon a few digs with the fist, and it flakes away like the bark of
an oak when felled in May. Each square is worth 2 dollars, there-
fore a rhinoceros is a valuable prize to the Arab hunters.

It is difficult to believe the rapidity with which vultures will
consume a large animal when it has been divested of the skin
Should a buffalo die, these birds are helpless, as they can only
work at the eyes, and beneath the tail, the hide resisting their

298 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

attack until decomposition shall have commenced; but, when
skinned, a cloud of these repulsive birds will settle upon the carcase,
and it disappears in much less than half an hour. This is the
case in Abyssinia, where vultures are more numerous than in any
portion of the globe which I have visited.

Many years ago there was a long and interesting discussion in
the Field respecting the power of sight or scent in directing the
vulture to its prey. Of course, views were expressed upon oppos-
ing sides ; one declared that the bird discovered its food by sight,
others pronounced in favour of guidance by scent alone.

Common-sense would suggest that a bird which soars at such
an enormous height that it is frequently invisible to the naked eye
would not ascend without a purpose, as there can be no food
attraction in the great wilderness of space. What is that purpose 1
It is to obtain an extensive field of observation upon the world
beneath. If a bird hunted by scent, it would assuredly remain as
near as possible upon the surface to obtain that scent, instead of
soaring in an opposite direction, where the strongest smell could
never be detected.

I have tried the experiment practically, many times.

When an animal is killed and skinned, before the operation is
completed the first bird to appear is the wily and omnipresent
crow. The next is the ordinary buzzard. Both these birds are
near the surface of the earth, seeking their food with untiring
energy ; but although they may have keen powers of scent, even
they, in my opinion, are mainly guided by their acuteness of vision,
as they are always on the alert, hunting in every direction, and in
fact keeping a sharp " look-out."

The third arrival is the small red-necked vulture. This bird
descends from a great height.

It is now most interesting to watch the concentration from all
quarters of the compass ; this is easily arranged by lying beneath
a bush, and shading the eyes while you gaze into the deep-blue
sky. It will appear to be alive with the smallest flies, all moving,
all hurrying, and descending. These become rapidly larger, and
you are aware that they are vultures, collecting from such enor-
mous altitudes, that, were a mountain-top exposed, it would be
capped with everlasting snow. While you are straining your eyes
to peer into those blue vaults, you are startled by a tremendous
rush like the roar of a rocket ; this is the descent with closed
wings of one of the large bare-necked vultures, which has plunged
like a plummet for some 1000 feet, to share in the feast below.

All those birds, flying at high altitudes, have been soaring upon

xvi THE RHINOCEROS 299

endless wings, never fatigued by motion, as they seldom flap, but
only adjust themselves to the currents of air upon which they
float ; and having with their extraordinary powers of sight observed
the hurry of smaller birds to some attractive point, they have at
once directed their course, to fulfil the Biblical expression,
"Where the carcase lies, there shall the eagles (vultures) be
gathered together."

The audacity of the vulture is remarkable, in countries where
it pursues its course undisturbed. I have known an instance
where, in a serious battle, in the midst of musketry and the dense
smoke and flame of a general conflagration, the vultures mutilated
the bodies of the killed before they could be carried off the field.

Last, but not least, of all birds of carrion tastes is the adjutant.
When the buzzard has driven away the crow, the red-necked
vulture has driven off the buzzard, and the bare-necked vulture
has kicked out the red-necked intruder, the long-legged and
gigantic-beaked adjutant arrives upon the scene of turmoil, where
feathers, dust, and blood are mingled with the shrieking and
quarrelling of mixed varieties. All stand clear when the adjutant
appears, as the long bill delivers its pecks to the right and left,
and commands attention and respect. This bird, which carries
its supply of water in a bag beneath the bill, pendant from the
throat, flies at a higher altitude than any other, and arrives upon
the scene the last, owing to the greater distance it has been forced
to travel. All these birds have been necessarily directed by sight,
and not by the sense of smell.

The sense of vision may be continually observed by any person
who has experience of countries that are full of living creatures.
When the grass is fired in the dry season, there may not be a bird
in sight, but directly that the dense volumes of black smoke
darken the air with rolling clouds upon the earth's surface, a great
variety of birds are almost immediately attracted. The buzzard,
the fly-catchers, and, curiously enough, the bustard (or houbara),
which is generally so scarce, all appear upon the dusky scene, and
challenge the smoke and flames, to pursue the locusts, which are
endeavouring to escape from the advancing fire.

The so-called rhinoceros bird, which is supposed to afford the
animal some notice of approaching danger, is not confined specially
to that particular beast, but it is to be seen frequently picking the
ticks and other vermin from the backs and sides of buffaloes, as
starlings may be seen upon the cattle in England during the warm
days of summer. There is also a so-called crocodile bird, which
is accredited with watchful instincts in the interest of the animal

300 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

it attends upon ; this is the ordinary plover, which when alarmed
cries in good English, throughout the world, " Did-he-do-it *? Did-
he-do-it 1 " These birds are not employed in protecting the animals
they wait upon, but they are simply searching for insects which
infest such creatures, and when disturbed themselves, their cries
and movements naturally alarm the beasts upon which they fatten.

I have had no personal experience of the Indian rhinoceros,
which is heavily protected by thick folds of skin, instead of the
comparatively smooth exterior of the African species ; but the
habits of the animal appear to be somewhat similar, with the
exception of its frequenting marshy localities.

I have never found the African rhinoceros in the neighbourhood
of swamps, but, on the contrary, I have generally met them in dry
and elevated places, at the base of rocky hills, or in woods, at
some distance from a river. Certain animals have their regular
hours for drinking : the rhinoceros in Africa approaches the water
an hour after dark, and during the day it may retreat several
miles inland. The female Ketloa has a longer horn than the male,
but more slender. The males are continually grinding their horns
by sharpening them upon rocks and the trunks of trees; this
process reduces their size, from continued friction.

The female has only one offspring at a birth, and the ugly
little calf is well protected by its mother. In a very few weeks
after its introduction to the world it becomes exceedingly strong and
active, and follows its mother over the rough ground at consider-
able speed. At that early age, when from two to four months
old, the young ones are captured by the sword-hunters, who
hunt the mother until the calf becomes thoroughly fatigued.

When the vast bulk of a rhinoceros is considered, it is astonish-
ing to see the speed that this heavy animal can attain, and continue
for a great distance. I have hunted them in company with the
Arabs, and for at least 2 miles our horses have been going their
best, keeping a position within 5 or 6 yards of the hind-quarters,
but nevertheless unable to overtake them before they reached an
impenetrable jungle. It is the peculiar formation of the hind legs
which enables the rhinoceros to attain this speed ; the length from
the thigh to the hock is so great that it affords immense springing
capacity, and the animal bounds along the surface like a horse in
full gallop, without the slightest appearance of weight or clumsiness.

Upon a level plain, free from bushes or stones, a good horse
would quickly overtake the black rhinoceros, but the animal is
seldom found upon such favourable ground, and its strength and
three-hoofed feet give it a peculiar advantage for travelling at a

xvi THE RHINOCEROS 301

high speed over a rough surface that would test the endurance of
the best horse.

There is considerable danger in shooting a rhinoceros, owing to
the difficulty in stopping a charge. The position of the two horns
makes it impossible to reach the brain by a forehead shot, as the
bullet, should it strike a horn, would certainly deflect. If you
are slightly on one side, there is a direct line to the exceedingly
small brain, exactly in front of the eyes, but this is extremely
difficult to hit, and must be hazardous. The bone of the skull is
the hardest of any animal in existence, and upon one occasion a
No. 10 bullet struck the head just in front of the ear, and failed
to penetrate. The animal fell to the ground, stunned, but recovered
its feet and ran half unconsciously past me, giving me the oppor-
tunity to run alongside and fire the remaining barrel behind the
shoulder, which immediately finished the encounter.

I was not aware at the time that the No. 10 leaden bullet had
failed to penetrate ; but upon an examination of the head, I found
the lead wedged into the joint of the lower jaw ; the skull was
slightly fractured, but not actually penetrated.

Upon another occasion I was stalking a bull rhinoceros which
I had observed from a distance, and it had disappeared upon the
other side of rising ground. Feeling sure that I should reach it
by running quickly forward, upon my arrival at the spot where I
had lost sight of my object I detected it among a few bushes not
20 yards distant. There were a number of brown-coloured rocks
scattered about the surface, nearly as large as ordinary grindstones.
Taking advantage of these, I knelt behind one and fired at the
shoulder. Instead of falling, the rhinoceros immediately turned
towards the smoke, which fortunately was drifting across to my
right in a strong breeze. With stupid astonishment it regarded
this unsubstantial cause of disturbance, and followed it until I
again had a good chance within only a few yards. The No. 10
quicksilver and lead conical bullet shot completely through the
body, entering behind the right shoulder, and making its exit upon
the opposite side. The animal staggered a short distance, and
then, emitting a few shrill squeaks, quite disproportioned in sound
to the great size of the beast, it fell and died.

This proved the advantage of a hardened and heavy bullet for
such an animal, instead of pure lead, although the latter would
have been preferable for a thin-skinned beast.

Although the rhinoceros is dangerous, I have never heard of
many casualties among sportsmen. This may be explained by
the comparatively small number of persons who have engaged in

302 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the sport. It is quite impossible to determine the exact amount
of risk in the encounter with any animal, as they vary in character
and pugnacity. The black rhinoceros is generally accepted as the
most vicious, and the huge white variety the most harmless, but
the uncertainty in the sport is the charm to the hunter, and I will
relate an incident that befell a friend of mine, which will exhibit
this uncertainty in a striking manner.

Mr. Oswell was one of the early Nimrods in South Africa, at
the same time that the renowned Koualeyn Gordon Cumming was
paving the way for fresh adventures. There never was a better
sportsman or more active follower of the chase than Oswell ; he
had gone to Africa for the love of hunting and adventure, at a
time when the greater portion was unbroken ground. He was the
first to bring Livingstone into notice when he was an unknown
missionary, and Oswell and Murray took him with them when
they discovered the Lake N'game'. He had a favourite double-
barrelled gun made by Purdey. This was a smooth-bore No. 10,
specially constructed for ball. Although a smooth-bore, it was
sighted like a rifle, with back-sights; the gun weighed 10 lbs.
The owner most kindly lent me this useful weapon when I first
went to Africa in 1861, therefore I can attest its value, and the
hard work that it had accomplished. A portion of the walnut stock
had been completely worn away to the depth of an inch by the tear-
ing friction of the wait-a-bit thorns, when carrying the gun across
the saddle in chase at full speed through the hooked-thorn bushes.
The stock had the appearance of having been gnawed by rats.

At the time of OswelFs visit, the country was alive with wild
animals, all of which have long since disappeared before the advance
of colonial enterprise and the sporting energy of settlers. There
was a particular locality that was so infested with rhinoceroses that
Oswell had grown tired of killing them, and he passed them un-
noticed unless he met some specimen with an exceptional horn.
He was riding a favourite horse, which had been his constant com-
panion in countless shooting incidents, and he happened to remark
a large white rhinoceros standing in open ground alone. This
animal possessed a horn of unusual length, which made the owner
a worthy object of attention.

Oswell immediately rode towards it. The animal took no
notice of his approach until he arrived within about 100 yards.
The Rhinoceros simus (white species) is not considered dangerous,
therefore he had approached without the slightest caution or hesi-
tation. I forget whether he fired ; but I well remember that the
beast calmly confronted the horse, and slowly, but determinedly,

xvi THE RHINOCEROS 303

with measured pace, advanced directly towards the rider. Like
an object in a disturbed dream, this huge creature came on, step
by step, leisurely but surely, never hesitating or halting, but with
eyes fixed upon the attacking party. Firing at the forehead
being useless, Oswell endeavoured to move either to the left or
right, to obtain a shoulder shot ; but the horse, that was accustomed
to a hundred contests with wild animals, was suddenly mesmerised,
and petrified with horror. The quiet and spectre-like advance of
the rhinoceros had paralysed and rooted it to the ground ; trembling
all over, its limbs refused to move; the spur and whip were
unavailing ; the horse felt that it was doomed.

This horrible position endured until the rhinoceros was within
only a few paces distant ; it then made a dash forward.

Oswell describes his first sensations, upon returning conscious-
ness, nearly as follows. He found himself upon a horse. The reins
were not in his hands. A man was walking in front, leading the
animal by the reins, which had been pulled over its head. There
were natives upon either side, apparently holding him upon the
saddle ; a dreamy feeling, and a misty and indistinct view of the
situation, was sufficient to assure him that something must have
happened. He felt certain that he must be hurt, but he had no
pain. He began to feel himself with his hands, and he felt some-
thing wet and soft upon one thigh.

The fact was, that the long horn of the rhinoceros had passed
through his thigh. It not only passed through his thigh, but
through the saddle flap, then completely through the horse, and
was stopped by the flap upon the other side. The horse and
rider together were thrown into the air, and the inversion was so
complete, that one of OswelTs wounds, a cut upon the head, was
occasioned by the stirrup-iron, which proved the inverted position.

The horse was of course killed upon the spot, and the Caffres
came to their master's assistance, and placed him on his spare
horse, upon which they held him until they reached the camp.
This wound kept the great hunter prostrate for several months.
It is many years since Oswell told me this story, but I think I
have narrated it exactly.

It must be remembered that this rhinoceros belonged to the
so-called harmless species. This incident is sufficient to exhibit
the utter fallacy of a belief " that any kind of animal is invariably
harmless." We find that many beasts which are accredited with
bad characters conduct themselves occasionally as though abject
cowards ; in the same manner, those which are considered timid
may, when least expected, exhibit great ferocity.

CHAPTER XVII

THE BOAR (SUS SCROPHA)

The carnivora exhibit the natural character of beasts of prey ;
although, acting generally on the offensive in their pursuit of
animals for food, they are not disposed to provoke or to prolong a
fight, and they seldom attack man unless under provocation. The
buffalo, we have seen, is a stubborn and powerful antagonist ; but,
for a really thorough and determined fighter, who does battle for
the love of the thing, the boar stands foremost among all other
animals. There is no creature more common to all climates and
countries than the pig ; and although, when domesticated, we find
an infinite variety, there is very little marked distinction among
the wild hogs of Europe and Asia. The conditions of localities,
and the abundance of food, or the reverse, exert a natural influence
upon its size, but were a photograph taken of a wild boar in Europe
and in Asia Minor there would not be any perceptible difference.
Throughout India and Ceylon they are the same in general appear-
ance, differing somewhat in size, and, to a certain extent, in length
of bristles, according to the influence of temperatures. In cold
climates the pig is protected by a growth of coat in proportion to
its requirements, but in all other respects it is much the same, and
it would be difficult to distinguish any features that would consti-
tute a separate variety.

It is well known that pigs are omnivorous ; their teeth are ac-
cordingly designed for every kind of food, with formidable arrange-
ments for offence. Although they sometimes differ in the number
of molars, they generally have twenty- eight, and six incisors in each
jaw. The canine teeth are immensely long, and turned upwards,
forming tusks, exactly similar to those of the hippopotamus, the
upper jaw containing shorter tusks, against the sharp edge of which
those of the lower jaw clash when shut, and thus, by continual
friction of surface, preserve the cutting edge in order.

chap, xvii THE BOAR 305

The length of a good pair of boar's tusks extracted from the
jaw is about 10 inches outside curve. Of this length, 5 inches
are imbedded in the jaw, leaving only 5 inches as a weapon of
offence.

It is astonishing to see the amount of mischief that can be
achieved by so insignificant a weapon. The boar has been asso-
ciated with the hunting triumphs of ancient history, from the
remote period when Adonis, the beloved of Venus, fell before its
tusks. The Macedonian boar was considered to be the most
formidable of all wild animals, and to the present day there is
no creature in the brute creation that will hold its own against all
comers with equal pluck and tenacity of purpose, so determinedly,
as a staunch old boar.

This animal exhibits more sport than any creature that I
know. It may be hunted in various ways, according to the
conditions of the ground. In forest countries it may be followed
on foot with the aid of hounds, and, when brought to bay,
killed with the hunting- knife or spear. I have always used
the knife.

In the open, where riding is practicable, there is no sport
in the world that surpasses the excitement of "pig -sticking."
I regret to say that I have had very limited experience in this
latter phase of hunting, owing to the scarcity of the game when
I was in a pig -sticking locality ; but the hunting upon foot with
dependable hounds was a sport that I enjoyed for many years.

Shooting wild boar, after the foregoing description of hunting,
is a very tame proceeding; until a boai is wounded, and you
have to look for him in thick jungle.

There is an immense amount of character in a pig. Not only
is it a fierce antagonist, but it is a clever and thoughtful creature.
It is all very well to quote the word "pig-headedness," but
there is a meaning in the name that commands respect. A pig
knows its own mind, which very few human beings can assert ;
when it has made up its mind, it acts, without any trace of
hesitation ; and in this it sets a bright example to many of our
generals and so-called statesmen. If a pig determines to go for-
ward, nothing will stop it ; but if it makes up its mind to break
back through a line of beaters, even should there be a serried
rank of a hundred elephants, I should like to see anything on
earth that would stop a pig. It will dash back, giving a sharp
toss of its long head to the right and left as it goes, and leaving
its mark even upon the tough legs of elephants should they have
opposed its passage,

306 WILD BEASTS AND TIIEIIt WAYS chai\

Few people would credit the speed of a pig until they have to
overtake it. The feet are curiously constructed, as each foot has
two toes just behind and above the hoof; these only touch the
ground should it be deep, but there can be no doubt that they add
to the security of the step, when the foot is widely spread, in
galloping over rough and uncertain ground.

I have never seen a wild pig make a mistake, no matter what
the quality of the ground may be. In deep snow, upon the
mountains in Asia Minor, I have seen them plough their way
through long distances, leaving a trough, as though a canoe had
been dragged through.

Their power of scent is acute, and it is highly interesting to
watch them when unsuspected. If the jungle is being beaten, an
opportunity is almost daily afforded of watching their habits ;
especially should you be too proud to demean your rifle by shoot-
ing anything so humble as a pig.

I have frequently seen a pig arriving apparently direct for my
position, but it meets a small jungle path upon which some
person has recently been walking. The pig at once halts, smells
the ground, and waits, listening attentively and making up its
mind. It may be that it determines to go forward; if so, it
starts off at its best pace ; but should it declare for a retreat, it
waits, listens for the advance of the line of beaters, and quietly
hides in the densest bushes. At last, with shouts sufficient to
scare away every animal for miles around, the beaters arrive ; you
know the pig is there, but nobody has yet discovered it. Just as
the beaters have brought their line in good order to the extreme
margin of the jungle, there is a sudden outburst of shouts and
yells ; a rush in all directions, screams and halloos, sticks going
upon all sides ; a few short angry grunts, and a rattling of loose
stones, explain that the boar has broken back through the line of
beaters.

Pigs multiply in such an extraordinary manner that in some coun-
tries they become a pest to the unfortunate agriculturist. When
travelling, their pace is a shambling trot, at about five or six
miles an hour. They keep this up for a considerable distance, and
it is astonishing to see a country that is quite devoid of game, but
nevertheless the fields are guarded by numerous watching-posts to
scare the wild pigs from the crops at night. These animals must
travel six or seven miles from the jungle-covered hills to make a
raid upon the well-known fields ; sometimes they will exceed this
distance, and again return to their unknown haunts before the
rising of the sun. The great strength and activity of the wild pig

XVII

THE BOAR 307

are exhibited in the little ones, which follow their mother wherever
she may lead them, and never appear to exhibit any signs of
weariness. They generally are gregarious, and in India, parties of
twenty to thirty may be seen together, but in Ceylon I have seen
hundreds in a herd.

I have never seen such large boars in any portion of -the world
as in Ceylon. The reason is evident, that food is plentiful
throughout the year; therefore, with plenty of water in which
they can wallow at all seasons, and roots, snakes, dead animals,
and every conceivable material upon which a pig will fatten,
Ceylon is a perfect pig's paradise, unsurpassed for true enjoy-
ment.

The wild pig of Northern Africa is the same as the European
species, but there is a distinct variety throughout the entire area
of Central Africa and a portion of the south which differs
materially from the ordinary pig; this is the wart hog, Sus
Africanus. This animal is superlatively ugly : the head is dis-
proportioned to the size of the hog ; the tusks are so enormous
that they appear as though they had belonged to some much
larger creature, and had merely been assumed as masquerade ;
there are two prominent protuberances upon either side of the
eyes, also two pendulous warts of large and hideous growth ; and
when this ugly monster becomes excited, it cocks a long thin tail,
with bristles upon either side, like that of an elephant. This
appendage is carried straight in the air, as stiff as a stick, which
gives the animal a ridiculous appearance.

The boar of this species does not attain the same great size as
those of Europe and Asia, and the usual weight when cleaned
would be about 170 lbs. There is a striking peculiarity in the
formation of the teeth, as this is the only animal, except the
elephant, which possesses the arrangement for a continual repro-
duction from the rear of the molars.

This extraordinary animal possesses, in the upper jaw, two
incisors, six molars, and two tusks ; in the lower jaw, six incisors,
six molars, and two tusks. The molars are most peculiar, being
formed of three parallel rows of cylinders of hard enamel, united
vertically by a less hard cement, which forms a solid block some-
what similar to the molar of an elephant. The rear molar is 2J
inches in length, -| inch in breadth, and the front molar, | inch in
length. The lower or cutting tusks protrude 4J inches from the
lip, and the upper tusks project 8f inches, and each is 5 inches
circumference ; these, as in the ordinary boar, form a whetstone,
against which the lower cutting tusks are sharpened by gnashing

308 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the teeth. These are actual measurements taken from a specimen
in my possession, but I have seen others which far exceed these,
both in length and thickness.

Although this species, from its formidable armoury, must be a
fighter, I have never had any difficulty that I can remember : they
have charged now and then, and been shot and despised, whereas,
had they been hunted with dogs, they might have proved worthy
adversaries.

I will not pretend to introduce experiences of pig-sticking in
my description of the wild boar, as so many have written glowing
narratives of this great sport of India ; but I cannot treat of the
pig without personal reminiscences of those glorious, but for the
hounds, fatal hunts, which in the days of my youth formed the
excitement of Ceylon sports. In that country we seldom or never
used the spear. I never in my life used it against a boar on foot,
but the only weapon was the hunting-knife.

My old hunting-knife is at this moment hanging against the
wall, among a number of my old friends that are associated with
early years ; and when I regard this trusty servant, that shows no
gray hairs to mark the advance of time, I cannot help recalling
the words which I wrote so many years ago at the conclusion of
my first publication, The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon : — " The
day's sport concluded, the evenings were most enjoyable, and will
never be forgotten. The well-arranged tent, the neatly-spread
table, the bed forming a triangle around the walls, and the clean
guns piled in a long row against the gun-rack, will often recall a
tableau in after-years, in countries far from this land of independ-
ence. The acknowledged sports of England will appear child's
play ; the exciting thrill will be wanting, when a sudden rush in
the jungle brings the rifle upon full cock ; and the heavy guns will
become useless mementoes of past days, like the dusty helmets of
yore, hanging up in an old hall. The belt and the hunting-knife
will alike share the fate of the good rifle, and the blade, now so
keen, will blunt from sheer neglect." This was written in 1853,
and I have lived to see the forecast of events fulfilled. At the
same time that the old hunting-knife was discarded, and now
hangs idly from the wall, it simply was exchanged for another
pattern, which has been in active service from that period, and
was adapted for shooting expeditions, whereas the former was
specially constructed for hunting wild animals with the hounds,
when a thrust with the broad-bladed knife was the termination of
a glorious bay. This style of sport required a peculiar weapon of
great weight and strength. It was necessary to combine the

xvir THE BOAR 309

ordinary power of a knife with the efficiency of a bill-hook, for
clearing jungle when necessary ; for cutting poles, to carry home
the heads and horns of sambur deer, etc. ; to fell the young trees
for building an impromptu hut ; and for the hard work of cutting
up large animals into quarters, for conveyance by coolies, where no
roads existed, either for pack animals or carts. It was difficult to
arrange a knife that would comprise all these desiderata, but Mr.
Paget, of Piccadilly (long since dead), was a first-rate cutler, and
he produced the perfection of a blade. The knife weighed exactly
3 lbs., including the sheath. It weighs 2 J lbs. now without the
cover, being reduced by constant grinding during many years of
hard work. The blade was 1 foot in length, 2 inches wide, and
double edged 3 inches from the point, slightly hollow in the centre
(If inch wide), and again 2 inches wide at the base, and T5F inch
thick at the back.

I give the exact measurement of this blade, as it performed
several curious feats during the period of active service. When
sharpened to as keen a point and edge as could be obtained, this
highly tempered steel would pierce a hole right through one of the
old rim pennies, and would cut the same coin into two halves,
when placed upon a block of oak, without in the least degree either
turning the point or damaging the edge. It will of course withstand
the same test at the present moment.

This was the perfection of a weapon for the purpose required ;
it was the companion of every hunt where no firearms were
permitted, and, whatever the game might be that was discovered
by the pack, it was brought to bay and killed by the hounds and
hunting-knife. Sometimes it might be a sambur deer, which was
the recognised object of pursuit • at other times it might be the
small red-deer; frequently a wild boar; and sometimes, but
rarely, a buffalo, which many years before had deserted from
its owner and run wild among the forests of the Ceylon High-
lands.

As I class the pig with the pachydermata, which will be
concluded in this chapter, I introduce the hunting-knife as closely
connected with hunts that will be continued with the deer
(Cervidce), as the experience of such animals was almost identical
in the same period and locality. It may readily be understood,
from my detailed description of the weapon, that such a knife, in
the hand of any person who knew how to use it, would have been
nearly as formidable as the old Koman sword. I have on more
than one occasion stood against the charge of a sambur stag at bay,
and met the attack with the point of the knife in the face, held

310 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

firmly at arm's length. This requires great strength of arm and a
firm footing, but, above all things, a blade that is more dependable
than the British bayonet.

For seven years I kept my own pack of hounds at Newera
Ellia in Ceylon, 6200 feet above the sea. During that time I was
hunting regularly throughout a large extent of country, and I much
regret that I kept a game-book only during the last two years of
my residence in that delightful sanatorium. I commenced the
diary at the instigation of a friend, to whom I owe much for the
advice, which has afforded me intense pleasure when looking back
to former years. In that journal I noted down every detail of each
separate hunt, and when I regard the sum total, and remember
that every animal was run down on foot, and killed with the knife,
when brought to bay and seized by the hounds, I must acknowledge
that anything that I have been able to accomplish since that time
has been a mere nothing compared with the hard work of that
interesting period. The journal commenced in October 1851 and
ended in March 1854, at a time when severe illness necessitated
an immediate return to England. In those years the diary shows
the following list of killed : —

Sambur deer, 138. Wild hogs, 14. Ked-deer, 8.

During only a portion of those years I was accompanied by my
brother ; for five years preceding I was quite alone, excepting the
presence of my huntsman, and occasionally accompanied by a
friend. The success throughout the entire period was in the same
proportion as that enumerated in the diary. Although many wild
boars were killed, they were never objects of the hunts, but, on the
contrary, they were if possible avoided, as an encounter invariably
resulted in the sacrifice of hounds, either killed, or incapacitated
by serious wounds.

It was no easy matter to call the hounds off a scent when in
the wild forest, where they could run riot at their own free will,
and there was no means of reaching them.

If I saw the fresh tracks of a large boar, I always endeavoured
to collect the pack, and secure the hounds in couples, in order to
prevent them from following upon the inviting scent. But too
frequently I heard the opening notes of a leading hound before I
could gather my pack together ; in that case there was no longer
any hope, as the hounds would immediately join in full cry, and
there was nothing more to do but to await the event.

A boar never runs for any great distance before the hounds ; it
goes straight away at the first burst, but quickly turns, first up

xvn THE BOAR 311

oue ravine, then down another, and comes to bay after a run of
about ten minutes, in some difficult bit of thick thorns or tangled
bamboo, or any other place of refuge, in which it can face the
hounds, and at the same time be secure from either a side or rear
attack.

This places the seizing hounds in a dangerous position, as they
are obliged to rush direct upon the boar's tusks, unless they can
manage to break through the barriers upon either side. Even
then they would be hampered in their attempts to get away from
the quick and desperate lunge, which the boar makes when least
expected. All these difficulties have to be well considered, and the
nature of the animal thoroughly understood.

Every creature, whether human or of the lower creation, is born
with certain gifts, excepting a few unfortunates, who appear to
have been passed over. It is impossible to educate a man or an
animal to be a first-rate performer in anything unless the nature is
within. A thousand boys may be educated for the military
profession with the same masters, and equal care bestowed upon
their training, but how many will become distinguished generals 1
Only those who have natural gifts. There will be many who
become generals, but how many who become distinguished 1 It is
the same in everything. Take music, for an example. Every girl
learns music in some horrible form or other, which is a misery to
herself and an expense to her parents ; a worry to her master, and
an infliction upon her audience, when in ripening years she
torments them with the results of musical education. On the
other hand, a few are born musicians ; they require but little care
in early life, and, whether through voice or hand, they are born to
enrapture their hearers.

It is a dreadful descent to jump suddenly to dogs, but it is
nevertheless true. There are dogs of all sorts and degrees of
cleverness, they are born with gifts ; there are other dogs which
are born to be stupid, they are beyond teaching. I had a spaniel,
a very lovely and energetic dog, a great and untiring hunter ; that
dog would have gained a prize for beauty ; but it had its peculiar
ways. If I shot a wild duck, and it fell into the water, he would
immediately plunge in to retrieve the game ; but if there happened
to be a sand-bank near that duck, or should the opposite shore be
closer than the bank upon which I stood, he would assuredly carry
the duck to the nearest land, and leave it there, instead of bringing
it to me. That dog was born for the Royal Humane Society, but
not for a retriever. Nothing would teach him better; his one
idea was, that if a bird fell into the water, no matter how, it was

312 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

his business to fetch it, and to put it upon the first and most con-
venient dry land ; beyond that, his intellect did not extend.

It is the same with all creatures, but this natural talent, or
the deficiency, is peculiarly marked in hounds, especially with
those large dogs which I was accustomed to denominate as
" seizers." The pack was composed of thoroughbred fox-hounds,
others which were a cross between fox-hound and pointer, fox-
hound and blood-hound, and about half a dozen large dogs, such as
Scotch deer-hounds, kangaroo-hounds from Australia, and all kinds
of curious cross-breeds, that would produce powerful, speedy, and
savage dogs. Some of these met an early grave, as they did not
temper valour with discretion. The dog that will fly straight into
a boar's face, or into the face of a sambur stag, is perfectly certain
to meet a glorious death, before its career shall have actually
commenced. There are seizers who are born with gifts. Equally
courageous, they fight to win; like a skilled swordsman, they
enter scientifically upon the strife, instead of rushing heedlessly
upon the point of their adversary's weapon.

I have had dogs of immense power and courage, combined with
wonderful discretion. Such a dog, when a boar is at bay, would
certainly refuse to attack unless holloaed on by his master ; at the
sound of the well-known voice he would fly straight into the jaws
of death ; but if left to his own instincts he would join in the
chorus of the bay, and watch for an opportunity. Any stranger
would imagine that the dog was devoid of pluck, should he be
seen, now advancing with apparent boldness, then suddenly spring-
ing back when the boar made an unexpected demonstration ; but
with a little more patience, it would be seen that he was only
trying the character of his game, and reserving his power until the
boar should make some audacious charge, which would for the
moment separate it from its secure asylum. Then, at the exact
moment, with a spring from one side, the dog would jump across
the shoulder of the boar and seize the ear upon the opposite side,
thus pulling the boar's head in a manner that would turn its nose
up in a contrary direction, and save the dog from a collision with
the tusks. This is high art in seizing, and it comes natural to
some dogs, but never can be taught.

The usual plan, when hunting on foot, is to wait in one position
from the earliest notes of the " find," until the chorus of voices
proclaims the bay. You then tear your way through the jungle
in the endeavour to reach the point as soon as possible. I was
always accompanied by two faithful seizers, which never left my
side; this was a great advantage, as when, after great exertion,

xvii THE BOAR 313

we neared the spot, it was only necessary to holloa the dogs on,
and the two big seizers instantly responded, and appeared as fresh
allies upon the scene. In another moment all the seizers resolutely
sprang upon the boar, regardless of cuts and thrusts. The peculiar
sound of angry grunts, and the excited yells of hounds, bespoke
the desperate character of the conflict.

There was then no time to lose, and, with the hunting-knife
drawn, a few struggles through the tangled brake brought me upon
the scene. One hound would have assuredly secured his hold, as
I have described, upon the opposite ear, and would endeavour to
turn the boar's head upwards, by pulling back. Another would
have seized the ear next to him, while the remaining seizers" would
have tackled the boar in every direction, one hanging beneath its
throat, another by the thigh just above the joint. Without a
moment's hesitation it was then necessary to close, and drive the
long knife up to the hilt behind the shoulder.

I have seen many severe struggles with boars of the larger size,
which have dragged the pack of seizers, and myself clinging to the
long bristles on the back, with the knife buried in the shoulder,
until, after a glorious resistance, the boar has fallen dead, fighting
to the last gasp with desperate courage, till the moment that life
ceased.

The large and heavy hunting-knife was an admirable weapon
for this style of hunting, as both point and edge could always be
depended upon. The skin of a boar is tough, and requires an
acute point, otherwise the blade would fail to penetrate at the
critical moment when the vital place should be exposed. The
scrimmage when a boar is seized, and the larger dogs crowd upon
him, must be seen to be understood. It is a difficult matter during
such confusion to discover a clear spot, where the knife can be
driven behind the shoulder without injuring one of the hounds ;
some hold on like bull-dogs, others lose their hold, and again spring
madly upon the boar's back, seizing thoughtlessly the first portion
of the animal that meets their teeth. Nothing requires more cool
dexterity than to come in exactly at the right moment, to assist
the pack, and to prevent serious casualties ; which would assuredly
happen if the struggle were indefinitely prolonged. A masterly
attack on the part of the hunter, with a clever thrust exactly
behind the shoulder, completes the victory in less than half a
minute.

Then the ghastly wounds of hounds require attention, and the
big seizers, panting with exhaustion, yet raging with the excite-
ment of the recent fight, once more dash forward, and fix their

314 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

teeth in their late antagonist, hardly believing that life is quite
extinct.

It may readily be imagined that this style of hunting is attended
with considerable danger, as the peculiar difficulties of the ground
make active movements terribly uncertain. I once saw a com-
panion fall backward when charged by a boar, in the stony bed of
a dry nullah. Fortunately I was close enough in the rear to seize
one hind leg of the animal, and pull it back with my left hand,
while I gave it the knife behind the shoulder when it attempted
to turn. This was not a large boar, otherwise I could not have
held it.

There is a great risk when a boar is at bay in dense jungle,
and the hunter is breaking his way to reach the spot. It is
impossible to see three feet in advance, therefore he may possibly
appear upon the scene of conflict exactly opposite the boar's face.
In that case it is absolutely certain that the animal will charge
straight at him, unless securely held by very powerful hounds.

The hunter must never lose his head through rash excitement ;
and upon no account should he arrive before he is certain that the
seizers have the boar within their grip. Even then there may be
a risk, should he appear suddenly in front of the maddened animal,
as it may shake off the dogs by a sudden jump forward, and inflict
a severe injury before the hounds should be able to restrain it.

I have seen something that approached an accident upon several
occasions, but the narrowest escape occurred upon the hills at
Newera Ellia, in a jungle of dense bamboo grass. Although this
tangled mass is termed "grass," it is merely a species of bamboo
which grows at an elevation of about 6500 or 7000 feet, in a
climate too cold for its complete development. Instead of forming
a hollow cane, it extends in long and thin creeping stems, entwined
together, forming a mass which can be broken through only with
the greatest difficulty.

A large boar had turned to bay after a short run within a
jungle composed of this dangerous vegetation.

Having broken my way with great exertion until I was within
five or six yards of the " bay," I holloaed the dogs on. Two power-
ful long-legged hounds immediately sprang from my side, and in a
few moments I heard the peculiar angry sounds which told me that
the boar was seized. I tore my way through the tangled jungle,
and almost immediately found myself in the presence of a large
boar exactly facing me. Without an instant's hesitation, it made
a supreme effort to attack ; its charge was so furious and sudden,
that, being unexpected by the dogs, they lost their hold; and for

XVIJ

THE BOAR 315

a moment the boar was free. I instinctively jumped upon one side,
as the brute rushed at me, and delivered a tremendous cut with
the heavy knife across its back, just behind the shoulder. At the
same moment a very powerful bitch named Lena had recovered
her hold upon the boar's thigh. . . . This large boar fell dead !
It never moved a muscle.

In those days I could hit tolerably hard, but the effect of this
blow was so instantaneous that I was almost incredulous when I
saw the body of the boar lying at my feet, cut half-way through.
The knife had struck downwards, as the boar had passed at full
speed ; the body, being stretched through the weight of the bitch
that had seized the thigh, gave way at once before the keen edge
of the heavy blade. The spine was cut clean through, and the
knife had passed through the vitals.

This boar weighed about 2f cwts., as nearly as I could estimate
its weight, from its length and general appearance. The largest
that I have ever killed with the hounds and hunting-knife weighed
at least 4 cwts., and the head alone, when slung upon a pole, made
a tolerable load for two men, who were well contented to be released
from their burden after a long march to camp ; the carriers being
my brother and myself.

The Ceylon style of hunting must depend entirely upon the
hounds ; even then, as I have shown, the boar, if possible, would
be avoided. Boar-hunting cannot be classed as a Ceylon sport ; it
is a misfortune when the hounds take up the scent.

In the low country, where wild pigs swarm, I seldom or never
condescended to fire at them. The coolies love the fat and flesh
of these indigestible animals, and the result is certain to be either
fever or dysentery. For this reason alone I reserved my fire when-
ever a fine boar presented itself, as our people were sure to possess
themselves of the flesh, although it was strictly prohibited. I
have often felt, when in hot climates, that Moses and Mahomet
were right in forbidding the use of pork. A pig is a filthy beast
in its tastes, and there is no garbage that it would refuse. A foul
feeder must to a certain extent have foul flesh ; the pigs of the low
country in tropical climates are the omnipresent scavengers ;
common-sense should warn the consumer of the danger of such
food.

The wild pigs of Newera Ellia are highly estimated, as they
cannot possibly obtain anything undesirable as food. The jungles
are full of roots and berries, and there is nothing objectionable
within reach of the wild hog.

In Turkey and Asia Minor I have frequently eaten wild boar.

316 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

In the month of November they are delicious, as they have
fattened upon walnuts, sweet chestnuts, and a great variety of wild
fruits.

During the Crimean War, when the cavalry went into winter
quarters at Scutari, I was living with the officers of the 12th
Lancers ; I started off upon a trip to Sabanja, about 24 miles
beyond the town of Ismid.

This is a curious and picturesque vestige of the ancient city of
Nicomedia, situated at the extreme end of the Gulf of Ismid, about
ten hours' voyage by steamer from Constantinople. The town
occupies the entire face of a lofty hill from the base to the summit,
and the red-tiled roofs and quaint colouring of the houses, inter-
spersed with occasional tall cypress trees, give a peculiar theatrical
appearance, resembling a scene upon the stage. The blue water of
the gulf affords a highly artistic foreground, as this arm of the Sea
of Marmora washes the quays at the base, while opposite the town,
on the other side of the gulf, a chain of mountains walls in the
shore, and forms a continuation of a mountain range inland. A
small river flows through the valley ; this is an affluent from the
Lake of Sabanja, a fine sheet of water about 9 miles distant, which
receives the drainage of the mountains upon either side. This lake
is about 12 miles in length, and 3 or 4 miles across at the widest
part.

I found very little change when I made a subsequent visit in
1860. The road from Ismid to Sabanja was the usual example of
Turkish administration ; it had been commenced at some remote
period, with grand intentions of a continuous line of pavement;
this had evidently been entrusted to a multitude of various con-
tractors, some of whom had succeeded, while others had failed.
The latter were the most numerous, therefore a route of 24 miles,
through forest, running at the foot of the mountain range, was
diversified by a succession of surprises ; a tolerable piece of stone-
paved highway suddenly ceasing, and a depth of mud of two feet
receiving the traveller's floundering horse, without the slightest
warning. As the route skirted the forest-covered hills, the drain-
age towards the lake a few miles distant on the east had scored the
surface into numerous channels ; these were partially bridged, but
wherever the stones had become dislodged, the bridge remained
impassable, as no authority expended money upon such trifles as
repairs. It was dreadful to witness such a picture of neglect,
where a most lovely and fertile country, within a few miles of a
secure harbour, was completely paralysed through the absence of
all-important roads.

xvii THE BOAR 317

A scramble of 24 miles upon good ponies may be amusing occa-
sionally, but when baggage must be conveyed, the matter becomes
serious. Even the pack animals fell down with their loads, in the
places where contractors had failed, and where the broken bridges
necessitated a descent into the treacherous torrent-bed. A ride to
Sabanja was a journey in those days, full of misery to horse and
rider, but the result of this difficulty of access was in favour of the
game, as the ubiquitous Briton had not included it among his
"beaten tracks," or happy hunting-grounds.

Sabanja is a large town, situated exactly at the foot of the
mountains, within half a mile of the lake, which at that spot is
about four miles in width. Although the opposite shore is moun-
tainous, the numerous slopes are cultivated in terraces, where
mulberry trees are grown for silkworms, and fruit in great variety
for the supply of Ismid and Constantinople.

On the Sabanja side, the mountains and valleys were unbroken
forest, and the cultivation was confined to the level ground in the
immediate neighbourhood of the town ; this was apportioned into
fields, where vines, apples, figs, pears, quinces, and mulberries were
planted in rows, between which were crops of cereals, in somewhat
rude imitation of the method pursued in Italy.

I had sent a messenger some days before us to engage a few
rooms, in the absence of any public place of entertainment; we
therefore rode through the Turkish quarter, then through the
Greek, and at length, after nearly half a mile up the street, we
arrived upon the extreme verge of the town, where the wild forest
abruptly terminated within a few yards of the adjacent houses.
This was the end of the Armenian quarter, and we entered the
dwelling which had been engaged for our reception. The ground-
floor was occupied by a cow and her calf; this looked propitious,
as the milk was close at hand. There was a flat-stepped ladder,
which led through a ceiling of rough plank ; upon ascending this,
we arrived upon a very clean landing, with a couple of small rooms,
and a kitchen close at hand. This was all very nice; we could see
the cow by looking perpendicularly through the broad crevices
between the boards which formed the floor ; we could also smell
her, and hear the calf.

There are no chimneys in Turkish houses. A large brazier of
charcoal warms the room most thoroughly; but great caution is
necessary in the use of this simple apparatus, as the charcoal must
be in a complete glow before it is admitted to the room. Without
this precaution the inmates would be asphyxiated. It was the
winter (December) of 1860 when we were at Sabanja, and a few

318 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

days after our arrival the ground was covered by a heavy snowfall.
Unfortunately I had no spaniels, and my two pointers were useless
for the covert, where woodcocks were in considerable numbers.
The cold weather had brought all game down from the mountain-
tops, and the wolves became so daring that they took a calf from a
shed during the night, from a house next to that we occupied, the
door not being securely fastened.

This was a sporting residence, on the margin of a forest that
extended for an unknown distance. I could leave the house, and
expect a shot at woodcocks within 150 yards from the door.
Wolves and jackals were howling close to our windows during the
night, and wild hogs actually broke the fences and invaded the
gardens, with an impudence that proved the difficulty of procuring
their usual food. The game of the forests included bears (these
had hybernated), wolves, boars, red-deer, roe-deer, pheasants, wood-
cocks ; while snipe and ducks were found along the borders of the
lake.

Although Sabanja contained a considerable population, compris-
ing Greeks and Armenians, in addition to the numerical superi-
ority of Turks, they all harmonised, and occupied their separate
quarters of the town without a symptom of that antagonism of
race or religion which is so generally accepted as the rule. Friday,
being the Mahometan Sabbath, was the favourable day for a general
hunting party ; the Turks turned out with great spirit and geni-
ality, to act in the capacity of beaters, while all those who possessed
guns were delighted at the opportunity of sharing in the sport. I
never saw people who enjoyed themselves more thoroughly ; the
hunt drew all classes and races together in the best of humours,
and although I accompanied such gatherings for a couple of months,
I never saw an instance of quarrelling or discontent. The effendi
who governed the town always sent on Thursday evening to ask
the hour at which I proposed to meet, and on the Friday morning
at 9 o'clock, when I appeared at the rendezvous outside the walls,
I found several hundred people collected, some of whom were firing
at marks, and all looking forward to the day's sport with keen
enthusiasm.

In dense forests there is no other way to obtain sport except
the old style of beating. Some persons declare this is not sport ;
such persons must accordingly remain at home ; but if you travel
about the world, you will assuredly discover that the inhabitants
of a locality, no matter where it may be located, require very little
teaching from a stranger. At first sight it would appear dangerous,
when fifty guns are placed in various positions throughout a long

xvn THE BOAR 319

line of forest, to intercept all animals within the beat; but no
accident had ever occurred in the neighbourhood, and the vast
numbers of large oak trees which composed the forest would be
certain to intercept a bullet before it had passed through its flight
for 50 yards.

In all these hunts a spirit of goodwill and fair-play pervaded the
people. If the Turks killed wild boar, they handed over the game
to the Christian community, who were delighted to obtain the
meat. On the other hand, if the Greeks or Armenians killed a
deer, it was presented to the Turks, most of whom, as hunters,
regarded the death by bullet as equivalent to the cutting of the
throat by a knife, and they accepted the animal without
protest.

Some of the boars that we killed in these drives were very large,
and excessively fat. There was nothing so good to be obtained in
the market; vegetables were very plentiful, and cheap. One
favourite dish was wild boar, stewed with leeks, onions, and cauli-
flowers ; to vary this dish when we had nearly tired, we changed
it to "leeks, onions, and cauliflowers, stewed with wild boar."
One of the largest I killed one night by moonlight, by wandering
along the skirts of the forest upon the snow, and waiting until I
heard the animal crunching through the frozen substance. Having
a white paper fore-sight, I could shoot with tolerable accuracy. It
was astonishing to witness how the wild hogs could plough their
way through deep frozen snow. I was well furnished with snow-
shoes, the wood being that of the fig tree, light and tough, never-
theless I could never overtake these powerful and active animals,
although they must have suffered considerably ; I have frequently
seen the snow discoloured with blood, where the sharp frozen sur-
face had lacerated the legs of the hogs when breaking through, in
ploughing their way forwards.

The pleasure of shooting at Sabanja consisted in the diversity
of game ; it was impossible to foretell what the creature might be
that would appear before the line of beaters. Although we fre-
quently shot roe-deer, I never attained a shot at red-deer. I took
great pains, but these animals were invariably concealed amongst
dense rhododendrons near the tops of the mountains; I several
times heard their sudden rush and caught sight of them only for
one instant, but I could not fire.

There was excellent pike and perch fishing in the Sabanja lake,
and at the expiration of our visit I determined if possible to renew
my acquaintance with the people and their delightful wilderness.
Fate has led me into various portions of the world since then, and

320 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS crap.

in twenty-nine years there may have been a change that has driven
the animals away.

About fouror rivemiles from Ismid there was a capital snipe-marsh,
and the wild-rose thickets upon the border were full of woodcocks.
The Greeks were professional chasseurs for the supply of Constanti-
nople, as the daily steamer conveyed the birds to market in ten or
eleven hours. These fellows used pointers, trained expressly ; each
dog wore a bell upon its collar, therefore when there was a cessation
of jingling, the master knew that his dog was on a point. It is
my opinion that the best companions for a person who is fond of
sport in general are a brace of first-class clumber spaniels thoroughly
broken not to chase, and never to hunt more than 20 yards in
advance of the gun. Such dogs will discover a quantity of game,
which would never be moved by a person unprovided with such
assistants. It is a common occurrence that people disbelieve in the
existence of game simply because they do not see it j hares, wood-
cocks, partridges, and several other creatures, especially quails, will
sometimes allow themselves to be almost trodden upon before they
can be induced to move.

A good dog is always a useful companion in a forest, as it will
detect the presence of an animal long before it would be perceived
by the unassisted eye. Upon one occasion at Sabanja I had hired
a Turkish sportsman, who possessed a little nondescript dog with
only a stump of 2 inches to represent a tail. We were passing
through thick rose jungle, when we suddenly missed the cur; a
minute later, we heard vigorous barking within 150 yards of our
position. Upon arrival at the spot, there was a very large wild
boar standing at bay, with the little dog before it in a frantic state
of excitement, but far too sensible to risk a close approach. I had
been expecting woodcocks, but, knowing the uncertainty of the
forest, I fortunately had a bullet in the left-hand barrel ; a shot
through the shoulder dropped the boar upon the spot, to the intense
delight of the little dog, which immediately seized it by the snout,
and endeavoured to shake the body twenty times heavier than itself.
This was a low-born cur, but a jolly little dog, that must, upon
the princij:>le of heredity, have had some unknown but heroic
ancestor. If any person wishes to shoot wild boar, a single dog of
small size is better than a great number, as the boar, or even a sow,
will certainly not condescend to run far before a puny antagonist.

In the course of a long experience I have naturally adapted my
tastes to the various portions of the world in which I have been
situated ; in many places where boars are shot, and are considered
dangerous, I have not dared to relate or even to touch upon the

xvn THE BOAR 321

incidents connected with the hounds and hunting-knife ; but I
must confess that after the sport that I have enjoyed, I do not
take the slightest pleasure in shooting pigs. It is seldom that my
forefinger, paralysed by aversion, can be induced to pull the trigger.
Should it disgrace itself by such an act, it is only to procure flesh
for some section of the people who desire it ; unless I am in Asia
Minor, where I like it myself, stewed with leeks and onions, or
" onions and leeks, stewed with wild boar."

There is one consolation for all who destroy wild hogs — they
are working for the public good. It is almost incredible, in certain
countries where pigs are numerous, to witness the total destruction
of crops committed by these animals. I have seen fields completely
turned up as though by some agricultural implement, and actually
nothing left ; the industry of the cultivator being entirely wasted.
Hundreds of wild pigs have been digging during the night in a
newly sown field, in search of the grain, which would appear too
insignificant for their notice.

Among sugar-plantations they commit terrible havoc, as they
bite the canes to obtain the juice. The wounded portion bleeds
and ferments, rotting the cane, and damaging the quality of the
sugar. In fact, wild pigs may be classed as only second to rats as
destroyers of general produce.

I have never seen the wart-hogs of Africa in numbers approach-
ing to the wild hogs of Asia : probably they are kept down by the
lions and leopards. The hyaenas would destroy the little ones,
although no such enemy would presume to attack a boar.

The late Vice-Consul Petherick of Khartoum, who was one of
the earliest traders upon the White Nile, was, like all the
merchants of the Soudan, a collector of animals for the various
Zoological Societies of Europe. Among other beasts that were
kept in dens around the large courtyard of the Consulate, all of
which were more or less insecure, there were two very large boars,
with prodigious tusks. During the night one of these brutes
escaped from a sty, surrounded by a wall of only sun-baked bricks.
Not satisfied with the simple delights of liberty, it at once attacked
one of my people, a Tokroori, who was lying asleep upon his mat.
This unfortunate was scored deeply by the tusks in so many places,
before the animal could be driven off, that he lay helpless for
several weeks afterwards.

A few days after this occurrence, I was sitting, together with
Lady Baker, in the large covered "Rakooba," or raised square,
ascended by a broad flight of six or seven steps, when I heard a
great noise at the farther end of the courtyard, and I saw the

y

322 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xvii

bricks falling from the wall, showing that the boars were once
more breaking out. Before the men had time to interfere, the
large boar had effected a breach, and it appeared in the courtyard.
The people immediately retreated under shelter, but the brute,
having surveyed the scene, perceived us sitting above the flight of
steps, exactly opposite. Without a moment's hesitation it charged
at full speed across the yard, from a distance of about 60 paces.
The Rakooba was about 15 feet square, and, as we had lately
arrived from Abyssinia, there were numerous trophies of the chase
arranged around the pavement ; among these were many horns of
rhinoceros. Fortunately a long horn weighing about 10 lbs. was
close at hand ; this I immediately seized with both hands,, and
was just in time, when the boar was half-way up the steps, to hurl
it with all my strength.

It was a lucky shot, the heavy horn struck exactly between the
eyes, in the forehead, and knocked the assailant down the steps,
at the bottom of which it lay, kicking convulsively, but thoroughly
stunned, and unconscious. My men now rushed forward, and we
secured the fore and hind legs with ropes, and dragged it to a
neighbouring store, the door of which we locked. The remaining
boar was not particularly vicious, and we secured it within another
sty.

The rhinoceros horn was a formidable weapon, and the effect
was highly satisfactory, as the objectionable boar was discovered
dead when the door was cautiously opened on the following morn-
ing by the men, who were prepared for an attack. I was rather
proud of my shot upon this occasion, as I seldom threw a stone at
an enemy without hitting a friend by mistake. Some persons are
good at one sport, others at another ; but throwing a stone to hit
the object of aim was never my pride, as I failed in performance.
The boar was within 5 feet, which is about my distance for
extreme accuracy; even at that short range I should not have
sufficient confidence in myself to back my own projectile at long
odds, I should only have sufficient good feeling to request my
friend, or spectator, to stand well beyond the range of my shot.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE HYAENA

I have among the "Wild Beasts" to bring in this low-caste
creature. It is not worthy of a position among sporting animals,
as it is a mere scavenger, useful in its repulsive habits as a four-
legged vulture, to remove impurities from the surface. The pig
would no doubt indulge in the same propensities, only that, being
omnivorous, it is not exclusively a carrion feeder.

There are two varieties of hyaena, the stripped and the spotted.
The latter is the larger, but both have the same habits.

The bone-cracking power of this animal is very extraordinary.
I cannot say that it exceeds the lion and tiger in strength of jaws,
but I can safely assert that both those giants of the feline tribe
will leave bones unbroken which a hyaena will bite in halves. Its
powers of digestion are unlimited ; it will swallow a large knuckle-
bone without giving it a crunch. It will crack the thigh-bone of
a wild buffalo to obtain the marrow, and will swallow either end
immediately after.

Natives of all countries despise this animal as the greatest of
all cowards, although in some places it is declared that they have
been known to carry away children and the calves of cattle. I
have been nine years in Africa, but I never actually experienced
any attack on the part of these creatures, either against my
people or my animals, nevertheless we heard exceptional tales of
depredations committed against goats, children, and such harm-
less young things, that could not defend themselves. I remember
once that a hyaena came into our tent at night \ but this was
merely a friendly reconnaissance, in the hope of securing some
delicacy, such as our shoes, or a saddle, or anything that smelt
of leather. It was bright moonlight, and the air was calm,
there was not a sound to disturb the stillness. I was awakened
from sleep by a slight touch upon my sleeve, and my attention

324 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

was called by my wife to some object that had just quitted our
tent.

I took my rifle from beneath the mat upon which I lay, and,
after waiting for a few minutes sitting up in bed, I observed a
large form standing in the doorway preparatory to entering.

Presently it walked cautiously, until partially within, and
immediately fell dead, with a bullet between the eyes. This
proved to be a very large hyaena, an old and experienced depre-
dator, as it bore countless scars of encounters with other strong
biters of its own race.

Cuvier describes this animal thus : — " The hyaenas have three
false molars above, and four below, all conical, blunt, and singu-
larly large; their upper carnivorous tooth has a small tubercle
within and in front, but the lower one has none, presenting only
two stout cutting points. This powerful armature enables them
to crush the bones of the largest prey. Their tongue is rough,
exhibiting a circular collection of retroflected spines ; all their feet
have each but four toes, as in the surikate ; and under the anus
is a deep and glandular pouch, which led the ancients to believe
that these animals were hermaphrodite. . . . Three species are
known — the striped hyaena (H. Vulgaris, Canis hycma, L.),
found from India to Abyssinia and Senegal ; the spotted hyaena
(G. crocuta, L.), from South Africa; and the woolly hyaena (H.
villora, Smith), also from South Africa."

I know nothing about the last-named species. Cuvier omits to
mention the prodigious muscle which works the lower jaw, with-
out which the crushing power of the teeth would be impossible.
An examination of the skull of this animal will exhibit the re-
markable size of the aperture through which this muscle passes ;
it is this which gives the broad and repulsive appearance to the
head of the hyaena.

In portions of Abyssinia these creatures are so numerous, that
immediately after sundown they visit the outskirts of the towns,
in search of any offal or dead animals that may have accumulated
during the day. Although the spotted hyaena appears to be the
same as that of India, the cry is totally different. It was the
usual occurrence in camp, when we were travelling through the
Nile tributaries of Abyssinia, that immediately we had retired
within the tent to sleep, after having dined outside, we heard the
cracking of bones, all of which had been thrown by the Arab
servants only a few feet from our deserted table. The hyaenas
must have been watching us while at dinner, although themselves
unseen, as they came to glean the crumbs almost immediately upon

xvin THE HYiENA 325

our disappearance. The curious weird howls of these brutes were
heard throughout the night close to the tent-door, but they never
attacked our goats, neither did we ever lose a fowl through their
depredations ; they were simply scavengers.

The early traveller James Bruce, who discovered the source of
the Blue Nile (1773), had a peculiar respect for hysenas, which he
considered to be dangerous. They are so much despised, that
during the great hunts of Central Africa, should any of these
useful beasts be killed, it is the custom for the women of the
village to visit the bodies, and each administers to the carcase one
blow with a stick, in derision of the cowardly character it bore
when alive.

CHAPTER XIX

THE GIRAFFE (CAMELOPARDALIS, L.)

This beautiful and harmless creature is the tallest of the animal
creation. The bull, when standing erect, will measure 19 feet
from the crown of the head to the ground in a perpendicular line.
The horns are short, and resemble those of the deer when not fully
developed, as they are* covered with a hairy skin, although hard;
these are never shed, but are firmly fixed upon the skull. The
giraffe has a long prehensile tongue, which enables it to lay hold
of twigs or small succulent shoots, upon which it feeds.

The peculiar length of the fore legs makes it difficult for this
animal to graze from the surface of the earth ; the elongated neck
and prodigious height prove that its natural food is far above the
ground ; and although it occasionally will eat ordinary herbage, its
delight is to feed upon the delicate twigs of the flat-topped mimosas
and several other varieties of shrubs.

The pace of the giraffe is peculiar ; it moves like a camel, both
legs upon the same side simultaneously. The long neck swings
ungracefully when the animal is in rapid motion, and the clumsy
half- canter produces the appearance of lameness. Although
inelegant when in action, it is capable of considerable speed, that
will test the endurance of the best horses that can be obtained in
such countries as it inhabits.

It may be readily imagined that, owing to the great height of
this animal, it can be distinguished from a distance, and does not
require an elaborate search, nevertheless it is exceedingly deceptive
in appearance when found among its native forests.

The red -barked mimosa, which is its favourite food, seldom
grows higher than 14 or 15 feet. Many woods are almost entirely
composed of these trees, upon the flat heads of which the giraffe
can feed when looking downwards. I have frequently been
mistaken when remarking some particular dead tree-stem at a

chap, xix THE GIRAFFE 327

distance, that appeared like a decayed relic of the forest, until
upon nearer approach I have been struck by the peculiar inclina-
tion of the trunk; suddenly it has started into movement, and
disappeared ! The giraffe seldom holds itself quite upright, except
at such moments when its attention is attracted to some object at
a distance.

It is most difficult to approach, as its large eyes, at an elevation
of 18 or 19 feet from the surface, embrace an extensive field of
vision ; but when found in a forest of large trees, it is occasionally
met with unexpectedly. The Hamran Arabs invariably pursue it
upon horseback, and hamstring the animal with a stroke of the long
straight sword. When dealing with the Arabs in the purchase
of horses, they invariably declare that the animal for sale can
"overtake a giraffe"; this is the highest commendation.

Riding down a giraffe would be easily accomplished by a good
English hunter, but not so easily by the small horses of the Soudan,
that are seldom weight-carriers, and are hardly adapted to carry
anything above 11 stone over broken ground. There is only one
rule for following a giraffe, the horse must be pressed at its best
speed from the moment that the animal is sighted. If you allow
the game any leisure, it will appear to be going easily, but it will
keep up that pace for hours ; on the other hand, if you commence
with the spur, you obtain a good position early in the race, and
you will then be surprised at the speed when you eventually close
with your game. Care is necessary to keep a little upon one side,
as the giraffe rushes madly through opposing tree-stems and over-
hanging boughs, which may spring backwards and inflict a serious
injury upon horse and rider.

The cloven hoof of a giraffe is a beautiful specimen of horn ; it
is shaped with extreme elegance, like that of a deer upon a colossal
scale. When at full speed over stony ground, the wide-spreading
hoofs send showers of pebbles flying backwards, which have been
known to injure the hunter when following exactly in the rear :
this has given rise to the absurd belief that " the giraffe pelts its
pursuer purposely with stones." Care must also be taken when
closing with the animal to avoid its hind legs, as it will kick when
least expected, with such force as to upset horse and rider.

The skin of the giraffe is highly prized for shields, as it is much
lighter than that of the buffalo or rhinoceros ; at the same time it
is peculiarly tough, and, when dry, it resists both lance and sword.
The Arabs hunt this inoffensive animal expressly for the hide ; at
the same time, they preserve the flesh by cutting it into thongs
and hanging it upon the bushes until thoroughly sun-dried.

328 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xix

The Hamran sword-hunter is a merciless but wonderful horse-
man, and should three or four of these fellows form a party, they
will frequently kill seven or eight giraffes during one hunt. The
long and extremely sharp blade is exactly suited to this kind of
sport, as the hocks of the giraffe are so high above the ground
that they can be reached by the sword without the necessity of
stooping. The speed of the horse is naturally imparted to the
weapon, therefore when riding alongside, upon the left of the flying
animal, the slightest blow will sever the hamstring, and all further
movement is impossible. If the giraffe moved like ordinary
quadrupeds, it could continue upon three legs, but the fact of its
moving the legs of each side simultaneously renders it entirely
helpless when one has been disabled.

I have never taken any great pleasure in shooting giraffes, as
they have always appeared to me the most harmless creatures that
exist. They never invade the natives' crops, neither do they attack
any animals, or man, but they simply enjoy themselves in their
harmless manner, their only enemies being the lion and human
beings.

It is a curiously beautiful picture when a large herd of these
animals is seen upon bright green pasture, among dwarf-mimosas
and other small bushes, which, through contrast, enhance the great
height of the giraffes. I once counted one hundred and fifty-four,
all of which were within the area of 3 or 4 acres. I made a
successful stalk, and killed two by a right and left shot. One
had a broken shoulder, and was quite incapable of any movement,
beyond the slowest attempt at hobbling. I have never pursued
them except upon occasions when my people were devoid of meat,
as the destruction of such lovely creatures without some necessary
purpose I regarded as wanton cruelty.

The eye of the giraffe is worth special study, as there is nothing
to compare with its beauty throughout the animal creation.

Although some naturalists have termed the giraffe " a modified
deer," I cannot accept the definition, as there is nothing relating
to the deer, excepting the peculiarity of the horns, which have a
somewhat remote resemblance to those of a young stag. The deer
has a short tail, while that of the giraffe is long, and fringed with
so important a garniture of black hairs that it is in request for
whisking away the attacks of flies. The deer moves its legs like
other quadrupeds, while the action of a giraffe resembles that of
the camel. The general figure in no way approaches that of any
other animal, and I regard the giraffe as a creature entirely
separated from all others.

CHAPTER XX

THE ANTELOPE

There is no animal that belongs to the Cervidce south of the
Sahara desert ; the deer of Barbary is supposed to have been in-
troduced from Europe, possibly by the Carthaginians ; at any rate,
there are no deer throughout the vast continent of Africa, excepting
the Northern States which border the Mediterranean. This is a
peculiar feature in the African fauna, the deer being common to all
other portions of the globe. In Africa, in the absence of deer, we
find an extraordinary variety of the antelopes.

The antelopes, although possessing many of the characteristics
of deer, have a distinguishing feature in the permanency of their
horns ; these grow like those of the Bos, in proportion to the age
of the animal. There is an extraordinary variation in both shape
and length, according to the species, also in the distribution of
horns among the sexes ; in some antelopes the horns are confined
to the male, while in other varieties both the male and female are
thus armed.

Although Africa takes precedence for size and variety of species,
the antelope is found in different portions of the world, in smaller
numbers, but in most instances distinct examples. In North
America the well-known antelope of the prairies is totally unlike
all others in the peculiar position of the horns ; these are prong-
shaped, slightly palmated, and are fitted at right angles with the
flat top of the skull, starting from exactly above the orbit of the
eye, which forms the base. This animal (A. furcifera) is quite
unlike all other antelopes, in shedding the sheath of its horns
annually. This species was to be found in enormous numbers at
the commencement of this century, and even now, owing to its
natural vigilance, it has escaped the general destruction of wild
game. The live weight is about 90 lbs., and the flesh is excellent.
The females are devoid of horns.

330 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

There is a second variety in Canada, but I have never met
with it.

The chamois represents the European antelope (Rupicapra
tragus). There is also a second variety in Russia (the Antilope
saiga).

We thus discover the extreme paucity of varieties in cool
temperatures, which suggests that the antelope is an animal better
suited for tropical or sub-tropical climates, in which it becomes
thoroughly developed.

In India we find one variety of large size, the nilghye (Portax
picta). This is a curious animal, as it carries extremely short
horns, seldom more than 8 inches in length, although it attains the
large size of 600 lbs. live weight. The bull is a bluish gray, very
high in the withers, and deep in the chest ; the female is devoid
of horns, and is smaller, also different in colour, being a russet
brown. There is a strong resemblance to domestic cattle in the
nilghye, but the animal is shy, and, in my own experience, I have
found it more difficult to approach than the sambur deer. All
antelopes have a peculiar arrangement below the eyes, a sort of
pit, in connection with the lachrymal duct.

In some parts of India the nilghye commit great havoc during
their nightly depredations upon the natives' crops, but the Hindoos
will seldom destroy them, as they regard them in the same light
as cows, the name signifying "blue cow." All the horns of
antelopes are sheaths fitted upon a bony cone. I cannot see much
difference between the gazelle (.4. dorcas) of Africa and Arabia,
and the chicara of India. They are graceful creatures, which
generally inhabit extensive plains, and are difficult to approach.
I do not pretend to give a description of every variety of antelope ;
there are several in Northern India and Thibet, also the four-
horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis). This is a curious little
animal with four short spike horns ; the two anterior are seldom
more than 2 inches in length, and the posterior, which are im-
mediately behind, do not exceed 4 inches. The four-horned
antelope is not gregarious, but is found either singly or in pairs,
generally in high grass, where they lie close until disturbed by the
elephant, which almost treads upon them before they can be induced
to move. They dash off at full speed, and from the howdah they are
difficult to hit with a rifle. A Paradox gun with one barrel loaded
with ball, while the other contains a charge of buck-shot, is an
excellent weapon where small deer are objects of the day's sport.

The antelope par excellence of India is the well-known black-
buck {Antilope cervicapra). This is without exception the most

8C

XX

THE ANTELOPE 331

graceful and sporting animal of the tribe. In some portions of
India it is exceedingly numerous, while in other parts it is so
extremely rare that it cannot be classed among the fauna of the
district.

This- animal is gregarious, and is generally seen in herds of
twenty or thirty individuals. It inhabits vast plains and infests
the crops of the natives, especially when the young wheat is about
9 inches high. I have seen exceptional herds, comprising several
hundred individuals, but it is seldom that they are met with in
such great numbers united, although many hundreds may be scat-
tered in small groups over the area of a few square miles.

There is nothing more lovely than a fine black-buck about
eight years old, when the coat looks as black as pitch, contrasted
with the snow-white markings of the belly, face, and throat. The
females are a rich yellowish brown, with white thighs and bellies ;
these never change their colour, and they are devoid of horns.
The males require three years for the skin to darken, and it is
of common occurrence to find a buck with horns of 20 inches in
length, although it has not commenced to assume the jet-black
coat. I do not think they are really and thoroughly black until
they are six years old. The hide darkens by degrees, and in a
herd of twenty animals there will probably be several bucks of
different gradations, but only one that has attained the maximum
of colour; this will be without exception the "master-buck"
which dominates the herd. This little lord of his small court
enforces a thorough discipline, and when the young bucks, in the
presumption of youth and good looks, pay too much devotion to
the fair sex of the party, it is a pretty sight to see the master-buck,
with horns thrown back and nose in air, curling his upper lip in
high disdain, as he prepares to chastise the sinning youngster for
his audacity. After stepping proudly around the does, as though
warning them against the feminine weakness for admiration, he
makes a savage onset upon the love-sick buck, prods him with his
spear-pointed horns, and drives him ignominiously from the herd.
He then returns proudly to his ladies, marches alongside each of
the younger bucks, as though to caution them, by the recent
example, against any excess of devotion to the does.

This seems to be the all-absorbing employment of the master-
buck, to preserve order and to support his conjugal rights in a
limited society of about twenty lovely females and five or six
young aspirants of various ages.

In other herds there may be two or three thoroughly black
bucks, in which case the personal combats are both fierce and

332 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

frequent. They are highly pugnacious, and I have frequently
obtained a shot when two old bucks have been so closely engaged
in their duel that, although the herd had fled, they were too much
occupied to notice my appearance.

The live weight of an average buck is about 85 lbs. It is
difficult to give an average of horns, as they vary in different
districts and animals. I have heard of horns that were 28 inches
in direct length measured from point to base, but I have never
shot them longer than 23J. I should say a length of 19 inches
would be a fair average. They are most regularly spiral, and to
be good specimens they should be exactly alike in length and
inclination from the base.

In the description of the hunting leopard (Felis jubata) I have
already given an account of the speed of the black-buck; there
is nothing more interesting than to watch the habits and the
movements of these graceful animals through powerful binocular
glasses, which upon an open plain permit you to examine them as
though in the centre of the herd.

If there is a public road through the cultivated fields upon
which these antelopes love to graze, you may sometimes pass them
within 100 yards, provided that you are either riding or driving;
but if on foot, they will not permit a near approach, although they
will take but little heed of ordinary natives. They are afraid of
elephants, and will seldom allow them to come within 200 paces ;
the only method by which you can obtain an ordinary range is by
stalking them with a horse or trained ox, or by following behind a
bullock-cart such as the natives use upon their farms.

The most favourable ground for black-buck is a mixture of
great cultivated flats, with neighbouring tracts of wilderness, where
low hills, broken ground, and thick bush afford a sanctuary for
their retreat, and for the rearing of their young.

A few shots fired upon a vast area of young wheat will soon
scare the animals from the locality, and should there be no jungle,
or hills within several miles, they will disappear entirely.

If there is an extensive area of rough jungle to which they can
retire, you may sometimes obtain good shots by stalking carefully
up wind, as the animal may be discovered beneath the imaginary
security of the bushes ; but even then the greatest caution must
be observed, as the game is always on the alert.

When, upon the open plain, the black-buck has arrived at the
conclusion to retreat, the sight is most interesting, as the speed
and agility of the animal are at once displayed to the fullest
extent. The females of the herd trot off for a few yards, and then

xx THE ANTELOPE 333

usually halt to reconnoitre. The bucks separate, and all turn
round to gaze at the object of disturbance. Having made up
their minds to go, there is no more hesitation, but away and away
they fly, hardly touching the ground with their swift hoofs, but
hopping almost vertically in the air, and bounding at least 6 feet
in perpendicular height at each leap, as they follow each other at
50 miles an hour across the level plain. I believe that they are
capable of the extraordinary speed of 60 miles an hour, as it is
said that the best English greyhound cannot overtake them.

It is difficult to give an opinion without having tried the
experiment. Although I have frequently had the advantage of
excellent native dogs for my assistance in following wounded buck,
I have never seen a fair trial with greyhounds. It would be
difficult to find a locality that would permit the greyhound a fair
use of its powers, as the dog requires not only a level but a smooth
surface to exert its maximum speed. In India the land is very
roughly ploughed, and is never harrowed. When the wheat is
growing, the surface is a mass of large clods the size of a man's
head ; these have been exposed to the sun until they have become
as hard as sun-burnt bricks. The black-buck is at home upon this
uneven ground, but the greyhound could not use its feet with full
effect. The greyhounds in the Soudan are well known to over-
take the gazelle, if they can obtain a fair start, and I should
certainly imagine that a first-class greyhound would catch a black-
buck if it could be slipped within 100 yards upon a level unculti-
vated plain, where the surface was absolutely smooth.

A couple of years ago, when I was in the district of Damoh,
where black-buck were plentiful, I procured two excellent dogs
from the village of Bertulla. My first introduction to them was
accidental. Our camp was pitched upon the raised bank or
bhund of a tank which adjoined the village. Upon this were
several fine tamarind trees which shaded the tents, also a large
peepul (Ficus religiosa), from the centre of which a wild date-
palm grew like the mast of a ship for about 40 feet in height,
its spreading crown appearing like a plume of feathers above
the highest branches of the peepul. From our rather elevated
position we had an extensive view of the slightly undulating
surface, and upon a rough uncultivated slope about half a mile
distant I observed a very black buck lying down alone. It is
easier to approach a solitary buck than when surrounded by a
herd, and I commenced a stalk, walking behind a bullock-cart,
driven by one of my men who understood the work.

It is high art to conduct the cart properly. Bullocks are

334 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

awkward animals to drive, and they will not go in the required
direction without considerable trouble. The driver has a tolerably
easy time if the cart forms one of a train along a good highway j
in that case the bullocks will follow the line of route to the tune
of their jingling bells, but once off the road, and stalking black-
buck, when constant halts and turns are necessary, according to
the changing position of the game, a driver of a bullock-waggon
has enough to do.

He drives his sharp-pointed stick into the hind-quarters of one,
then twists the tail of its companion till it is nearly fractured at a
joint, then tickles them both simultaneously by dexterously driving
his naked feet beneath their tails, as he sits upon the front bar of
his cart, and indulges in ceaseless jerks and spasms. All these
movements are really necessary to impel the bullocks, but they are
much against success when the greatest quiet should be observed.
In the meantime you walk either exactly behind or upon one side
of the sheltering cart, ready with your rifle for a shot at 100
yards, which, if the cart is well managed, you should obtain,
unless the black-buck have been much disturbed.

In this manner we succeeded in approaching the recumbent
buck to within 150 yards, before it rose lazily from the ground
and regarded us with some astonishment. The cart-driver turned
immediately towards the right, as though his intention was to
leave it unmolested on our left.

The buck evidently believed in our innocence. After a half-
minute he again altered the course to our left to regain lost
ground, and by careful judgment we presently found ourselves
about 110 yards from the buck, which was standing up regarding
our bullocks with some curiosity.

I now halted to fire, while the cart turned slightly to the right
but did not stop. This should always be observed, as, should the
bullocks halt for one instant, the buck would be off directly ; the
cart should pass slowly forward, leaving the shooter standing or
kneeling behind, as he may prefer.

I had a *360 rabbit rifle, and as the buck faced me I fired a little
too low, and broke its fore leg just below the chest. For a moment
it fell, and I thought it was secure, but almost immediately it
recovered, and running down a gentle incline, it crossed a small
stream at the bottom, ascended the rough slope of rank grass upon
the other side, and remained standing upon the side of this rising
ground at about 200 yards' distance. I had reloaded, and not
being aware of the nature of the wound beyond the broken leg or
shoulder, I waited in the expectation that it would presently lie

xx THE ANTELOPE 335

down. To my surprise, two dogs suddenly rushed past me ; they
had heard the shot, and had seen that the buck was wounded, but
I have no idea where they were at the time, unless with the cattle
in the distance. They crossed the stream at full speed, rushed
up the slope through grass about 2 feet high, upon the blood-track,
and the buck, which was still in the same position, did not
observe them until they appeared in full attack within 30 paces.
Away it flew upon the instant ! The chase commenced, and
although the poor buck had only three useful legs, it kept well
ahead and appeared to gain upon the dogs for the first 150 yards,
but unfortunately for itself there were some acres of irrigated land,
and this being soft, although apparently sound turf, the buck was
at a disadvantage. The dogs did not sink in the treacherous soil,
and after a short run they closed, and at once pulled the buck
upon the ground.

Some natives who had been watching me observed the hunt,
and they came from the direction of the village, running like so
many hounds ; but no sooner did they arrive upon the scene than
they commenced hammering the good dogs with their heavy
bamboos as though they intended to kill them on the spot. It
was with some difficulty that I stopped them ; but in spite of the
assault the plucky dogs had not relaxed their hold, and they
gripped the throat of the buck with determined fury. After some
trouble the natives choked them off; but again and again they
returned to the attack, exhibiting a savage nature that I foresaw
would make them invaluable allies.

I hired both these dogs, together with their owners. They
were a cross between the ordinary native dog and the large breed
which is known as belonging to the Bandjarahs. The latter is a
tribe somewhat similar to the gypsies of Eastern Europe. These
people are hereditary carriers, and travel enormous distances,
conveying the various productions of India to the different
commercial centres, upon pack oxen. They are accompanied by a
peculiar breed of dogs, large and fierce, which guard their animals
during the night's bivouac.

The two dogs which I engaged were Cabre' and Mora.

Cabre' was only twelve months old ; he was a black dog, with
smooth hair. Mora was the same colour, but rather long in the
coat. Both were about 26 inches at the shoulder. These animals
became my staunch companions, although Cabre' never took to
Europeans ; he did not exhibit the slightest regard for myself
personally, but he was enthusiastic in sport, and the report of the
rifle was quite sufficient to awaken the keenest delight, as he knew

336 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

that some animal was either killed or wounded. Mora, on the
contrary, was affectionate, although savage to a degree when game
was to be attacked.

I once broke the fore leg of a fine old buck at a long shot, and
it went across country as though untouched, the bone being
fractured just above the knee. Cabre' was with me alone, and he
ran that buck single-handed for upwards of 3 miles. "We had lost
both antelope and dog, and I followed upon a fast elephant,
inquiring of every native whom we met working in the fields
whether he had seen anything of the hunt. Every man told the
same story ; he had seen a buck followed by a dog, and they had
taken a certain direction, which was pointed out. At length, after
a long search upon a boundless plain of cultivated ground, bright
green with young wheat about 6 inches high, I made out with the
binocular glasses a small knot of people, with a dog following
behind.

Upon our arrival we found a number of natives carrying a
black-buck slung upon a long pole, all four legs being lashed
together, and behind the little crowd was our dog Cabre', who had
run the buck down single-handed and seized it in a nullah, close
to a village. The natives had secured it, and were bringing it in
triumph to my camp, a distance of 3 miles. The buck was still
alive, as these people, being Hindoos, had declined to kill it. This
was one of Cabre^s early performances ; after which he quickly
became distinguished.

The antelopes are all more or less bullet-despisers ; if they are
not struck in the right place, they exhibit a wonderful tenacity of
purpose and of life ; but the black-buck is exceedingly difficult to
kill with certainty. If there is any covert within reach, it will
attain the shelter, to die a miserable death, unless it is shot
through the lungs, heart, or neck. It is a small animal, and,
being wary, it is seldom that a shot is obtained within 100 or 120
yards. The mark, to be fatal, will be limited to 3 inches square,
or at the outside 4 inches. Distance upon a flat plain is deceptive,
therefore it is necessary to possess a small-bore Express of the
highest velocity to ensure a flat trajectory. In my opinion a *400
bore with 4 drams of powder is the best rifle for this sport. This
is the only case in which I recommend an expanding bullet. The
long projectile of the '400 should have a very shallow hollow J
inch at the point, and only -J inch in diameter. As the bullet will
be 1 J inch in length, it will not smash up into films or shreds, but,
if composed of pure lead, it will flatten out at the point for about
half an inch, and form a mushroom head, that will prevent it from

xx THE ANTELOPE 337

passing through the body, and perhaps ricochetting into some
village a mile on the other side.

At Bertulla, where we were camped for some time, the village
was benefited by the presence of a Hindoo priest. This fellow
was an extraordinary personage, as he combined the ascetic with
the acrobat. Naked, with the exception of the smallest waist-
cloth, he was smeared from head to foot with ashes : his begrimed
face had the unearthly appearance produced by this ghastly
colouring, and his large eyes shone with that peculiar brilliancy
which may be so frequently remarked among the religious
enthusiasts of India. This holy man was an important personage
at Bertulla, as he possessed a small temple upon the outskirts of
the village, which represented all that was ecclesiastical in this
portion of the district. The temple, or church, was about 8 feet
square, therefore it was somewhat limited in accommodation ; it
was glaringly white, with a small shrine, painted with divinities,
which appeared to be in an advanced stage of scarlet fever.

The signal for divine service was given upon a species of
trumpet, which emitted a weird sound, happily unlike any other
instrument to which we are obliged to listen. This high priest
was the sole representative of the little temple, and he led a
solitary life ; his chief occupation consisted in sweeping his small
courtyard and brushing up his premises. He had no dwelling,
neither did he sleep upon a bedstead, nor even upon the ground,
but he laid himself upon a horizontal bar like the pole of a bullock-
cart, supported upon posts about 3 feet above the courtyard floor. A
short cross-piece at one end was sufficient for his shoulders, and upon
this uncomfortable perch he was able to pass the night in rest.

We became great friends, as I frequently gave him presents for
his temple. I am fond of clergymen generally, as they are never
shy in accepting donations for their parishes. My interpreter
described this faky as "a sort of Bishop"; he accordingly became
known by that name in camp. The Bishop would have been
known in England as "a sporting parson." Although a devout
man, he was a sportsman at heart. The tank abounded with
wild-fowl, and I was accustomed to supply sufficient ducks and
teal for our entire party almost daily. Upon these occasions I was
invariably attended by the Bishop, who plunged into the water
like a retriever to secure the birds when either killed or wounded.
This cleansing process effected a sudden change in his appearance ;
the ash-smeared faky became a really handsome man when divested
of his holy colouring. I had presented him upon one occasion
with a few rupees to beautify his church, and he became more

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338 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xx

grateful than a member of the Established Church would have
been under similar circumstances. He exhibited his gratitude by
a voluntary exhibition of his powers as an acrobat, leaping to a
great height, and turning somersaults, for which performance his
dress was admirably adapted, as he had nothing on but ashes.
He then walked upon his hands, head downwards, doubled himself
together with his arms beneath his legs, and hopped like a frog j
until he wound up the entertainment by balancing himself upon
his nose on the hard ground — a feat that would have been highly
remunerative at the close of a charity sermon in London.

Our " Bishop " was of considerable service during a memorable
hunt. I had wounded a very fine black-buck, which made off
across the open country. Although it had a long start, I had
slipped the dog Cabre' immediately, and we had a glorious chase
straight across the level ground, the young wheat being about 8
inches high.

I was on a fast elephant, therefore we managed to keep the
animals in view. All the villagers turned out to see the fun j the
natives who were travelling along the road put down their bundles
and enjoyed the scene ; people who were working in the fields
rushed after the dog, others cut across and endeavoured to turn the
buck. Thus hard pressed, the buck altered its course, and having
passed the village, it turned to the left, disappearing from my view.
We hurried the elephant along at about 8 miles an hour, as I felt
sure the buck would either run directly through our camp upon
the bhund, or it must take to water, as it would be intercepted by
the lake. The dog was about 100 yards in the rear, running
beautifully.

We turned the corner, passed the village, and almost im-
mediately we saw a crowd, in the middle of which was the
Bishop, holding the buck by the horns, in spite of its frantic
struggles to escape. It appeared that the animal at full speed
was passing by his temple directly towards the lake, and the acro-
batic parson, with extraordinary agility, sprang across its path and
seized it by the horns. They had the greatest difficulty in
restraining the dog, which upon arrival immediately pinned the
struggling buck by the throat, but was cruelly beaten off with
bamboos by the excited crowd.

Much might be written upon the black -buck, as it is the
prettiest animal in India, and without any exception it affords the
best sport to a lover of the rifle, but there would be a mono-
tony in the description. I shall therefore close this chapter, and
devote the next to the more important antelopes of Africa.

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CHAPTER XXI

AFRICAN ANTELOPES (A. BUBALIS)

This interesting tribe inhabits more or less every part of Africa.
There are varieties which differ in their habits so completely
that it appears impossible to accept them as belonging to the
same genus, nevertheless they are all antelopes, the distinction
of the class consisting in the formation of the horns, and the
tear-ducts beneath the eyes. As before mentioned, the horns
of antelopes differ entirely from those of deer, as they resemble
those of oxen, which are mere sheaths that fit upon a conical
bony projection, and are permanent.

The difference in size is very marked, varying from the tiny
oom dik-dik (Hemprichianus), which weighs about 16 lbs., to
the roan antelope, and the still heavier eland (Boselaphus oreas),
that would weigh 900 or 1000 lbs.

The most common of the larger antelopes is the bubalis,
known by the Arabs as the te'tel and at the Cape as the
"hartebeest."

There are two varieties of this animal, specially distinguished
by the horns. In Abyssinia these are spreading, and the simi-
larity to those of the buffalo is at once perceived, but in Central
Africa the horns are closer together, more upright, and generally
more massive in the base.

The head of the A. bubalis is very extraordinary in shape;
the skull rises about 4 inches above the brain cavity, and the
horns are rooted upon this projection. If the entire head is
not required as a trophy, this portion may be sawn off without
disturbing the position of the horns, or in any way interfering
with the actual cranium. The horns appear to be carefully
arranged for defence, as they rise almost perpendicular with
the skull for about a foot, and' then turn back for 7 or 8 inches,
terminating in extremely sharp points. When the head is

340 WILD BEASTS AND TnEIR WAYS chap.

lowered to receive an attack, these points are presented to the
enemy, and a sudden lift would be certain to impale.

The colour of the skin is a beautiful chestnut, inclining to red ;
the texture of the coat is exceedingly fine, and in the bright
sunlight it glistens like that of a well-groomed hunter.

Although the live weight of this animal would exceed 560 lbs.,
it is one of the fastest antelopes, and is more difficult to over-
take than any other. In fact, I have never seen a horse that
has been able to run down a te'tel, and the Hamran Arabs
would not as a rule attempt the chase. I have ridden after
them on several occasions upon a good horse, and I have
imagined that I gained upon the herd, but when within about
100 yards they seemed to be aware of the danger of a close
approach, and, without any apparent effort, they kept the horse
at its maximum speed.

They are, as the Dutch name implies, " hard beasts," and re-
quire correct practice with the rifle. Unless shot in a vital place
they will travel for an unlimited distance, and will seldom be
recovered. As the colour is bright, they are readily distinguished
among the green foliage, and upon open ground they can be seen
at a great distance.

Like many others of their tribe, they are difficult to
approach, and they generally place a sentry upon some favour-
able position, that will command a distant view. The white
ant hills in Central Africa are very numerous, and being 5 or 6
feet above the surface, they afford admirable watch-towers, upon
which the sentry generally takes his stand, while the herd grazes
in security in the immediate neighbourhood.

The te'tel feeds principally upon grass, but it is attracted by
the tender young shoots of the various mimosas at the com-
mencement of the rainy season.

The distressing months, when a continuance of rain has en-
couraged a giant growth of herbage, cannot be appreciated by
those who have not experienced the block of vegetation. The
entire country becomes impassable, being clothed in a dense
mass of coarse grass from 8 to 10 feet high. By degrees
this ripens, and when the dry weather has continued for two or
three months, it becomes highly inflammable, and is fired in
all directions by the inhabitants. When a strong north wind
is blowing, the sight is most impressive, as nothing appears to
check the flames. The fire rushes onward with wild delight,
crackling the hollow canes, licking the dried leaves off lofty
branches, and roaring like a heavy gale as it drives forward in

xxi AFRICAN ANTELOPES 341

its destructive course, leaving the blackened ground behind as
clean as a velvet pall.

An immense extent of country may be cleared within a few-
days, if the grass is carefully ignited to windward, and it is a
mystery how the wild animals arrange their retreat before the
annual conflagration. I imagine that they are well aware of
certain places of refuge in the dry beds of rivers, where the experi-
ence of the past has assured them of security. At any rate, they
save themselves, and reappear upon the scene within a very few
days after the fire has destroyed all pasturage. This is the time
for the hunter, as all animals are driven to the broad beds of
streams, where green herbage is always to be found throughout
the driest months. The borders of such rivers are generally
fringed with nabbuk, and the antelopes are attracted by the small
fruit, like miniature apples, which fall to the ground in quantities.

By degrees the wind cleans the ashes from the surface, and
although the jungles are in a leafless condition, as bare as our
English woods in winter, a change takes place. The different
gum-bearing mimosas, that have been scorched by the recent fire,
exude their sap through the heat -contracted bark. There are
several varieties which produce gum-arabic, but the most valuable
is that of a tree which is armed with a double-hooked thorn in
reverse. It is simply impossible to escape without assistance
when caught in this entanglement, if your clothes are strong
enough to hold without giving way.

The best gum-arabic is found in Kordofan ; also in the country
from the base of the Abyssinian range of mountains to the river
Atbara. In some portions of this extensive district, where the
best quality is produced in quantities, there are no inhabitants to
gather it, as there is a considerable area uninhabited, owing to the
insecurity of life in the absence of a firm government. I have
seen crops of this valuable gum in such profusion that the naked
trees were ornamented with transparent fruits resembling small
candied oranges. These were semi-transparent, adhering to the
stems and branches, so brilliant in their golden frosty surface that
they became most attractive ; I could not help dismounting, and
collecting as much as I could carry. It has frequently occurred
to me, when among such scenes, that the old story of the garden of
jewels in Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp originated in travellers'
accounts concerning the mimosas laden with this topaz-coloured
gum.

It is sweet and agreeable to the taste when freshly gathered
from the tree ; the outside is hard, but the centre contains liquid

342 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

gum, which would become hard in the course of time. If the
round lumps, resembling Mandarin oranges, are packed together,
they become exceedingly dry and brittle, losing their shape, and
crumbling into small pieces, such as arrive in England under the
well-known name of "gum-arabic."

Almost all wild animals are attracted by this gum when, in the
driest season, the mimosas are in full bearing. The dog-faced
baboons (Cynocephalus) may be seen in large troops, all bent
upon the gum-collecting industry. With the order of human
beings they march along, the females carrying their young upon
their backs, until some well-furnished trees are sighted. A rush
takes place immediately by the ten-year-old boys, or young baboons
equivalent to that human age, but the arrival of some old grand-
fathers in the shape of well-maned males, who cuff them right and
left, restores immediate discipline, and all the party resolve them-
selves into groups around the well-laden trees, filling their stomachs,
and distending their pouches with the bon-bons of the wilderness.

The antelopes are particularly fond of this gum, and they are
sure to be found in the neighbourhood Of this species of mimosa.

The hide of the te'tel or hartebeest is much prized by the Arabs, as
the toughest and most durable leather when tanned. Large sacks are
manufactured by the simple process of stripping off the skin in one
piece, like a stocking from the leg. This is tanned, and the aper-
tures at the four legs, and the neck, and hind-quarters being sewn
up, the entire skin forms a bag ; in this, corn is conveyed to market.

I have killed great numbers of these animals both in Abyssinia
and Central Africa; they have invariably yielded good sport,
requiring careful stalking and accurate rifle-practice. Both males
and females are furnished with horns.

There is a species (Damalis Senegalensis) which somewhat
resembles the bubalis. This is not an inhabitant of Abyssinia,
but it is not uncommon in Central Africa. The size is slightly
inferior to the latter, but the habits are the same. The horns are
differently shaped, being annular, and retiring slightly backwards.
In like manner with the bubalis, both sexes have horns. The
colour of this variety is a very dark chestnut, with black thighs
and fore legs. The flesh is superior to that of all other antelopes.

This species invariably posts a sentry to guard the herd when
feeding, and it was always my ambition to stalk the guard and
knock him off his stand, instead of attempting a shot at the less
suspicious herd. Upon several occasions I have succeeded where
the white ant hills were sufficiently numerous to afford cover for a
stealthy advance.

xxi AFRICAN ANTELOPES 343

The handsomest of all the larger antelopes is the koodoo/ or
nellut of the Arabs (A. strepsiceros). This animal is most grace-
ful, and is prettily marked. It stands from about 13 to 13J
hands in height of withers. The colour is mouse-gray, with per-
fectly white stripes. The horns are very long and spiral. In
this species we find a distinction in the female being devoid of
horns. Their habits are different from the foregoing varieties, as
they are seldom met with upon the open, but are found in deep
ravines arid thickly wooded nullahs.

There are no elands in Abyssinia, neither have I ever seen them
throughout my journeys in Central Africa, but I have seen a very
large pair of horns that were brought by the slave-hunters from
the West, somewhere upon the Bahr Gazal.

The largest of all that I have met north of the equator is a
species of roan antelope that was named Hippotragus Bakerii, as
a new specimen, differing from the well-known roan antelope of
South Africa. This animal stands about 13 hands 3 inches at
the withers, or 14 hands; it is immensely bulky, and clumsy in
comparison with the more elegant strepsiceros. The horns are
thick, annulated, and are curved completely backwards, so that
when the head is thrown up they would reach the shoulder. The
mane upon the neck gives it a remote resemblance to a horse,
with horns. I have never weighed a roan antelope, but I should
estimate the live weight at about 700 lbs. Both male and female
have horns, those of the male being superior.

I saw this species for the first time near the Bahr Salaam
in Abyssinia, also subsequently upon the border of the Settite
river. In portions of Central Africa they are more plentiful,
but they are not so generally distributed as the bubalis or
strepsiceros.

A very handsome variety of the large antelopes is the water-
buck or mehede'het {A. ellipsiprymna). This is an exceedingly
massive animal, nearly allied to the red-deer in colour and texture
of hair. It weighs about 600 lbs. when alive. The dark-brown
hair of the throat is coarse, and somewhat shaggy in the males ;
the horns are long, distinctly annulated, and after turning slightly
backwards, the extremities project forward in a gentle curve.
The flesh of this variety is coarse, and although eaten, it is not
esteemed, even by the Arabs.

As the name " water-buck " would imply, this species is found
in the neighbourhood of swamps and rivers. A fine old male is a
grand-looking creature, resembling a German stag with a winter
coat, surmounted by large horns of goat-like appearance. The

344 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

females are devoid of horns, and they look at a distance exactly
like the hinds of red-deer, or sambur.

I have shot a great number of these animals, as I have been
compelled during many years to depend upon the rifle for a supply
of food, not only for myself, but for a large number of followers.
There is no superiority of sport in this variety, but I cannot help
recalling to remembrance a particular occasion when I nearly lost
a fine male through the want of penetration of the bullet.

The flotilla of fifty-seven vessels was toiling along the adverse
current of the White Nile, and, according to the varying energies
of officers and crews, the ships occupied positions either in advance
or rear, straggling throughout a course of many miles.

As my vessel led the way, we moored alongside the bank one
afternoon, where an extensive flat of perhaps a thousand acres
stretched from the water's edge to the base of low wooded hills
which formed a range, increasing in height as they stretched into
the interior. It was a pretty bit of country after the interminable
swamps of the White Nile, through which we had been so long in
passing, therefore I landed, with my rifle, accompanied by my chief
engineer, Mr. Higginbotham, and Lieut. Baker, E.N.

We had walked through the wooded hills for a considerable
distance without firing a shot, although game had several times
been moved, when, upon descending to the lower ground, en route
to our vessel, we observed three large bull mehede'hets feeding in
the open plain, directly in the path that we were about to take.
There was very little chance of obtaining a shot upon the exposed
ground j I therefore begged my two companions to wait, while I
should endeavour quite alone to stalk the game.

There were several large isolated trees growing in the marsh
outside the jungle, at the base of the rising ground from which I
now descended. I endeavoured to estimate the distance, which I
computed to be about 220 yards from the farthest tree to the
nearest of the animals.

The difficulty would be to arrive at this tree without being
perceived by the mehede'hets, as they were somewhat scattered.
Had there been only one, I might have advanced under cover of
the tree by keeping the thick trunk in a direct line with my
approach. At length, by dint of perseverance, sometimes crawling
along the rutty surface, then lying flat to conceal myself in the
grass about 18 inches high, whenever there was a danger of being
observed, I managed at last to reach the farthest tree. I rested
here for several minutes to become cool, and to wipe my eyes from
the streams of perspiration, which nearly blinded me. At length

xxi AFRICAN ANTELOPES 345

I was cool enough to take the trial shot. The distance was a little
over 200 yards. Taking a rest against the stem of a giant tree, I
fired. The bull fell as though struck by lightning. His more
distant companion went off at full speed, and was soon lost to
view ; but his nearest neighbour simply started for a few yards,
and after having regarded the situation without discovering any
enemy, he turned round with astonishment to inspect his fallen
friend. This turned the broadside towards me, and again I fired.
If a sledge-hammer had struck the skull, the animal could not have
succumbed more suddenly. This had a very pretty effect at so
long a distance, as the right and left had been fired within about
ten seconds, and both of these fine bulls lay stretched upon the
ground.

I never like to see an animal fall apparently stone dead without
the slightest struggle, as it is generally paralysed for the moment,
but quickly recovers, and escapes : I accordingly ran towards the
spot, and immediately perceived Julian Baker and Higginbotham
racing across the rutty ground, hurrying to the scene. We soon
met. The first buck was shot through the centre of the shoulder :
had he been a target, the bullet would have made a bull's-eye.
We went a few paces to the right to examine the last shot. I had
missed the shoulder, and the bullet had struck the middle of the
neck. We were standing together, admiring the massive pro-
portions of this fine water -buck, when, without the slightest
warning or preparatory struggle, it jumped up and started off at
full gallop. In another second it dropped dead, with a bullet in
the back of the neck, as fortunately I had reloaded.

This was a curious example of an instantaneous recovery from
the stunning effect of a shot in the neck. My rifle was a wonder-
fully accurate weapon, but it was in the early days of breechloaders,
and although *577, it carried the Snider hollow bullet and 2 J
drams of powder. This had no penetration, and animals that were
well hit were continually escaping, which would not have been the
case with a larger charge and a solid bullet. In this instance the
bullet had struck the spine, but had not sufficient power to break
the bone, after passing through the hard muscles and tough hide of
the water-buck at a distance of about 220 paces.

Two of these splendid animals formed a welcome addition to the
hard fare of the expedition, and they were quickly divided among
the men.

There is an antelope in the marshy country of the White Nile
which I have never met with elsewhere. This is rather larger
than an ordinary donkey ; a jet-black colour, with a patch of pure

346 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

white across the withers. The crown of the head is white, also a
white ring around the eyes ; the chest is black, but the belly is
white throughout.1 The horns of this species are from about 28
to 32 inches in length, and they bend backwards in a peculiarly
graceful curve, unlike any other antelope. The coat is rather coarse
and long, approaching that of a goat. The coat of all antelopes
that frequent marshes and the neighbourhood of water is more or
less coarse ; this is very marked in the ellipsiprymna.

I have before remarked that animals and birds vary in their
degrees of shyness and difficulty of approach. The megaceros is
easier to stalk than any other antelope that I have met j and upon
one occasion I stopped our vessel and landed, where I saw a number
of these animals upon the half-dried marshes. In the course of the
afternoon, I bagged five, affording a grand supply for my hungry
people. The females of this species are a brown colour, and devoid
of horns. I have never seen this antelope inland, but always in
the close vicinity of rivers and lakes ; they are generally in large
herds, and can only be discovered at the driest season, when the
rivers have sunk low, and the marshes, which are inundated during
the rainy months, have become exposed and hardened by the sun.
It is difficult to estimate the number of animals in a herd, but I
have occasionally seen this species in dense masses that would
contain a thousand. The pallah (A. leucotis) is another antelope
that is found in important herds. This is very common in Central
Africa, and affords excellent sport, and good food for the camp.
It is a well-known antelope both in South and Central Africa, but
I have never met with it north of 10° N. latitude. The horns of
the male are prettily shaped, something like the gazelle, but spread-
ing. The females have no horns, but they are nearly the same
colour as the male, a yellow body with snow-white belly. The size
of the pallah is about the same as a fallow-deer.

The prettiest creature of the jungles is the harnessed antelope
(A. scripta). This is never found in herds, but generally in pairs,
or three or four together. It is seldom met with in open plains,
but it is an inhabitant of the bush, and will lie tolerably close,
starting up with a frantic rush when suddenly disturbed. A fine
buck will weigh about 90 lbs. The male is dark-brown, ornamented
with snow-white stripes, six or seven of which descend from the
back upon either flank and the hind-quarters ; a few white marks
are upon the shoulders, and white spots upon the thighs ; a long
white line from the shoulder extends in a continuation below the
transverse marks upon the flanks, and terminates near the junction
1 This is the Kobus Maria of Gray, or Megaceros of Heuglin.

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AFRICAN ANTELOPES

347

of the hind leg. This resembles a white trace, hence the name
"harnessed antelope."

There are many varieties of small antelopes which are hardly
worth enumeration. These are scattered throughout an immense
area north of the equator, and are never to be found in the same
locality. The oryx (leucoryx) or the leptoceros of Heuglin is known
by the Arabs as the bagger el wahash (cow of the wilderness).
This fine antelope is confined to certain districts in the Taka
country, also in Kordofan, but I have never met with it. The late
Professor Heuglin was a painstaking naturalist, whom I had the
pleasure of knowing when staying in Khartoum, and we compared
notes of all the animals with which we were mutually acquainted.
He arranged the following list, which embraces all that I know
practically, and many others which I have not seen.

18. R. Lechee.

19. R. Megaceros (Black Antelope).

20. R. Defassa.

21. R. Ellipsiprymna.

Antilope Gazella.

1. G. Dorcas.

2. G. Arabica.

3. G. Lcevipes.

4. G. Dama.

5. G. Scemmeringii.

6. G. Leptoceros.

Calotragus.

7. C. Montarms.

8. C. Saltatrix.

Nanotragus.

9. N. Hemprichianus.

Hippotragtjs.

22. H. Niger.

23. LL Bakerii (new species).

24. H. Beisa.

25. H. Ensicornis.

26. H. Addax.

Taurotragus.

27. T. Orcas.

28. T. Gigas (new species).

Cephalolophtjs.

Tragelaphus.

10. C. Madaqua.

, . ^| Two unknown species in 29- Tr. Strepsiceros.

"" [-White Nile, called by the 30. Tr. Sylvaticus.

Dinkas "Amok.:

Redunca.

13. R. Eleotragus.

14. R. Behor.

15. R. Kull (new species).

16. R. Leucotis.

17. R. Uruil (new species).

Bubalis.

32. B. Mauritanica.

33. B. Caama.

34. B. Senegalensis.

35. B. Tiang (new species).

36. B. Tiang-riel (new species).

It will be observed that the gnu (Catohlepas gnu) of South
Africa is not found north of the equator.

348 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

All these interesting varieties of the species antelope exhibit
peculiar characteristics ; some partake the appearance and action
of the goat, others of the buffalo ; there is an affinity to the horse
in the hippotragus, and to the Bos in the eland (Boselaphus oreas).
To the traveller, the antelope is invaluable, as it provides flesh
more or less palatable for his party, at the same time that the
skins of all varieties are useful, and can be readily tanned by the
omnipresent mimosa bark, and the pods of the soont (Acacia
Arabica). The fawns of antelopes must be destroyed in great
numbers by the numerous carnivora, as they are completely help-
less ; they are also the prey of pythons, which seldom attack large
animals, but subsist upon the calves, as their bones are easily
crushed in the coils, and prepared for swallowing.

Some species will defend their young ; among these the tdtel
(A. bubalis) is remarkable. I once witnessed a striking example,
where the entire herd came to the rescue of a calf. I was shooting
with only one attendant, a native named Shooli, who was a most
trustworthy man and a devoted follower. This man was an
experienced hunter and a first-rate tracker. The country was
covered with high grass, that was not sufficiently dry to burn
thoroughly, but in some places the natives had ignited it, and
cleared small patches, in which the young grass had quickly
sprouted to the height of several inches. These open places were
an attraction to the game, which was otherwise invisible in the
vast mass of tall vegetation.

We were prowling cautiously through the country, keeping
watchful eyes upon our surroundings, when, upon passing a clump
of trees, we observed a fine bull te'tel standing sentry upon an ant
hill about 400 yards distant.

There was no doubt that a herd was somewhere in his neigh-
bourhood, therefore we waited behind some trees, and watched the
attitude of the sentry.

Presently we espied a doe, which emerged from the high grass
and walked carefully but inquiringly across the small open space,
and then stood in a fixed position. We now crept upon hands
and knees through the rustling herbage, as quietly as possible, in
the hope of getting within 150 yards of the sentry. I had marked
a particular tree as the spot to be reached which would afford
concealment, and at the same time be within killing distance.

It was trying work for the bare hands among the sharp stems
of the coarse grass, but we reached our destination, and then
cautiously rose, in expectation of seeing the sentry upon his elevated
post. He was gone, together with the doe. We had been quite

xxi AFRICAN ANTELOPES 349

invisible, and the wind was in our favour; probably some bird,
frightened at our advance, had flown hurriedly away, this would
have been sufficient as a signal of hidden danger.

We now threw off disguise, and walked direct towards the
raised spot upon which the watchful te'tel had taken its stand.
There was a pile of droppings, of all dates, which proved that this
was its daily resting-place in the middle of the green patch, that
was regularly visited by the herd. While I was examining the
signs, I observed my companion Shooli searching diligently among
the young herbage, and he assured me that a calf must be concealed
somewhere near, as the doe would not have appeared alone unless
she had a young one lying hidden, which she had intended to suckle
if undisturbed.

Presently I saw him standing with his spear raised, aiming at
something upon the ground. Upon approaching him, he asked if
he should throw his spear ; but before I could reply, a calf that
had been lying close, like a hare in form, sprang up and raced
away at great speed. In an instant the spear flew from the up-
raised hand, and striking the calf, it passed just beneath the skin
of the back without injuring the bone, and penetrated through to
half its length, thus impaling the poor little animal transversely.

Even with such an impediment, the strong young calf managed
to get along, until at length it was captured by the active native.

He now withdrew the spear and asked whether he should carry
it alive to camp. At the same time the calf, wounded and terrified,
screamed loudly; this noise appeared to give Shooli a sudden
inspiration. Telling me to kneel down, he beat the calf with his
open hand, which made it repeat its cry of distress. In a few
moments we heard a rush among the high grass, and as the cries
of the calf continued, I saw a number of horns and heads appearing
above the yellow grass, as the herd, leaping as they galloped,
endeavoured to see the cause of the disturbance.

In less time than it takes to describe the scene, some ten or
eleven of these large animals frantically rushed into the open and
charged direct upon Shooli, who was kneeling with his arms around
the calf. I fired right and left within 20 yards, knocking over
the leader upon the spot, and turning the herd, another of which
floundered upon its side after running a few yards. I reloaded
quickly, and fired another shot as they disappeared, like fish in
water, among the tall herbage from which they had made their
gallant attempt to save the calf from danger. Shooli assured me
that had he been alone, the herd would certainly have knocked
him over, and have rescued the calf.

350 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chapv

I imagine that the animals concluded that the young one was
attacked by some wild animal, and they determined to rescue it by
an attack in force, thus exhibiting their affinity to the buffalo.
The bull that was stretched upon the ground by the first shot was
probably the same that had stood sentry over the herd, but had
retreated to the high grass upon our approach.

My attendant Shooli assured me that the natives frequently met
with accidents from the horns of this variety (A. bubalis) when
following up a wounded animal in high grass. Some days after
this adventure I was out with the same man and another excellent
fellow named Gimoro. "We observed a fine bull te'tel lying on the
ground beneath a tree, only the head and neck being visible above
the grass. Taking Shooli with me, I made a very successful stalk,
and obtained a position behind an ant-hill within 60 or 70 yards of
the game. At this short range I could make certain of the centre
of the neck, without allowing the animal to rise for the shoulder
shot. I fired, and the head disappeared. To my surprise, a herd
of fifteen or twenty of the same animals dashed away from some
high grass and bush about 120 yards distant, and I fired my
remaining barrel at the most prominent, as they were disappearing
in the dense yellow herbage.

The bull was lying dead ; therefore, as nothing had fallen to
my other bullet, we examined the tracks, and shortly discovered
blood upon the grass, in such quantities that we considered the
wounded animal could not have retreated to any great distance.

We accordingly followed quickly upon the well-marked traces,
Gimoro leading, with his spear in readiness to strike. The grass
was so dry that it rustled as we brushed through, and there would
be no chance of our coming suddenly upon the te'tel. Twice we
heard it rush forward as we approached, and in each place it had
evidently been bleeding as it stood. We now went forward with
extreme caution, and after an advance of about 150 yards, Gimoro
hurled his spear, but at the same instant the te'tel charged straight
into him, with the spear sticking in its flank. He sprang nimbly
upon one side, and I shot the animal through the centre of the left
shoulder as it turned after the man. It fell instantly to the shot.
The natives thought this excellent fun, and laughed heartily at the
conclusion, but they assured me that great care is necessary when,
without a rifle, a wounded bull te'tel is followed into high grass, as
it is difficult to kill upon the spot by throwing a spear.

This is the only occasion upon which I have ever seen the te'tel
charge, but I do not doubt my informants, as they were thoroughly
reliable.

xxi AFRICAN ANTELOPES 351

As a rule, I make a point of hamstringing every species of
animal (except an elephant) immediately that it falls to the ground ;
it is then safe. A slight drawing cut with a good hunting-knife
will sever the tendon at once. Mahometans are very particular in
performing the Khallahl before life is extinct. It is a difficult
operation to cut the throat of a large beast armed with sharp horns,
while it is struggling upon the ground, especially when the hide is
thick and tough, as in the case of bull antelopes of the larger
species. I once had a deplorable loss of one of the finest koodoos
(A. strepsiceros) that I ever shot. This was lying upon the ground,
shot a little too high, and as it struggled violently, my men, to one
of whom I had given my hunting-knife, were afraid to seize it by
the beautiful long horns. It was in vain that I endeavoured to
hurry them, until losing patience, I laid my rifle on the ground,
and was about to take the knife myself in spite of their religious
prejudice, when the koodoo suddenly gained his feet and started off
at full gallop into the thick bush, leaving my dilatory people stupe-
fied and amazed at the disappearance of their beef. We never saw
this animal again.

The koodoo generally affords pretty shooting, as it is found in
deep wooded ravines, which can be commanded by a rifle upon both
sides, should the animal rush forward from the bottom. Such
deep places are seldom more than 100 yards across, therefore one
person upon the margin can always obtain a shot when the koodoo
is disturbed by throwing stones into the bottom of the hollow. In
this case the rifle should be 100 yards ahead of the men who throw
the stones.

I have never seen any variety of antelope that was really fat.
Although they are exceedingly muscular and fleshy, being thoroughly
well rounded, and in good condition, the best that I have seen
would hardly produce one pound of suet ; that being around the
kidneys. Many of these animals are infested by parasitical worms,
The bubalis has a species of large maggot which is found in the
high bony protuberance upon which the horns are fitted. Some of
the gazelles have worms which bore through the flesh, and are only
stopped by the skin, upon reaching which a local inflammation is
set up, and blood-red circular spots are found beneath the surface.
I have frequently seen gazelles that were perfectly unfit for food,
and nevertheless they appeared to be in good condition until
flayed. When divested of the skin, they were in a deplorable
state, the inner surface of the hide being covered with rings of
blood, the results of the worm's puncture in its passage through
the flesh.

352 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xxi

There is a peculiar charm in the antelope tribe, owing to their
great variety and their gamey character, and I look back to many
years passed in the African wilderness, where the associations con-
nected with the wild animals of the country were far more agreeable
than my experience of the human inhabitants.

CHAPTER XXII

THE DEER (CERVIDM)

he deer has always been the game par excellence of the hunter.
There is no animal more generally distributed throughout the
world, therefore it has been, and still remains, the general attrac-
tion, as it is usually within reach of the hunter in all wild
countries where it is not specially preserved. There is no animal
which exhibits the necessity of preservation by game-laws more for-
cibly than the deer. In Scotland, where preservation has afforded
a sanctuary by the strict observance of a close-time, we see an
immense increase of numbers, although the conditions of the
Highlands have entirely changed since the destruction of forests,
which originally gave shelter to the red-deer. In mediaeval times
the shelter of vast areas of woods exerted a corresponding influence
in the development of the animals. Shrubs, grasses, and various
plants throve within the woods ; these afforded nourishment to
the animals during winter. At the same time, they were pro-
tected from the driving winds by their dense retreat, instead of
being exposed, as they now are, to the fury of every winter's gale.
The effect of misery has been seen in the deterioration of the animal.
The deer exhibits in its horns the ratio of its vigour. If the
animal has been well nurtured, and protected from its birth, never
unduly exposed to privations, but sheltered and well fed through
every season, it will develop antlers superior in length and solidity,
and it will increase in weight. The red-deer of Scotland cannot
be compared, either in size or antlers, with those of Central
Europe, which exist in large forests, and live a life of undisturbed
seclusion. Those which have been starved by exposure to cold
and winter famine have naturally fallen off and deteriorated in
size. A hart of twelve years old in our Scottish Highlands will
hardly average 15 stone when grallocked, although some of those
which have had the advantage of woods will exceed 18 and even

2 a

354 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

20 stone. The same species of deer in Hungary and Transylvania
will average 20 stone, and will produce antlers of great length
and weight, with from fourteen to twenty points, against the
Scotch stag's ten or twelve. Nothing can more forcibly prove the
necessity of shelter and good food. Many persons imagine that a
wild animal can live upon anything, and will thrive where a
domestic animal would starve. To a certain extent this is true,
but, on the other hand, the creature will either improve or deterior-
ate, according to the quality of its pasturage and its protection
from the severity of climate. Nothing can improve by suffering ;
all pain and privation must have an adverse effect upon animals or
human beings ; therefore the destruction of forests in the High-
lands of Scotland has not only deprived the deer of shelter, but
has destroyed the plants upon which they depended for their
winter's food. Foreigners are struck by the absurdity of the
misnomer " a deer-forest " in Scotland, upon hills that are com-
pletely devoid of trees.

It is much to be regretted that the red-deer of Great Britain
are no longer the grand animals which they continue to be in other
parts of Europe. The trophy of a fine head is the reward for a
painstaking stalk and a successful shot ; but there are no heads in
Scotland that are worthy of the name, as specimens of the antlers
of red-deer. .

As I have already remarked, the development of every animal
will depend upon the favourable conditions of localities ; as the
red-deer has deteriorated in Scotland, it may have improved in
other countries. I regard the wapiti of America as the red-deer
upon a gigantic scale. If a wapiti stag were placed in a line with
a fine German, and a Scotch red-deer, there would be an immense
difference in size, but they would look like the same animal in
gradations ; there would be about the same relative difference
between the wapiti and the German stags as between the latter
and those of Scotland.

Many years ago, through the kindness of the late Duke of
Athole, I had an intimate experience of the Athole forest, which
at that time was much overstocked with deer. The consequence
was that they lacked size, and it was rare to kill a hart in con-
dition, above 15 stone ; 16 was considered much above the average,
and very few of that weight were killed during the season. The
horns were small in due proportion. The deer were so numerous
in those days that the ground was foul from their great numbers,
and I have seen upwards of a thousand together in one drive upon
the hillside above Glen Tilt. At one time Her Majesty and the

xxn THE DEER 355

late Prince Consort were staying at Blair Castle, and the wind
being favourable, several thousand deer were driven successfully to
the desired spot, upon the hill-face opposite Ben-y-Gloe. Such an
assemblage of wild animals could not have been seen in any other
part of Scotland, but during winter the food for so vast a number
was insufficient, and the deer upon that forest have dwindled
through overstocking.

At Dunrobin, much farther north, the deer are larger, especially
those which occupy the woods at the foot of the hills. Twenty
years ago, when, a guest of his Grace the Duke of Sutherland,
enjoying some deer-stalking upon the hills, I was struck with the
superiority in the size of the deer compared with those of Blair ;
this was due to smaller numbers, better food, and shelter of large
woods, to which they could retire during winter; 17 and 18 stone
were not extraordinary weights for stags of ten or twelve years old.

It is a curious fact that the rutting season commences with the
hard frosts of October, after which the deer are out of season.
With other animals this sexual excitement is the result of warm
weather, or early spring, when birds and creatures of all kinds,
released from the icy fetters of the winter, commence their loves
in the warm hopes of approaching summer.

When October arrives, the stags begin to bellow, the hair of
the neck grows coarse and long ; they fight with great fury to
obtain the mastery of the hinds, until the master stag, having
gained the ascendency through frequent combats, associates with
the females, and becomes a ragged -looking object, far different
from the grand appearance which marked him as the lordly hart
at the first commencement of his amours.

It is generally believed that all deer shed their antlers annually,
but this is not the case. Both the red and the fallow deer shed
their horns in spring. The huge wapiti of America does the same,
but the sambur of India is supposed to change its horns only once
in three years. There is no regular season, either in India or
Ceylon, but the same species may be killed throughout the year
with the horns in different degrees of development.

In forest countries the stags are very careful in their movements
during the early stages of their antlers. When these first sprout,
they somewhat resemble the thick stalk of rhubarb, as they push
boldly from the root with a round, blunt termination, covered with
a glistening cuticle. These growing horns are very sensitive, and
the stag has a strong objection to pushing its way through tangled
thickets. I have known localities among the lofty mountains in
Ceylon, beneath bare precipices of rocks, where plateaux at lower

356 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

levels were free from jungle, in which we were sure to find a stag
with horns in velvet ; these secluded spots, which produced good
pasturage, were at the same time open, and afforded space to move,
without danger to the growing horns.

There are few things more curious than the growth of a deer's
horns. We have already seen that those of antelopes resemble the
horns of oxen, goats, and sheep : these are sheaths fitting upon an
inside core of bone, which is a projection of the skull, and never
can be shed. The horns of deer commence their growth when the
male is two years old, in a single spike about 6 inches long. This
is perfectly hard and solid, but, like all mature horns, it falls off
in spring, leaving the peculiar porous base ready for the growth
of a larger pair. If the animal is healthy, and the conditions of
the locality favourable, each annual shedding is succeeded by an
increased size. The base or foundation grows broader and more
solid every year, and the spike horn forms a tine. As age
increases, the horns become antlers, as the tines not only enlarge,
but extend in number, until the animal reaches the prime of its
existence ; this would be when about twelve years old. At that
age the red -deer of Scotland might have ten or twelve points,
sometimes fourteen, when the stag becomes " imperial," the points
sprouting from a thickened portion of the horn, which forms a cup.
Every pointed projection, however small, is termed a "point";
thus a stag of twelve will frequently possess only ten good tines,
and a couple of projections of 2 inches in length will make it
twelve.

The growth of antlers is extremely rapid. The young horns
commence in the beginning of May, and they are sufficiently hard
beneath the downy skin to commence to peel in the first week of
August. While growing they are nourished by small blood-vessels,
and, as by degrees they become developed, the points denote the
maturity of the formation. When these become acute, the bone
is thoroughly set and the cleansing process is commenced. The
small veins dry up, and become obtuse j the downy skin, which is
known by the name of " velvet," also becomes dry and leathery.
As the blood-vessels contract and wither, an itching is set up ;
this encourages the animal to rub its antlers against some tolerably
yielding surface, that will by degrees detach the irritating cause.
The deer generally seeks a sapling of about an inch in diameter
for its first rubbing post, as the horns are still delicate. In a few
days, having destroyed several of these yielding stems, it ventures
upon a tougher material, until at length it has no choice, and
boldly rubs the last adhering strings of velvet from its horns

xxn THE DEER 357

against the rough bark of some old birch, or any tree that will
assist to cleanse its antlers from the irritating substance.

When the large horns of sambur or wapiti are growing, they
make an excellent dish; first scalded to divest them of the down,
and then gently stewed with a good sauce and a few vegetables.

If a deer is badly hurt during the growth of antlers, there will
generally be some deformity in the shape of one, or perhaps both.
Any accident to the horns while young in velvet has a direct effect
upon the antlers, and will set up a local inflammation, which
interferes with the ripening of the horn. I have seen a stag
which had two peculiarly curved tines of great length ; these had
interfered with its progress through the woods (in America), and
had evidently caught among the branches like a grapnel. Although
the horns were perfectly hard when I shot the animal, the ends of
these tines were bloody, and instead of sharp terminations, they
were round and thick, showing that a chronic inflammation had
prevented the horns from hardening, and had kept the blood-vessels
in continued action.

As the stag becomes old, and its powers are on the wane, the
annual horns become shorter and thinner, the rough exterior loses
its knobby appearance and becomes smooth, the tines are short
and fewer in number, and the antlers, which in former years were
the signs of vigour, exhibit in their reduced appearance an evidence
of decay. Should a stag be castrated, the horns cease their growth.

The female carries about eight months, and has only one calf.
None of the females of the genus Cervus have horns except the
reindeer; but I have had no personal experience of the latter
species.

It is to be deeply regretted that the red-deer no longer exist in
the New Forest in Hampshire, the Forest of Dean in Gloucester-
shire, and other places, where in 1838 they were sufficiently
numerous. I remember them when they were strictly preserved
by the Crown, and the heads of those in the Forest of Dean were
very superior to any that exist in Scotland. I am surprised that
such persons who are the fortunate proprietors of deer-forests do
not import fine specimens of German deer to cross with those of
our own country. Any visitors to Vienna must be struck by the
magnificence of the antlers borne by the stags in the Prada, on
the outskirts of the city ; in our own country there is nothing that
will compare with them.

The hunting of deer, like all other sports, must depend upon
the condition and customs of the localities. There can be little
doubt that "hunting" is far superior, as a sport, to shooting.

358 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

But hunting must depend upon the country. You can shoot any-
where, but to enjoy hunting, the country must be open, and the
ground passable for horses. The only portion of Great Britain
where the wild red-deer is still hunted in the old-fashioned manner
with horses and hounds, is upon Exmoor ; there the deer remains
as it always has been ; and may it long continue, as a relic of the
olden times, is the wish of every person who takes an interest in
the chase.

During a long experience I have seen deer both hunted and
shot, in different ways, and the proof of the superiority of this
animal, as the perfection of sport, is the fact that it affords intense
excitement in every form and condition of the pursuit.

There are so many varieties, that a volume might be devoted
to the deer alone, instead of mingling it together with wild beasts
and their ways. Every kind of deer possesses distinct habits and
peculiarities; it is therefore impossible to describe their "ways"
generally, but to be correct, every species requires a separate
description. The red-deer (Cervus elaphus) is the same throughout
Europe, Asia, and America, differing only in size and denomination.
It is hunted in various ways.

Anderson described a hunt in Siberia with a large species of
eagle, which actually killed the deer before those who were
mounted on horseback could reach the spot. He was himself
present, and his explanation of the incident was clear and graphic :
the eagle tore out the liver, after having coursed and struck the
stag upon the open plain.

In Scotland it would destroy sport if the red-deer were hunted
with hounds, as they would be driven en masse beyond the limits
of the forest. If deer are in herds, they should never be hunted.
A solitary stag that has harboured in some particular spot, and
has been carefully marked down, might be turned out and coursed
with deerhounds, but even then the forest might be disturbed if
the course were long. There can be no doubt that a deer-forest
should be kept as quiet as the grave.

There are agitators in England who disturb the minds of
unthinking men, almost as much as yelping curs would scare the
deer in a well -secluded sanctuary. It is the prevalent fashion,
among these egotistical people, to describe to an ignorant audience
what they consider to be the birthright of mankind. This
birthright takes the attractive form of appropriation. A man,
no matter who, is supposed to be born with a birthright that
will enable him to wander (trespass) at will over the grounds of
another private individual, who has either inherited his land, or

xxn THE DEER 359

become a proprietor by purchase. The rights of game are ques-
tioned, and condemned, as " wild creatures are God's gifts to man-
kind, and are sent for the benefit of all."

These gentlemen forget that the important element of " water "
may be claimed as a gift of nature for mankind, but that private
wells cannot be invaded by the public, neither can springs upon
private property be interfered with. They also wander from
historical fact when advancing the theory of a natural right to
land, or a right to game. If these agitators, who know nothing of
primeval rights of man, were to examine the actual conditions of
primeval society as represented by the vast numbers of tribes in
Central Africa, they would discover the utter fallacy of their
arguments. I extract, from what I wrote upon this subject when
in Africa, a few observations that may be worthy of their attention,
showing that the earliest rights (private rights) of man consisted
in the possession of land and hunting-grounds : —

" Although the wilderness between Unyoro and Fatiko is un-
inhabited (about 80 miles), in like manner with extensiye tracts
between Fabbo and Fatiko, every portion of that apparently
abandoned country is nominally possessed by individual proprietors,
who claim a right of game by inheritance.

"This strictly conservative principle has existed from time
immemorial, and may perhaps suggest to those ultra-radicals who
would introduce communistic principles into England, that the
supposed original equality of human beings is a false datum for
their problem. There is no such thing as equality among human
beings in their primitive state, any more than there is equality
among the waves of the sea, although they may start from the
same level of the calm. ... In tribes where government is weak,
there may be a difficulty in enforcing laws,* as the penalty exacted
may be resisted ; but even amidst these wild tribes there is a force
that exerts a certain moral influence among the savages, as among
the civilised : that force is public opinion.

" Thus, a breach of the game-laws would be regarded by the
public as a disgrace to the guilty individual, precisely as an act of
poaching would damage the character of a civilised person.

" The rights of game are among the first rudiments of property.
Man in his primitive state is a hunter, depending for his clothing
upon the skins of wild animals, and upon their flesh for his sub-
sistence ; therefore the beast that he kills upon the desert must be
his property ; and in a public hunt, should he be the first to wound
an animal, he will have gained an increased interest or share in the
flesh, by having reduced the chance of its escape. Thus public

360 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

opinion, which we must regard as the foundation of equity,
rewards him with a distinct and special right, which becomes
law.

"It is impossible to trace the origin of game-laws in Central
Africa, but it is nevertheless interesting to find that such rights
are generally acknowledged, and that large tracts of uninhabited
country are possessed by individuals, which are simply manorial.
These rights are inherited, descending from father to the eldest son.

" When the grass is sufficiently dry to burn, the whole thoughts
of the community are centred on sport ; but should a person set
fire to the grass belonging to another proprietor, he would be at
once condemned by public opinion, and he would (if such establish-
ments existed) be certainly expelled from his club."

It is not my intention to enter upon a treatise concerning game-
laws, but there is a fact that is beyond contradiction — the existence
of game depends upon preservation. If the game-laws were
abolished, and all protection withdrawn, reducing the position of
game to that of vermin, the question would resolve itself without
further argument, as there would, within a very few years, be no
existing subject of dispute. The game would entirely disappear,
as it has done in most parts of France.

The destruction of red- deer has already been complete in
England, excepting the small number still remaining at Exmoor ;
and those of Scotland would quickly share their fate should the
existing laws be abolished.

The character of the nation would be severely affected should
the game of the country disappear. No pursuit can be more con-
ducive to a development of manly instincts than that of either
shooting or hunting. It teaches a man to be quick, and ready for
any opportunity or emergency; he must have a correct eye for
country, and considerable decision of character. He must be a
good rider, and must excel both with the rifle and the smooth-bore ;
he must be hardy in constitution, and sound in wind and limb, if
he is to enjoy the exercise which must accompany all field sports,
whether on horseback or on foot.

At the present day England takes the lead in the manufacture
of first-class firearms. The reason may be accepted, that those
who enjoy the sports of the field can afford to pay for the best
quality. This is an important industry that would be almost
effaced should the game of the country disappear. In the vast
Empire of India, where extensive tracts of dense jungle were con-
sidered sufficient to ensure the security of wild animals, it has been
found necessary within the last twelve months to introduce special

xxn THE DEER 361

laws for the preservation of the game, which was fast disappearing
before the unremitting attacks of man.

In Ceylon there have been stringent game-laws for many years,
but in spite of this undeniable necessity, there are persons who
madly clamour against the protection of game in England. The
value of a deer-forest in Scotland is many times superior to the
annual rental for sheep pasturage. It is absurd to complain that
the poor have not the same privilege as the rich • nobody, unless a
professional agitator, envies the rich man his harmless enjoyments,
and the fact of wealth being introduced into the wild Highlands
brings comfort and employment to many who would otherwise seek
their livelihood on foreign shores.

Nothing can be more enjoyable than deer-stalking in the High-
lands. In olden times, when people shot with muzzle-loading
rifles and small charges of powder, the shooting was more difficult
than in the present day, as the trajectory of the bullet being high,
it was necessary to judge the distance accurately, to adjust the
back-sights of the rifle. The improvements within the last twenty
years have produced the perfection of weapons for deer-stalking in
Scotland, as the trajectory of the modern Express is so low that
no elevation is required for 150 yards. Practically no other sight
is required beyond that of point-blank.

I mentioned, in the commencement of this work, the name of
Purdey as the first inventor of the muzzle-loading Express. This
was then called No. 70, as that number of spherical bullets
weighed 1 lb. In those days there were no decimals of the inch
to designate the size of a bore, but the relative proportion to the
pound was always understood by the number of the calibre.

A dear friend, the late Sir Edward Kerrison, presented me
with a very beautiful Purdey rifle of this calibre, the first Express,
which burnt 4 drams of powder, and carried a conical solid two-
grooved bullet weighing 200 grains. I considered that rifle
perfection for deer-stalking in the Highlands, as it was point-blank
for 150 yards — merely permitting the natural intelligence of the
shooter to take the sight either coarse or fine, according to his
estimation of the distance. During the season of 1868 I was
enjoying the hills and hospitality of his Grace the Duke of Suther-
land, and afterwards of the late Lord Middleton at Applecross ; I
fired at fourteen stags with this Express solid bullet of Purdey's.
The rifle bagged thirteen out of fourteen ; and I felt ashamed of
myself that the only escape was the first shot fired, at Dunrobin,
when, never having previously fired the rifle, the extremely light
pull of the trigger deceived me, and it went off by accident, break-

362 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

ing the fore leg of a hart just below the shoulder, to my disgust
and disgrace.

That little bullet was about the diameter of the modern *400,
but, as its small weight denotes, it was exceedingly short. It
may be readily imagined that the extreme velocity doubled up the
soft lead upon impact with the tough muscles and bones of a
red-deer, so that the bullet never passed through, but remained
within the body, or generally beneath the skin on the side opposite
to that of entrance. Although I have always regarded that
weapon as perfection for deer-shooting, there was a difficulty in
loading. The first movement was to pour into the extremely
small bore 4 drams of powder, without spilling it ; the second was
to press down a thin wad, with a thick greased felt-wad on the top
of it ; the third was to wrap the bullet in a greased linen patch,
and ram this gently upon the greased wad. As the winged bullet
was mechanically fitted, and highly greased in its linen patch, it
was thoroughly air-tight, therefore the force necessary in loading
compressed the air between the descending bullet and the wad
upon the powder. The bullet formed a piston, and when the
weight of the loading-rod was removed, the elasticity of the com-
pressed air forced the bullet upwards, and left a dangerous vacuum
between it and the powder about 8 inches distant. This was a
source of danger, and although the barrel was of sufficient strength
to resist the strain, by not absolutely bursting, many barrels
bulged, my own included. Nevertheless the move had been made
by Mr. Purdey in the right direction. I used this rifle in Scot-
land and in Africa, and I never made better practice.

Deer-stalking in the Highlands, although most enjoyable, is a
selfish sport. If a house is full of guests, it is almost impossible
to afford " stalking " for any number, it is therefore necessary to
drive, as by this means all can share in the day's sport without
prejudice. At the same time, there is a great gulf between
stalking and driving. In the latter process much knowledge is
necessary, and great patience on the part of the keepers or gillies,
but there is nothing for the shooters but to lie hidden in the
positions allotted to them, and to shoot well when the opportunity
offers. On the other hand, stalking requires a profound knowledge
of the habits of red-deer, and thorough experience in the geography
of the locality, together with patience, coolness, and bodily activity.
We will assume that the weather is not bad, and that we start for
a day upon the hills. The dress will be arranged for easy walking,
and for concealment from view. I object to the kilt strongly, as
it swings, and any object in movement is liable to attract attention.

xxn THE DEER 363

Bare knees are not adapted for crawling along the spiky stumps of
burnt heather. There is nothing better than heather-mixture of
strong tweed trousers, and a Norfolk shirt; certainly no white
collar.

The attendants are very few. A gillie, a mile in the rear with
his pony and deer-saddle to bring home the dead. Another gillie,
who leads a brace of deer-hounds in the slips, about 200 yards
behind you. The keeper who accompanies you, and who will
severely test your patience unless you make him thoroughly under-
stand, before you start, that he is to keep quiet, and in no way
whisper, tug you by the sleeve, or offer advice at a critical
moment ; but that he is to remain a dumb companion. This is
all that you require.

Stalking is tolerably hard work upon some deer-forests, although
easy walking upon others. "We will say that the month is Sep-
tember, at which time the horns are certain to be clean. No
sheep have been permitted upon the forest, therefore the only
enemy is the grouse or the blue-hare. Nothing is more perplexing
than the whirr of a disturbed grouse, whose sudden flight is certain
to awaken the attention of the deer, when otherwise your position
would be well concealed. Attended by an experienced gillie, you
may have ascended a steep mountain side, commanding an exten-
sive view of deep corries, precipitous slopes, barren rocks that
have fallen in chaotic confusion from bare cliffs, and have nearly
choked the burn which threads its silvery way beneath. Your
guide halts suddenly, and seats himself upon a convenient rock or
tump of heather. " We'll just tak' a bit o' a spy," exclaims your
attendant, who can always halt and rest, when he feels blown, by
such a plausible excuse. The field-glass is at once brought to bear
upon the rusty surface of the heathery scene. Every hill-face is
scanned ; the sky-line of each mountain ; the dark depths of
inhospitable corries, — nothing is in view.

" Weel, I never saw the like o't ; it's just bad luck that we
met that d — d auld witch when we first started," exclaimed Sandy.
" I never kent the day for guid sport if auld Bell cam' across the
path ; " 1 and he spat upon the ground. " She's just an uncanny
body that brings nae guid, and my eyes are just that dull I canna
see through my gless ; but I dinna remember thae stanes by the
bit saft green moss near the tap o' that dark corrie yonder." A

1 According to Highland superstition, it is bad luck if the first person met
when starting should be an old woman. Old Bell was considered to be more
than usually uncanny. The generally accepted antidote to the spell is to spit
upon the ground.

364 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

steady look with my own glass determined that the stones were
hinds, lying down in the deep heather near a spring in the
mountain side. The question remained : " Was there any hart in
the neighbourhood?" None could be seen; the hounds were
about three-quarters of a mile distant in a straight line, but double
that distance by actual approach. It would never do to disturb
them, as their retreat would alarm any stag that might be lying
within view. The only plan was to back out of sight, to take the
wind, and to make a circuit round the hill, in order to come down
from above them. In stalking a deer, you should always endea-
vour to approach from above. The deer seldom looks towards a
height, but when standing upon an eminence, it looks downward
upon the great extent, which from its elevated position is exposed
to view. When you find it impossible to advance direct, and it
becomes necessary to make a long detour, the work begins, and
you appreciate the advantage of a thorough knowledge of the
country. We were soon out of sight, and crossing a lower shoulder
of the hill we had ascended, we hurried along the opposite side
under cover of the ridge for at least a mile and a half, and then
descending into a rocky torrent-bed, we commenced a careful ascent
towards the summit. This was a gap which formed the watershed,
and the source of the burn that we had adopted for our route.
We were now above the deer, and instead of being in our front,
they were upon our left. They were still lying down, and nothing
more was visible. Under these circumstances it was necessary to
cross the ridge and see what might be in view upon the other side
of the hill. We accordingly drew back, and then followed the
horse-shoe shape of the ridge, until we arrived upon the same slope
on which the deer were lying. We arrived at a broken portion of
the ridge, where large rocks were scattered over the surface ;
ascending to the sky-line, we had a clear view of the other side, as
we were now just above the hinds, which were not in sight, but
about 300 yards upon our left.

Almost at the same moment, Sandy and myself, without utter-
ing a word, knelt slowly down. There was a pair of antlers and
a portion of a head about 200 yards below us on our right. The
stag was lying down in very deep heather.

The wind was wrong ; but as we were high above him, we
remained unobserved. There were no means of stalking that stag,
as there was absolutely nothing except the heather to cover us.
I whispered to Sandy to remain where he was, while I would
endeavour to crawl cautiously through the heather. The face of
the hill was so steep that crawling head-foremost was impossible,

xxir THE DEER 365

and I was obliged to wriggle upon my side and back, feet-foremost.
By degrees I made progress, and I flattered myself that I should
get within 100 yards, when suddenly a hind and fawn which had
been concealed in the deep heather sprang to their feet about 150
yards upon my right. I sank below the heather, and was out of
sight, but I felt that the stag was on his legs. Gradually and
cautiously raising my head, I saw the stag standing about 120
yards from me ; the hind and fawn, upon the right, were looking
out across the line of our positions. They evidently had my
wind. If they had commenced to run, the stag would have
followed in an instant. He was looking downwards upon the
glen below, but he was standing almost broadside towards me.
I was lying on my back, therefore slowly and carefully I sat up,
my head was just above the heather as I raised the rifle. Almost
at the same moment the hind and fawn started off; the stag was
in the act of moving when I fired. He fell to the shot, disappear-
ing in the heather, and now and then exposing his antlers as he
struggled on the ground. I began to step the number of paces to
measure the distance, which is my usual custom. I had arrived
about half-way, when the stag suddenly jumped up, and without
a moment's hesitation started at full speed down the steep
mountain side, as though he had never been touched.

" Slip the dog," I shouted at the top of my voice, but the
knowing gillie had already done it. He had closed up with the
keeper, whom I had left behind when the stalk commenced, and
he had been watching the progress of the stalk with intense
excitement. He saw the deer fall, and was running towards me
when the stag regained his feet ; at the same moment he loosed
the dog, and Oscar, who was a first-rate hound, came bounding
past me with the game full in view.

Whatever superiority Oscar might have possessed upon level
ground, was entirely lost through the rough nature of the country.
The stag completely distanced him in the race down hill ; one hope
remained, that upon reaching the peat moss in the bottom, the
heavy soil would be against the deer, and the hound might recover
some advantage.

Hurrying at the best pace possible down the steep incline,
through the deep heather, occasionally slipping backwards over the
clattering stones, we ran down the hill, which in ordinary moments
would have required careful walking. Now, the stag was going
across the deep peat moss, and the snow-white Oscar was a bright
speck upon the brown surface, gaining decidedly in the race of life
and death. Had the deer been stationary, it would have been

366 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

difficult to have distinguished it upon the peat moss, which matched
exactly with its colour j but as it sped before the dog, and became
smaller as they both increased their distance, we could just deter-
mine that the stag would disappear from view before we should be
able to reach the lower ground.

This proved to be the case, and from the direction taken by the
stag, I much feared that it would escape should the hound lose
sight of it among the numerous torrent-beds between us and the
river Bruar. I knew Oscar to be thoroughly good, but although a
fleet and powerful hound, he had been trained, like all others, to
bring a wounded deer to bay, but not to seize. This always ap-
peared an absurdity to me, but it was a rule of the forest (Blair-
Athole). If the deer were determined to make for a certain point,
there was nothing to stop it ; the only chance lay in its being
pressed so closely by the hound that it would turn to bay in some
favourable locality.

I could run like a dog in those days, and the hardy gillie and
myself hurried across the heavy ground for about a mile, making
for the direction where the stag and Oscar had both disappeared.
The level swamp drained into many burns ; these had cut deep
clefts in the slopes which inclined towards the lower country. We
had lost all clue to the whereabouts of both stag and hound, and
after running for nearly a mile beyond the swamp where we had
last seen them, we halted to listen, in the hope of hearing the deep
voice of Oscar with the stag at bay.

Suddenly, to our surprise and disgust, we observed a white
object in the distance returning in our direction ; this was Oscar,
having lost his game.

Having had many years' experience, I felt certain that the stag
had thrown the hound off by running down a stream before the dog
had come in view, and it would probably be standing in some deep
place for concealment. We accordingly called the dog, who ap-
peared to receive fresh courage from our presence. After a run of
about half a mile, we arrived at a stream flowing along a deep
gully, where the tracks of the deer were most distinct, the hoofs
being widely spread, showing that it had been going at great speed.
As the torrent rushed down some ugly places, I felt sure the deer
would be in hiding somewhere not far distant ; I therefore encour-
aged the dog by hallooing him on, and he presently dashed away
to the left, as though he had obtained the scent. In another
minute we heard a few loud barks, and we saw the stag going off
down the hill about 200 yards distant, with Oscar close behind.
With a good view halloo to cheer the dog, we followed at best

xxn THE DEER 367

speed. After a run of a quarter of a mile, we had a splendid view
of the stag at full speed, and the dog upon its left flank; had
Oscar been trained to seize, he should have immediately tackled his
game by the throat or ear. Instead of this, he simply kept his
position, and presently turned a somersault as the stag kicked him
in the chest, and then gained 30 or 40 yards before the dog could
recover from the fall. Again both deer and pursuer were lost to
view, as they disappeared among steep descents and broken ground.
We had run more than three miles from the spot where I had fired
the shot, and I could now form a tolerably correct idea of the spot
where the stag would come to its final stand. The river Bruar
lay before us about a mile distant, and, as we hurried forward, I
caught sight of a white speck in the far distance. I felt sure this
was Oscar, and the stag was still in front, although from its colour,
matching with the brown heather, we could not distinguish any
animal beyond the hound.

We were not long in reaching the steep banks of the Bruar,
about a mile and a half above the falls. Nothing was in sight,
but as we halted to listen, our hearts beat with delight at hearing
the voice of Oscar, with the stag at bay somewhere beneath, in the
dark hollow of a sudden bend. Hurrying towards the spot, the
voice of the dog ceased ; the stag had broken his bay, and instead
of crossing the precipitous rocks, it turned back, and passed us at
full speed within 40 yards, with the dog in chase behind it. A
shot through the neck rolled it over, and for the first time Oscar
seized it by the throat. I did not fire at the neck, as I had in-
tended to hit the shoulder ; but I had been running for four or five
miles, and I was out of breath.

My first shot was too high. It was in good line just behind the
shoulder, but it had passed through the animal exactly below the
spine. The shock had knocked it over, but it had almost instantly
recovered, and practically it was as fresh as though it had not
received a bullet.

When aiming at an animal that is standing upon a steep incline
below you, the greatest care should be taken to shoot low, as near
the brisket as possible, to attain the shoulder. I made a mistake
when shooting quickly from an uncomfortable position, and did not
make a sufficient allowance for the downhill shot.

Reminiscences of the Highlands would make a volume, and I
cannot afford space for any lengthened descriptions of the red-deer
of Scotland, which are well known to so many who have had,
perhaps, greater experience than myself; but the great numbers of
deer, and the facilities for acquiring a knowledge of their habits,

368 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

offer a more than ordinary advantage, and yield information that
would be difficult to obtain elsewhere.

Although I do not class deer-driving with the far nobler and
more exciting sport of stalking, the driving is most instructive in
affording a knowledge of the habits of the animal. The deer will
always travel against the wind, which affords notice of an enemy.

Certain winds will be in favour of particular drives, and it
would be absurd to attempt a drive unless the wind were favourable.

There was no forest where deer-driving was better organised
than at Athole, in the last Duke's lifetime. Through his great
kindness I had much practical experience for some years upon those
well-remembered hills. If the wind was fair, the valley of Glen
Tilt was the favourite position for the rifles. The so-called
"boxes" were shallow pits built up with rocks and sods of turf to
resemble natural excrescences. These lined the left side of the
road when ascending from Forest Lodge, the river Tilt rushing in
a brawling stream upon the right.

The " boxes " were about 200 yards apart, and the hills rose
more or less abruptly to the height of about 700 feet above the
glen, exhibiting a clean sky-line, upon which in clear weather a
dog might have been distinguished with the naked eye.

On the opposite face, to the river's left, were the lofty Grampian
Hills, Ben-y-Gloe being the highest point.

The prettiest drive when the wind was favourable was that in
face of Ben-y-Gloe. The keepers and gillies had stereotyped
instructions that the deer were to be on the sky-line at 3 p.m.

To effect this, they would leave the Castle at about 4 A.M.,
and take a circuit embracing about 20 miles, from which they
would converge towards the appointed spot above Glen Tilt. The
driving of deer is a science ; very few men are necessary, and they
should be at intervals of a quarter of a mile apart. Eight men
will accordingly cover a line of 2 miles. They would commence
at a great distance by intervals of half a mile, or even more,
gradually converging as they approached the terminus of the drive.

The various herds or " parcels " of deer, seeing the men extended
in their rear, but not obtaining their scent, as the wind was in the
front, would gently move forward in the required direction, if the
drive were properly conducted. No noise of any kind should be
made, no wild gesticulations, but the men should march slowly
but steadily forward, halting occasionally according to the move-
ments of the deer.

I have frequently been with the keepers, with instructions to
prevent the deer from breaking back. The greatest possible care

xxii THE DEER 369

is required to keep them straight, and to drive them forward
without flurry or excitement. As herd after herd joins the general
movement, as miles of heather have been traversed, the difficulty
increases, as the deer become suspicious of danger, and evince a
strong desire to charge back through the wide intervals between
the advancing line.

When a herd turns round and faces the keepers, the simple
action of exposing a white handkerchief, without waving it, is
generally sufficient to stop the deer, and to prevent them from
making a rush towards the rear. Should one lot of deer rush
back and succeed in escaping from the drive, it is highly probable
that every deer, even should there be a thousand, would follow
suit, and a general stampede would produce a complete failure.

The hinds are always the leaders of a movement, and the harts,
or stags, are dependent upon these wary females for advice.

When the drive is advancing, and perhaps five hundred deer
may be moving slowly and hesitatingly forward, some clever old
hind, a regular "old parliamentary hand," will turn round and
confront the men at about 400 yards' distance. Several other
hinds will immediately imitate her example, until at length a
large number of deer will have halted in a crowd. A keeper will
immediately display a white handkerchief, and for the moment
halt ; every man along the line will do the same. The old hind
will perhaps advance inquisitively forward, as though to examine
the peculiar appearance of a white handkerchief. This is
dangerous, and she must be stopped. A shrill whistle will at
once turn her, and as she retreats, the handkerchief may be slowly
waved, as the man advances.

In this manner, by degrees, with quiet and reflective manage-
ment, the large mass of animals may be induced to move in the
required direction. Should some determined hart or hind make a
rush backwards in desperation, it must be stopped at all hazards
by a shot, but the great secret of success is quietness.

In the meantime six guns are anxiously waiting in the same
number of boxes at the foot of the hills, thus lining the valley of
Glen Tilt. The order has been given that the deer are to be
visible on the sky-line at 3 p.m. Every watch has been set to
the same time, and the anxious watchers have been repeatedly
conferring with their dials, and scanning the sky-line with their
binoculars, as only five minutes remain of the time appointed.

The keepers in the rear of the advancing herds have also referred
to their watches, and they take a pride in carrying out their
instructions with the greatest punctuality.

2b

370 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Everything goes well, and those who are watching below
suddenly observe a solitary head and antlers clearly defined upon
the sharp outline of the hill-top. Then another, and another,
until single deer are multiplied and the crest of the hill is covered
with a display of deer, stags and hinds confused together ; other
stags in company ; and a few hinds some 50 yards or more in
advance, to reconnoitre, before the main body will venture upon a
general forward movement down the mountain side.

It is highly interesting to watch the caution of the hinds ; how
they regard the view before them, how they scrutinise the right
and left, and leave nothing unobserved. Then perhaps the wary
old hind herself advances alone, and trots along the face, regarded
anxiously by every deer of the vast herd, all confident in her
qualifications as a pilot.

By degrees she becomes satisfied, and she walks briskly down
the hill, followed by about twenty other hinds ; these form a kind
of advance guard, followed by a number of stags, and a mixed lot
of all kinds, as they feel that no danger exists in front.

In this way they descend the hill, and shortly afterwards the
sky-line will be occupied by a line of sentries in the shape of
keepers and gillies, who, having successfully driven the deer before
them, now stand as though on parade upon the ridge, their duty
having been well performed.

The work is not yet over. Great care is now required. The
keepers must not descend too hurriedly, but only remain standing,
and show themselves to encourage the forward movement of the
deer. They are now nearing the bottom, and in a few minutes
will be splashing through the shallow waters of the Tilt. A few
fine harts are following a parcel of cunning hinds, which have halted
a dozen times before they reached the bottom. These are already
belly-deep in the water, wading across the river; the harts are
following, and are near the stream. Suddenly a puff of smoke,
then another, from a raised portion of the heather ! A stag falls,
and the astonished herd rushed frantically to the right ; another
puff of smoke from a hidden box rolls over another stag.

A rush takes place in all directions : some force a passage across
the river, several falling to successful shots as the fire is opened
from every box that is available ; some deer break back and
reascend the hill. Now the active rifles which have advanced in
line with the keepers throughout the drive run nimbly forward,
and endeavour to intercept those animals which are determined to
break through the converging line of drivers.

At length the drive is over. The main body of the deer have

xxii THE DEER 371

crossed the river, and can be seen in scattered groups ascending
the steep sides of Ben-y-Gloe. A few have succeeded in breaking
back, some eight or ten are killed, and two or three are wounded,
and may be seen standing alone about half a mile distant, mid- way
up the hill.

There is a gillie well above one of these stags hurrying forward
with a deer-hound in the slips. When the dog sees the deer, and
strains upon his collar, he is loosed, and away he goes straight for
the stag, who is looking after the departed herd, and has not
observed the approaching hound. Suddenly it perceives the
danger ; as though unhurt, the stag flies down the hill-side, running
obliquely to avoid the steep descent, and the dog is shortly at its
heels. Both disappear among the bushes of a small copse of
birch ; a few minutes later everybody is running towards the bay
as the deep voice of the hound proclaims that the stag is in the
river, standing before the dog in bold defiance.

There is hardly a more sporting sight than a stag at bay • but
as the dogs are trained simply to follow a wounded deer until it
stands, when the baying of the hound will attract the attention of
the far-distant men, the termination of the hunt is a tame affair,
as the deer is shot directly that the rifle arrives upon the scene. . . .
About thirty-two years have passed away since we discussed the
question whether the deer-hounds at Blair would seize a stag, if it
were considered necessary. Most persons who knew the training
of the dogs thought not. The Duke of Athole inclined to that
opinion. On the other side I thought they would, provided that
no rifles were taken out, and the dogs should see that the stag
was to be tackled at close quarters with the knife.

There never was a keener sportsman than his Grace the late
Duke of Athole, and he was good enough to consent to a trial.
The arguments had interested the ladies of the party, and it was
arranged that I might select any two of the deer-hounds, and hunt
down a fresh stag, run it to bay, and kill it with a knife. To
myself the affair appeared exceedingly simple, as I had been
accustomed to this kind of hunting for many years on the moun-
tains of Ceylon, but others disbelieved that the two hounds would
bring a fresh deer to bay, as they had always been accustomed to
follow animals that were wounded.

By the advice of the head forester, Sandy Macarra (MacCarra),
I chose my old friend Oscar, and another hound, whose name I
have forgotten.

We were a large party, and we met at Forest Lodge, about 10
miles from the Castle, in the middle of Glen Tilt. There are few

372 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

glens in the Highlands more picturesque. The road from Blair
Castle passes through lovely woods bordering the impetuous
stream ; this rushes wildly through contracted passes, hemmed in
by opposing rocks ; sometimes it is girt by stony cliffs half con-
cealed by lichens ; other portions of the face combine every shade
of colouring in vivid tints. The mountain ash, with clusters of
scarlet berries, overhangs the rocks in rich profusion of both fruit
and foliage, until at length the open glen is reached, beyond the
limit of the woods.

This is a well-known resort of tourists, and nothing can exceed
the wild beauty of the scene, when about the middle of September
the autumnal tints have ornamented every leaf with peculiar
brightness. Although we have emerged from the main woods,
there are clumps of weeping birch with its silver bark and golden
leaves ; and rowan thickets bending over the rapid river, now and
then reflected in the calm surface of a deep pool, where the salmon
are lying waiting for a flood. This kind of rough scenery con-
tinues throughout the glen, the narrow bottom occupied by the
river, bordered by a* good road, while the mountains rise upon
either side, and form the Grampian Hills.

The afternoon was perfect ; all that was required was game.

Certainly the presence of many ladies brought us luck ; for,
after scanning in vain a long expanse of country, we were suddenly
delighted by the almost magical appearance of a stag ; he had been
lying down behind a large rock a little more than half-way up the
hill-face. He now stood regarding the carriages, and our large
party, which included the keepers, and the two hounds from Forest
Lodge. The stag was about 1000 yards distant. I was only
afraid that he would commence a trot up the hill, and disappear
above the sky-line ; but fortunately we were upon the main road,
upon which the deer were accustomed to regard passengers
(although few), who did not interfere in any manner with their
domain. It was therefore decided that the party should turn
back, and drive for about a mile on the Castle side of Forest
Lodge, while I should walk on until I should be out of the deer's
sight; I could then discover a favourable position for ascending
the hill, and coming down from above upon the stag. This was
an excellent arrangement. The party turned back, while I con-
tinued on my way, accompanied by two of the hill-men and the
dogs.

It did not take us very long to climb the hill, and we found
ourselves upon the well-known desolate extent of heather, sloping
always upwards, although we had reached what from below

xxn THE DEER 373

appeared to be the summit. There were a few hinds within view,
and some young harts, but they were not in a position to disturb
the stag, who was far away out of sight, being on our left, well
below, upon the hill-face.

There was neither caution nor science required, therefore we
made a quick advance, marching parallel with the glen, about a
quarter of a mile on the right of the incline above the Tilt.

When arriving at the position which I had roughly calculated
as above the spot where we had seen the stag, we turned to our
left, and came downwards, until we were in sight of Glen Tilt,
and we could see the carriages with our entire party waiting in the
road about a mile upon our right. The deer was not in sight.
This was exceedingly awkward, as it looked as though he had
suspected danger, and had departed.

My men did not think so ; they thought that he had again lain
down when the carriages turned and were lost to view. It was
the party which had disturbed him, therefore he had again reposed
when the party was gone.

• In this opinion I agreed : we accordingly held the dogs in
readiness to slip immediately, and the gillie led the way. We
were not kept many minutes in suspense ; there was no doubt
that the stag had been lying down, as he suddenly sprang up
within 100 yards of us, and in the same instant the dogs were
slipped. They had viewed him immediately that he sprang up
from the heather and the broken surface of the hill-face.

This must have been a lovely sight from the carriages, although
rather far for the unassisted eye. For a few seconds the stag
took up the hill, but the hounds ran cunning, and cut him off; he
now took a straight course along the face, towards the direction
where the carriages were waiting below. The hounds were going
madly and were gaining on him. I now felt certain that he could
not breast the hill at such a pace, therefore, instead of follow-
ing over the rough ground, we made all speed direct for the
bottom, to gain the level road. It did not take long to reach the
welcome solid footing, and away we went as hard as we could go
along the road, towards the direction of the carriages. As
we drew near, we could see the hunt. The deer had passed the
spot where our party was in waiting, but he now turned down the
hill towards the river, with the two dogs within a few yards of
his heels. Presently we lost sight of everything ; we pushed for-
ward, passed the carriages, which were empty, as everybody had
joined in the hunt, and after running about a quarter of a mile
down the road, we heard the bay, and shortly arrived at the spot

374 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xxii

where the stag was standing in the middle of a rapid, and the
hounds were baying from the bank. No doubt the dogs expected
to hear the crack of a rifle, and to see the gallant stag totter and
fall in the foaming river, according to their old experiences. How-
ever, they were not long in doubt. Patting both the excited
hounds upon the back, and giving them a loud halloo, I jumped
into the water, which was hardly more than hip-deep, but the
stream was very rapid. The stag, upon seeing my advance, ran
down the bed of the river, and halted again after a short run of
50 or 60 yards. The two keepers had followed me, and Oscar
and? his companion no longer thought of baying from the bank,
but being carried forward by the torrent, together with ourselves,
were met by the stag with lowered antlers. I never saw dogs
behave better, although for a moment one was beneath the water ;
Oscar was hanging to the ear. I caught hold of the horn to assist
the dog, and at the same moment the other hound was holding by
the throat. The knife had made its thrust behind the shoulder,
and the two gillies were holding fast by the horns to prevent the
torrent from carrying away the dying animal. This had been a
pretty course, which did not last long, but it was properly managed,
and in my opinion ten times better sport than shooting a deer at
bay.

I am afraid that Sandy Macarra never quite forgave me for
that hunt. "Weel, you've just ruined the dogs for ever, and
there'll be nae haudin' them frae the deer noo. They'll just spoil
the flesh, and tear the deer to pieces." This was the keeper's idea
of what I thought was good sport. Certainly the venison did not
belong to me, neither did the dogs.

Deer-stalking in the Highlands is a tempting theme, upon
which I have no space to dilate. It awakens recollections of keen
excitement, and the kindness of old friends, nearly all of whom
are gone.

CHAPTER XXIII

CEEVID^e (continued)

Next to the red-deer is the fallow-deer (Cervus dama). Although
this species is most common, it is declared by some to be not
indigenous to Europe, but upon the authority of Cuvier it was
originally introduced from Barbary. I should much doubt that
fact, as the deer is not an animal that belongs to the African
continent, and is nowhere found except on the north coast border-
ing the Mediterranean. It should therefore be more natural that
the Cervus dama (platyceros of the ancients) was introduced into
Barbary from Southern Europe. The great Sahara desert has
intervened as though it were an ocean, and has completely pro-
hibited the passage of the fauna from north to south, therefore
the deer which are found in Barbary can have no affinity with the
fauna of Africa.

The fallow-deer does not run wild in Great Britain like the red-
deer, but is confined in parks. As late as 1835 there were large
numbers that were unfenced in the New Forest in Hampshire, and
I can well remember seeing them in 1832 when I delighted in
that forest, as a boy. I believe a few still remain, but the fallow-
deer can no longer be accepted as a wild animal of Great Britain.

It is a beautiful species, and, as it is park -fed, and better
sheltered during winter than the red-deer of Scotland, the horns
have not deteriorated. These are very elegant in shape, being
palmated, with many points. There is a difference of opinion
respecting the quality of the venison as compared with that of the
red-deer. I prefer that of the fallow-deer, but it is almost a crime
to declare this in Scotland.

The third variety of British deer is the roe (G. capreolus).
This small deer is about the size of an ordinary goat. Although
the horns have only two tines, the quality is exceedingly dense,
and the exterior is rich in small knobs ; the roughness makes

376 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xxiii

it particularly handsome. It exists in considerable numbers in
Scotland, being generally found in thick woods where the ground
is covered with very high heather. This animal is not gregarious,
but is generally associated with one female, or is quite alone.
The female carries her young for between five and six months, and
has seldom more than one or two at a birth. The flesh is esteemed
in Central Europe, where it is well larded with bacon, and prepared
in a different manner from that in England ; but I have always
regarded it as dry, and most inferior game. It can hardly be
classed as a sporting animal, as the shooting of a roe-deer is upon
a par with shooting a hare. It is common throughout Europe and
Western Asia.

There are great varieties of small deer throughout the world,
some of which are too insignificant for description, as I endeavour
in this work to exhibit the characters and peculiarities of such
animals as are generally accepted by the sportsman as attractive
game. It is therefore a relief to take leave of the insignificant
roe, and to cross the Atlantic, where we shall find the red-deer of
Europe transformed by the favourable conditions of the country
and its fattening pasturage into the gigantic wapiti (Cervus
Canadensis).

CHAPTER XXIV

THE WAPITI (CERVUS CANADENSIS)

I have already advanced the opinion that this superb species of
deer is nothing more than the Cervus elaphus, or red-deer of
Europe and Northern Asia, upon a larger scale; it exceeds them
in a wonderful degree, not only in stature, but in the immense size
of the antlers. A fine stag, when about ten or twelve years old,
is a magnificent sight to any person who takes a pleasure in the
study of wild animals. The colour is similar to that of the red-
deer, but the rump is rather a lighter brown. I have never
actually weighed or measured a wapiti, but from my experience in
the exact weight of other deer of various species, I should say that
the live weight would be from 900 to 1000 lbs.; the same animal
would be 14 J hands in shoulder height. It is found throughout
North America, but, like other game, it has been so hunted that
it has almost disappeared from localities where formerly it was
plentiful, as neither sex has been spared in the warfare of
extermination.

This splendid deer was at one time numerous in the Sacramento
valley, not far from the city of San Francisco, but it is now an
animal of the past, although the town is hardly forty years old.
Southern California affords every facility for the hunter, owing to
the mildness of its climate, which enables him to shoot throughout
all seasons, therefore the game has no rest. The wapiti is departed
towards the north, where it seeks the shelter of the uninhabited
wilderness, far away from the dwellings or pursuits of man.

Many persons, in their descriptions of game, forget the great
distances that animals will travel when once disturbed. Accounts
have been given to me by persons well accustomed to wild sports,
who, having had the good fortune to be the first upon fresh
ground, have seen an enormous amount of game. They have
described this as impossible to destroy; "no matter how many

378 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

gunners may start from England, the game would last for five or
six years.'' These enthusiastic persons forget that although the
game will not be actually shot, it will be driven away, which is
almost as bad.

A week's shooting in a mountainous country, where the echoes
of the rifle will be resounded far and wide among the hills, will
disturb an incredible extent. Such long-enduring animals as deer
will travel 30 or 40 miles in 24 hours, and they will quickly dis-
appear. The presence of deer is seldom continuous in the same
locality throughout all seasons. They are influenced by the
pasturage, and the changes of climate : they accordingly are well
acquainted with a large area of country, perhaps extending for
several hundred miles, through which they have been accustomed
to range from the days of their birth.

The wapiti is a wide ranger, and I have no doubt that those
which are met with on the Big Horn range in the State of
Wyoming travel at certain seasons to the main range of the Eocky
Mountains. All animals that are gregarious are migratory, especi-
ally if they are in large numbers. I have myself seen at least 300
wapiti in one herd, and I am quite certain that they went straight
away from the Big Horn range, as I never saw them again,
although I was riding great distances every day for several weeks
throughout the country.

I have already described the character of the Big Horn mountains
in the chapter devoted to the bear ; it is only necessary to repeat
that it resembles the Highlands of Scotland to a certain degree,
upon an enormous scale, the mountains rising to an altitude of
12,000 feet above the sea-level, and the forests of spruce firs
extending for many miles along the slopes. The superiority over
Scotland consists in the firm character of the soil ; there are no
swamps or peat mosses, but fine grass, which forms a most fattening
pasturage, and in many places the wild sage takes the place of
Scottish heather. It may be readily imagined that such a com-
bination forms the perfection of a shooting ground. There are,
however, considerable drawbacks. Although the climate is ex-
tremely healthy, the atmosphere is most disagreeable, through the
sudden varieties of temperature and the extreme dryness.

Our camp was generally about 10,000 feet above the sea. At
that altitude the air is considerably rarefied, and the cold during
night was extreme, in the month of September. In the day the
sun was hot, and the wind was at the same time piercing : this
was very trying to the skin, and although I was tolerably weather-
proof, my face and neck were peeled from the harsh exposure.

XXIV

THE WAPITI 379

We had no other tent than an ordinary single cloth lean-to, about
7 feet square, and under 6 feet in height in the centre beneath the
ridge-pole. A bed upon the ground, formed of the tender ends of
spruce branches, and covered with a waterproof camp sheet, upon
which were double blankets, would have been a luxury in a milder
climate, but it was almost impossible to keep warm, as the cold
was so intense, that a pail of water exposed at night became a solid
block of ice before the morning. The most welcome bedfellows
were a few large rounded pebbles from the stream, about 10 lbs.
each; these were well heated in the fire, and then wrapped in
thick flannel : in the absence of a warming-pan, it was a simple
arrangement that produced great comfort.

The extent of forest was very small in proportion to the open
grass -land. Periodical fires appeared to have destroyed large
tracts, and the blackened stems produced an aspect of painful
desolation.

Where the spruce forests were unharmed, the signs of wapiti
were very extraordinary. In some places there was not a sound
tree, as every stem had been used from time to time as a rubbing-
post, to clean the antlers. This would be a proof that the animals
were collected in vast numbers towards the end of the period when
the horns were hardening, and the velvet required rubbing. The
horns are clean in the middle of August ; the animals would be
there about the middle of July in their greatest numbers, but at
that time they would not be fit to shoot.

The flies are insufferable until about 15 th August, therefore
the actual shooting season in the Big Horn is limited from that
date until 30th September.

A man who never misses a day, but who is in the saddle from
sunrise till sunset, will cover a large extent of country in a month,
and there will be very little remaining after a shooting expedition
of six weeks.

When I was there, a party of skin-hunters had obtained a start
of a few days, and I was obliged to change my course in order to
avoid them, as they had already disturbed a portion of the ground.

There was no attractive scenery throughout the Big Horn
range ; it was a great expanse of desolation. The finest spruce
were not larger than those ordinarily seen in England ; the "cotton-
wood, which in the low country grows to the size of a black
poplar (which it exactly resembles), is dwarfed by the rigour of
the climate, and is not thicker, nor taller, than a hop-pole. This
grows in dense patches of 8 or 10 acres upon the face of the
slopes, and is the chief resort of the black-tail deer.

380 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

The game of this mountain range consisted of bears, wapiti,
black-tail deer, bison, wild sheep (big-horn), antelopes, wolves, and
foxes. Among the game-birds were the blue-tailed grouse and the
sage-hen.

I had heard so much concerning the wanton slaughter of wild
animals, that I determined not to leave the character of a
" destroyer " behind me ; therefore, although my sport would be
limited by showing mercy, I made up my mind to abstain from
shooting only for the sake of killing. By adopting this arrange-
ment I should have a certain advantage, as I should not alarm
the country by firing many shots.

The black-tail deer were not fit to shoot until the middle of
October, as the horns were not yet clean. I regretted this, as
their antlers are most peculiar, being curved, with a multitude of
points, and although not large, they are exceedingly ornamental.
This animal is about the size of a fallow-deer, the colour grayish
brown, and the venison excellent. Owing to the disturbance
caused by the skin-hunters, we saw no wapiti for several days. I
was astonished, as the accounts that I had received had been most
glowing. There were plenty of antelopes, all of which were as
wild as hawks ; and had wapiti been upon the open, it would have
been difficult in some places to have stalked them, as the antelopes
scouring over the ground would have given notice of the approach
of danger. Bison were very plentiful, but after shooting a fine
bull, I only regarded them as ornaments in a natural park, and
they were considered sacred. In several places they fed within a
few hundred yards of our camp, without apparent notice. This
was all very agreeable, but where were the wapiti 1

There was no party beyond Lady Baker, myself, and our four
attendants, with a number of horses and mules.

I had lent my hunter (Jem Bourne) a Martini-Henry rifle,
but he was not supposed to shoot without permission.

Among our horses was a well-trained animal named Buckskin,
who would remain any length of time standing, to await my
return, if I dismounted to stalk a deer. This was a remarkably
safe beast ; powerful and steady, he never made a false step, either
up or down a hill. I could shoot from his back almost as well as
though on foot, as he never flinched, but stood like a rock. He
was a horse that should endure for many years, as he never over-
exerted himself; he preferred to be ridden without spurs. I
forgot them once ; but I never did again. On that occasion he
was delighted, as he knew that he could arrange his pace according
to his natural discrimination ; he accordingly declined to go

xxiv THE WAPITI 381

beyond a walk. As to digging the unarmed heels of riding-boots
into his flanks, or thrashing him with a stick, you might as well
bestride a garden roller and dig your heels into the iron ; you
could not discover the stick that would affect him for more than a
few seconds, neither could you "belabour" the animal without
cessation.

The day that I forgot my spurs, we were riding along a
valley; the left slope was wooded with spruce forest, the right
was open grass. We suddenly observed a number of antelopes
scouring down from the sky-line on our right, about 600 yards
distant ; these had evidently been disturbed, and as there were no
hunters within many miles of our position, we could not conceive
the cause. Presently, three large bears appeared, cantering -along
at a great pace down the grass slope, making all haste to reach
the forest on our left. As they would cross our path, we had
every chance of intercepting them by a quick gallop straight ahead
along the bottom of the valley. Buckskin took a different view
of the position : he knew that I had no spurs, and in spite of
every exertion on my part, I could not induce him to increase his
pace from an ordinary walk. I jumped off, and ran as hard as I
could go, but as we were about 10,500 feet above the sea-level, I
was soon out of breath. The bears did not appear to suffer from
short wind, as they reached the forest before I could cut off their
retreat. My man unfortunately rode a mule upon that occasion,
therefore we lost our chance. Mine was a really clever horse ; as
a rule, I think a horse is next door to a lunatic ; but Buckskin
with spurs was as different from Buckskin without spurs as a
steam-engine would be with or without fuel. Although I liked
this animal, because he carried me up and down hills without fail,
I did not actually love him, because I knew that my spurs were
my true allies, and that I could no more progress without them
than a steamer without her screw propeller. Horses are contra-
dictory creatures ; some occasionally exhibit intelligence, especially
when they are offered a feed of corn, and they do not refuse it, but
they decidedly fail as examples of evolution ; they have been the
companions of mankind ever since the days of the creation, and
they are no more civilised in the nineteenth century than when
Noah took them into his ark.

There was a member of Parliament a few years ago (he was
not the leader of the House of Commons) who thus defined the
horse, in some debate upon* Army Estimates, where cavalry
remounts were concerned — " I have but little sympathy with the
horse ; I only know that it is an animal that bites you with one

382 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

end, kicks you with the other, and makes you sore with its
middle."

That " making you sore with its middle " brings the Mexican
saddle to the front. For such countries as the Rocky Mountains,
where no jumping is necessary, there cannot be a more perfect
arrangement for horse and man than the Mexican saddle. This is
totally opposed to European ideas. It is exceedingly heavy,
weighing from 25 to 30 lbs. There is no stuffing. It is open by
a longitudinal slit beneath the seat, which would suggest the idea
that you certainly would suffer from a long ride. It has a horn in
front, and a high cantle behind. The stirrups are very wide, and
are covered with leather ; they are neither heated by the sun in
summer, nor rendered cold in winter, as the bare metal would be.
From different portions of the saddle, long strips of buckskin are
suspended, which are most useful for lashing anything required to
be carried.

The argument in favour of weight is, that the extent of the
saddle covers the entire back of the horse, therefore the weight of
the rider is generally, distributed over a large area of the muscles,
instead of being concentrated upon a small portion of the back.
The slit in the seat ventilates the back of the horse and the
posterior of the rider, therefore both are kept cool. The absence
of stuffing is supplied by a small folded blanket ; and owing to its
peculiar shape, the tree of the saddle rests upon either side of the
spine, instead of pressing directly upon the withers and the central
line of the back.

When I was in San Francisco I hit upon a practical method
for carrying the rifle on horseback. Mr. Davies, the saddler in
that city, gave me great assistance. A strong leather case, that
will receive the rifle as far as the bend of the stock, is secured
through a broad strap (4 inches wide) of very thick leather, riveted
with copper rivets to the flap of the saddle, which in the Mexican
pattern projects in front of the knee. This arrangement is upon
the near (left) side. When the rifle is in this leather case, fitting
loosely, the case is forced through the retaining strap, which keeps
it firmly secured against the flap. A very strong belt of leather,
fastened also with copper rivets from the upper and broad portion
of the leather case, is buckled round the front horn of the saddle.
The rifle is now represented as muzzle downward, perpendicular.
The butt-end is about level with the arm-pit of the rider. His
bridle-hand holds the reins inside, therefore, when he requires his
rifle suddenly, he has only to grasp it with his right hand by the
neck of the stock, and draw it from its stiff and firmly secured

xxiv THE WAPITI 383

leather case, as though it were a sword being drawn from the
scabbard. I have never seen any plan equal to this, as you can
gallop through bush without the rifle being any obstacle whatever,
and you can draw it in an instant.

I was riding along a ridge overlooking a valley upon my right,
a few days after we had seen the bears, when I caught sight of a
cotton-wood tree upon the margin of the spruce forest, that was
shaking violently. At once divining the cause, I dismounted, and
leaving my horse, I sat down upon the very steep grass slope, and
thus shuffled along the incline until I was opposite the spot. I
could see nothing, but after waiting for about a minute, I observed
another cotton-wood shaking a few yards from the outside edge of
the spruce forest. I knew that a wapiti must be rubbing its antlers
against the yielding stem. The wind was in my favour, therefore,
as I could not discern the animal, I felt that it did not see me ;
accordingly I crept along the ground until I arrived at the margin
of the wood. Again the tree shook, not 20 yards from me ; still
I could see nothing, owing to the thickness of the vegetation. I
crept slowly towards the spot, and almost immediately I heard a
tremendous rush ; at the same moment I caught sight of a most
glorious stag as he sprang down the hill, passing me within 1 5
yards.

As I pulled the trigger, I heard a sound as though a horse had
fallen. The great rush continued, and was passing on my right.
A few steps regained the open, and eight magnificent stags at full
gallop passed me in single file within 60 yards. I put up the rifle,
took the line of sight, and lowered it again without pulling the
trigger, as I knew my beast was down. I watched these superb
animals as they dashed across the valley and breasted the steep
hill on the other side, almost with regret that I had spared them
from the shot. I now re-entered the forest, and found my first
wapiti lying dead. This was indeed a glorious creature, with a
pair of antlers which looked like the branches of a tree. I would
not have it touched, but I immediately rode to camp, about two
miles distant, for my wife to come and admire this lovely specimen ;
at the same time I ordered the mules with their pack saddles, to
bring home the flesh. When we opened this animal, the fat was
several inches thick upon the brisket.

This was the commencement, and I could no"t help reflecting
upon the absurdity of the situation. I had come a great distance
to shoot, but the circumstances rendered indiscriminate shooting
impossible to any person who was experienced in fair game. If
there had been Indian tribes, I should have been delighted to have

384 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

shot for their benefit, but as the country was uninhabited, the
shooting of those splendid wapiti was simply destruction. I could
only restrict myself to a study of natural history, occasionally
taking shots whenever the temptation was too strong.

In riding daily throughout the country, I was much impressed
with the small number of cast horns which we discovered.
Although they were scattered in considerable profusion, they were
nothing compared with the rubbing marks upon the trunks of the
spruce firs. Thousands of them were bare to the wood, over a
surface of 4 or 5 feet ; from the appearance, these were annual
rubbing-posts, but all had been freshly rubbed during the last
season. We seldom found a pair of antlers, generally only one ;
and the fellow was nowhere in the neighbourhood. This paucity
of antlers denoted that the deer were not in this country in large
numbers during the early spring when the horns are shed. I can
imagine that the bitter cold of winter to the end of February
would drive every living creature to the lower ground ; but where
the horns are shed, I cannot explain. As the deer are migrating,
it is possible that they travel to certain localities periodically,
either for the annual shedding, or for the reproduction of their
horns.

Upon two occasions only I came upon really large herds. I
had been out all morning, but had only seen bison and black-tail
deer. We were riding along the gentle incline of a glen, through
which a rapid but shallow stream was flowing; there was an
object in the distance, that resembled the charred stump of a
dead tree, within 50 yards of the right bank of the streamlet.
The binoculars determined that this was a female wapiti.

She was standing in a narrow portion of the glen, not far from
a cliff of bluff rocks 80 or 100 feet high ; upon the opposite side,
the hills rose to several hundred feet in a steep grass slope. The
hind was about 1200 yards distant. We accordingly dismounted,
and leaving our horses, I suggested that we should approach in
the hollow upon the bank of the stream until within about 200
paces ; my hunter would then stop, and I would continue along
the bed, in order to gain a position exactly opposite the spot where
the deer was standing. I felt perfectly certain that a stag, or
perhaps more, would be lying down, as, though invisible, they
would not be far off.

We accordingly commenced the stalk. We had not proceeded
far, when the hind was joined by a large stag, which must have
been lying down close to her, unperceived by us. Although the
antlers were not bad, there was nothing particular in their size.

xxiv THE WAPITI 385

We advanced along the hollow of the river's bed until we were
within 200 yards from the spot where the deer were standing.
Occasionally we took a cautious peep above the bank to see
whether they had moved. I now left my hunter lying down, with
his head just above the bank to watch, while I waded down the
centre of the stream, in the endeavour to reach a bend, which would
bring me within 100 yards.

The water was about knee-deep. I was progressing well, when
to my astonishment I heard a shot. With considerable difficulty I
clambered up the steep side of the bank, which rose 12 or 14 feet
above the river on my right. There was a lovely sight ; several
hundred wapiti had crossed the stream about 200 yards ahead of
my position, and were ascending the grass slope, struggling in a
line of dense brown upon the yellow surface, making a rapid retreat
across the hills upon my left. This large herd must have been
lying down in the hollow unseen by us, owing to the rocks and
rough nature of the broken ground. It appeared, from the descrip-
tion given by my hunter, that shortly after I had left him to
watch the hind, a stag had risen from the bushes in the neigh-
bourhood, and the two had commenced a movement down the
valley. As he knew that I must be unaware of the change, being
far below the point of view, in the deep hollow of the river, he
took a shot at the retreating stag. The report of his rifle immedi-
ately startled a great herd of these splendid deer that had been
lying concealed somewhere in the valley, close to the borders of
the stream, where there was a regular passage for wild animals.
They had dashed across the shallow ford, and I had nothing to do
but to abuse my companion for having fired the shot. There must
have been three or four hundred deer in this herd, many of which
carried superb heads. If my man had kept quiet, I should most
certainly have obtained a splendid chance ; as it had happened, I
could only admire the sight of these grand animals in rapid move-
ment ascending the open slope until they at length reached the
summit, and having crossed the sky-line they were lost to view.

I have no doubt that this fine herd travelled direct, and did
not return to the Big Horn range during the remainder of the
autumn season. Having crossed the shoulder of the mountains,
they had a straight course down hill for 7 or 8 miles, and then a
wild and uninhabited district for 60 or 70 miles towards the main
range of the Rocky Mountains. From the direction they took, I
feel confident this was the case, and their departure from our
range was highly instructive, showing the direct effect of disturb-
ance in driving wild animals away from a particular district. If

2 c

386 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

these wapiti had been divided into twenty or thirty herds of small
numbers, they would have been scattered over an extreme area,
and have afforded permanent sport for many days ; but the fact of
their being collected into one vast herd would denude the country.
A very large herd would probably travel a much greater distance
than a smaller number. All masses and crowds are influenced by
panics ; the presence of many females with their young ones would
increase the excitement of a retreat, and a march of only five hours
would carry a herd of deer over an interval of 25 or 30 miles.

It appeared as though all the wapiti of the immediate neigh-
bourhood had been gathered together in that large herd, as I could
not discover one animal of the species for a couple of days after
this incident ; we accordingly moved our camp.

There is always a charm in novelty, and this is exhibited to per-
fection when, after a morning's march in the Big Horn range, a
clear rippling brook in a shady glen, beneath overhanging woods
of dark green spruce, invites a halt ; here we decide upon the new
camping ground, well sheltered from wind, with a supply of fuel,
and good water. No shot had been fired within 10 miles of our
new camp, therefore we had every reason to expect game.

On the following morning I rode out with my hunter Jem.
The forests were difficult, owing to the number of fallen trees and
the steepness of the mountain slopes ; we accordingly ascended the
mountain until we gained a tolerably level surface above the
woods ; this enabled us to obtain a clear view for some miles
ahead, and to the sky-line upon the summit to our left. We rode
parallel with the forest, upon the extreme verge, occasionally
turning into it when level ground rendered it practicable ; but
although tracks were numerous, we saw nothing except black-tail
deer. It is probable that many other animals were existing in the
recesses of the dark forest, but for mounted men it would have
been impossible to adopt any other course than that pursued.

Having reached a locality where the ground was favourable, we
rode through a series of open glades separated from each other by
belts of spruce and cotton-wood. This was a likely place for
game. The surface was undulating, and the rich grass in the
glades would afford pasturage, at the same time that the belts of
trees gave shelter. We were riding leisurely through this promis-
ing country when I suddenly observed the branch of a dead tree
move. I immediately checked my horse, and watched. Again
the same branch moved at about 150 yards' distance. I dis-
mounted gently. My hunter Jem, who was behind me, did the
same.

xxiv THE WAPITI 387

I had seen at once that the object I had at first mistaken for a
branch was the portion of a wapiti's horn of very large dimensions.
The reins were now drawn over the horses' heads, and they were
left to graze.

There was a small clump of green spruce firs upon a gentle
slope on our right, and we concluded, according to the wind, that
we should be in a safe position to obtain a shot if we could
manage to reach such shelter undiscovered. Some rising ground
concealed the wapiti, and now that I dismounted, I could not see
the antlers.

My hunter had not observed them.

Making a detour to our right, we at length succeeded in reach-
ing the clump of thick green spruce. Pushing our way softly
through the yielding boughs, we gained the edge, from which we
had expected to obtain a view of the still hidden game.

There was a glorious sight; three immense stags, about 150
yards upon our right, were feeding in a direction that, if continued,
would bring them across our position within 80 or 90 yards. The
wind was favourable ; we therefore watched.

One of these stags had stupendous horns, and as they slowly
approached, I counted with my glass fourteen points. The others
had twelve each. I was determined to possess that grand head.

They had now fed to within a distance of about 110 paces of
our position, and the intervening ground was open. If I waited
until they should be exactly opposite, they would be much nearer,
but they would pass behind a clump of large spruce firs, which
might almost obscure them. I could make quite certain of the
shot at 110 yards, but I enjoyed the sport of waiting and watch-
ing, therefore I determined to let them cross exactly in front of my
position before I would take the shot.

In a very short time they arrived upon the other side of the
trees, and I at once saw the difficulty. However, I determined to
be very careful in my aim, and to select the largest head. Some-
how or other they appeared suddenly to get the wind of danger.
Whether they smelt the horses I cannot say, but certainly they
could not have winded us ; they looked up, and around, and trotted
past the clump. I immediately fired at the shoulder of the biggest.
I heard the usual well-known sound of the *557 bullet; but the
deer did not drop.

" He's got it all right," exclaimed Jem. " He'll drop directly."

I was of the same opinion, but all three stags continued to
canter along as though unharmed down a gentle slope, jumping
over the prostrate stems of fallen spruce, as though enjoying their

388 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

power of active movement. At length they disappeared in a dark
hollow about 200 yards distant, where some spruce firs grew in the
depression of a stream bed.

On the other side of this depression was a small open slope of
grass ; this was bordered by the main forest. I had of course
reloaded, but I could not understand the possibility of the wapiti
having retreated to such a distance with the *577 solid bullet in
his shoulder.

I had now raised the back-sight for 250 yards in the expecta-
tion of seeing the three wapiti emerge from the hollow, and appear
upon the clear open space before they could reach the forest.
Although it would be a long shot, it would be absolutely necessary
to stop the wounded animal, otherwise in all probability we should
never see it again.

Presently a pair of spreading antlers appeared, as a fine stag
slowly walked up the steep incline, and appeared upon the open
slope. I raised the rifle to my shoulder. " That's not the one,"
said Jem. "I know that; hold your tongue," I replied, still
keeping in readiness. Another stag appeared. "That's not the
one either," exclaimed irrepressible Jem. Both these fine beasts
entered the forest, and disappeared. I lowered my rifle. " He's
lying dead in the hollow," continued Jem.

I began to think this was the case, but presently a grand pair
of antlers appeared, followed by the stag, which slowly rose from
the depression, passed through the fringe of spruce trees upon the
slope, and emerged upon the open ground, over which it slowly
walked, almost in the tracks of those which had preceded it.

I took a very steady aim, and fired. The great stag reeled
and fell just as the sound of the bullet upon impact returned to
our ears.

" Well done ! he's got it this time ; that's a fine rifle and no
mistake," exclaimed Jem, who immediately ran forward towards
the distant prize. I followed slowly ; as I stepped the distance,
it was 240 long paces to the bottom of the hollow. I could not
measure the steep slope, as I had to scramble up the bank, but
taking the direct line of the bullet's flight it was about 250 yards.

We now examined the wapiti. This was indeed a prize. We
knew that the first shot should have struck the left side, likewise
the last shot; but there was only one bullet -wound ; this was
through the centre of the shoulder. We now cut it open, and
grallocked the immense animal, to render it easier to examine.
The bullet had gone through the centre of the heart; it had
broken the shoulder on the opposite side, and had lodged beneath

xxiv THE WAPITI 389

the skin, expanded like a half- matured mushroom. This was
pure lead.

No other bullet had touched that stag, and my first shot had
been intercepted by the trunk of one of the numerous trees which
had intervened between me and the animal when I fired.

This wapiti had the finest antlers that I have ever possessed,
and the freak of nature had added two peculiar tines, which must
have plagued the unfortunate proprietor. These turned in the
reverse direction, therefore they must have acted like a grapnel in
catching the branches of trees, when otherwise they would have
been avoided in the usual manner, as the stag throws its head
backwards, and elevates the nose in passing through a forest.
Although the horns were perfectly clean and hard (29th August
1881), the extremity of one of the extra tines was round, instead
of pointed; it was bloody at the tip, as a chronic inflammation
had been set up through continual friction, and it had never
thoroughly matured. We were powerless to do anything with this
grand animal ; we accordingly left it until we could send men and
mules from camp. Upon the following day, when we arrived, a
party of bears had scratched a hole, and attempted to roll the
wapiti into it. This was a glaring failure, as the animal was not
half concealed. The bears had eaten all the inner portion, which
we had laid upon one side ; they had also eaten the soft extremities
of the ribs and brisket ; but, beyond a quantity of grass and earth
roughly thrown upon the carcase by the claws of the bears when
scratching, there was no actual burying.

The horns of this wapiti measured 53 inches in curve length
from burr to extreme point, 12 J inches round the burr, 52 inches
direct line from tip to tip of extreme points.

The day after this incident I had been riding with two of my
people over the summits of the mountains, about 10,000 feet above
the sea-level, when my attention was directed to a couple of fine
stags, about three-quarters of a mile distant, feeding along the
side of the hill-face downwards by an oblique course. Upon the
opposite side of a deep depression at the bottom flowed a consider-
able stream. After watching these stags for some time with my
field-glass, seeing that they occasionally raised their heads, and
looked wistfully towards a copse which grew upon the opposite
slope, on the shoulder of the mountain spur, I felt sure that
females must be somewhere in the thicket. Accordingly I crept
cautiously along the crest of the hill, until at length I arrived at
the border of the covert. As I had approached the copse I had
several times obtained a view of the stags ; they were no doubt

390 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

advancing, and would in my opinion cross the stream and join
other deer which, although invisible, were somewhere in the
neighbourhood.

After waiting a few minutes, I discovered that a plot of open
ground lay within the copse at no great distance ; this I perceived
through the light which penetrated into the free opening. Upon
reaching this, I found an area of about 2 acres perfectly free from
bushes, but filled with rank grass and sedges, about 2 feet high.
It struck me that the two wapiti stags would in all probability
pass through this opening upon their arrival in the covert.

Hiding myself beneath a thick bush, from which I could
command every portion of the open space, I waited patiently,
having left my two men concealed, together with the horse, at a
considerable distance.

Nearly half an hour passed away in expectation ; I was cramped
in my stooping position, and I slowly rose to stretch my limbs.
As I stood upright, I caught sight of a pair of antlers just emerg-
ing from the thicket on my left. I slowly sank into my former
position. First one. and then another large stag issued from the
wood. They walked very slowly along the verge of the thicket,
occasionally halting to take a mouthful of grass, and feeding as
they went.

When exactly opposite my position, I took aim at the leading
stag and fired ; at the same time I ran towards the spot. The
bullet struck the shoulder, and the stag reeled to and fro, some-
times falling on its knees, and in this way blundered into the
thicket, but fell dead just as I arrived. Hearing a groat rush,
and seeing that the stag was safe, I continued to run forward ;
within 50 yards I emerged upon the open, and found myself upon
a hog's back sloping ridge of only a few yards' width, while a
natural fosse like a letter V, about 300 feet deep, lay before me ;
the opposite side continuing the steep slope to the summit of the
mountain.

There was an extraordinary scene around me. A great mass of
wapiti had burst from the jungle upon hearing the report of my
rifle, and there was no room for them to stand upon the narrow
area of the hog's back ridge. There were about 300 stags, hinds,
and young ones of all ages mingled together, some of them being
within 10 or 15 yards of me. They were determined to go forward,
to effect which they were obliged to attempt the precipitous descent
into the narrow bottom of the canyon, after which it would be
necessary to ascend the opposite side.

This cleft was so abrupt that, although quite 300 feet in depth,

XXIV

THE WAPITI 391

it was not wider than 60 or 80 yards across the surface where I
stood. I never witnessed a sight of such utter helplessness. It
required great caution to descend, even for such practised moun-
taineers as wapiti. The herd shuffled down the precipitous incline
of grumbling stones, causing showers of loosened rocks, which
clattered with their struggling hoofs, as slowly and surely these
heavy animals progressed into the dangerous bottom.

I sat upon a large stone that was close to the edge, and
thoroughly enjoyed the scene. If I had been inclined to commit
havoc, I cannot say how many I could have shot. As they slowly
descended, I took aim at the back of each stag's neck, and in
imagination only, reckoned my slain. At length the herd reached
the bottom, and the toilsome ascent commenced. When they
appeared slightly below my own level on the opposite side, my
sport recommenced; I picked out every big stag, one by one;
taking most accurate aim exactly between the shoulders, but never
firing. A skin-hunter would have killed at least thirty in such an
opportunity. The little, ones were fatigued, and many of the
smaller fawns were bleating like lambs as they struggled after their
dams over the loosened rocks. At length they reached the surface,
but even then they remained exposed, as the slope was exceedingly
steep, and they were apparently too tired or too confident to increase
their pace. By degrees they disappeared across the sky-line, and I
never saw a large herd of wapiti again.

My men had joined me, and they were quite annoyed at my
merciful behaviour ; however, I now lead them into the thicket,
where a splendid stag was lying dead. They were quickly em-
ployed in cleaning it, to keep the flesh sweet, until we could send
for the head upon the following day.

There were some fine heads among the stags which I had allowed
to escape, but none approaching in size to the last that I had shot.

Some days after this exemplary exercise of mercy, I had a very
pretty quarter of an hour, which formed the only exception to my
rule of never shooting at a second wapiti, if I had killed one upon
the same day.

We had ascended from the glen in which the camp was pitched,
and had reached the level plateau, which extended for several
miles, bordered upon two sides by a continuation of the deep valley
in a winding course. The stream in the bottom, together with
good pasturage and forest-covered slopes upon the mountain sides,
formed an attractive combination for game. It occurred to me
that the animals would probably amuse themselves upon the open
plateau during the night, and retire soon after daylight to the

392 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

seclusion of the forest ; therefore, shortly after sunrise, we found
ourselves upon the level ground about 500 feet above the valley.
The formation was peculiar ; the plateau represented an immense
terrace, as other ridges rose above it, until the highest point formed
a prominent figure in the general outline of the landscape. Al-
though the surface was sufficiently level for a horse to gallop at
full speed, there were many slight depressions where the ground had
been water-worn by streams during heavy rains or melting snows.
Bears were regular visitors, as many of the flat stones had been
turned over in their search for insects. There were tracks of wapiti,
also of buffaloes and black-tail deer, therefore I felt tolerably san-
guine of finding game in some of the ravines that opened upon this
extensive terrace from the neighbouring hills.

As we rode leisurely along through the centre of this barren
area, we frequently halted to scan the country with binoculars.
Upon one of these occasions my attention had been attracted by a
dark-coloured object in the distance, which I imagined to be a bear,
or some large rock which had deceived me by its resemblance.
The glasses decided that this was a buffalo. It was more than a
mile distant, but for simple amusement, as it lay in the direction
we were taking, I determined to see if we could approach near
enough for a certain shot. The wind was fair, therefore we took
no precautions, but simply rode forward until within a distance of
1200 yards. I now made out that the buffalo was advancing in
our direction ; there was a dry bed of a stream before us, and I
suggested that we should dismount, and conceal the horses and
ourselves within this natural channel, to wait for the arrival of the
buffalo. This was quickly arranged, and we descended into the
river's bed.

By peering over the bank, I made out the exact direction that
the buffalo was taking, and by changing my position accordingly,
I had the satisfaction of seeing a fine bull approaching me, without
the slightest suspicion of impending danger. Presently it descended
into the channel within 40 paces of the rifle, which as usual I had
pointed at the shoulder, without the slightest intention of pulling
the trigger. The animal obtained my wind, or saw me, and with
a snort it threw up its tail, and galloped off across the plain, leaving
me quite satisfied at having bagged it mentally, without the ex-
penditure of a cartridge, or the useless sacrifice of a life.

We remounted, and rode forward, scanning as before every nook
and corner of the country. We had not proceeded far when I
made out another buffalo ; this lay in our route, therefore without
taking the trouble to notice it, we rode straight forward. When

xxiv THE WAPITI 393

within about 300 yards it observed us, and turning away, it re-
treated across the open, making towards the direction of the
higher ground.

We now observed specks moving upon the surface at so great
a. distance that I thought they were black-tail deer, until the
binoculars declared them to be wapiti. A rigid inspection with
the glasses proved them to be eight fine stags that were slowly
trotting on before us, as though they had been recently disturbed.

It struck me that they must have seen the buffalo gallop off in
retreat, and this was the cause of their disturbance. We followed
at a canter, to keep them within our view, as I felt sure they
would turn to the right, and seek the shelter of the forests upon
the slopes, above the winding valley. In about ten minutes we
had gained upon them considerably, and they had neared the
margin of the plateau. As I had expected, they now disappeared
one by one, as they descended to the lower ground.

We rode quickly to the spot upon which they had been lost to
view : their tracks showed plainly the course of their descent.
This was a narrow grassy slope interspersed with a few spruce firs,
forming a division in the long dark foliage which clothed the hill-
side for a distance of many miles.

The opposite side of the valley was different in general character,
as the hills, which rose to a considerable altitude and formed a
wall, were not completely covered with forest, but on the contrary
they were grassy slopes, only cut at intervals by ravines which had
been scooped by water ; these were clothed with spruce.

The bottom of the valley was not wider than 300 yards, and
although it was more or less occupied by forest, there were many
extensive tracts of open grass ground which afforded excellent
pasturage ; the little stream through this valley would ultimately
flow through our camp, about 3 or 4 miles distant in our rear.

There was nothing in view when we scanned this valley with
the glasses ; accordingly we dismounted, to ease the horses in the
very steep descent ; we then followed upon the tracks of the eight
wapiti towards the bottom.

Upon arrival at the stream, the tracks led across ; upon the
opposite side, after a search over a few hundred yards, we dis-
covered the tracks of a large herd of these animals, among which
those of our eight scared wapiti were confounded and utterly lost.
It now became a serious question, "Where were they gone1?"
Having crossed the stream, I did not think they would have
returned to the other side. They would not be likely to remain
in the bottom of the valley. I therefore considered they would

394 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

probably have taken refuge in one of the wooded ravines which
scored the mountain's side.

We decided to beat out each ravine separately ; this could
easily be accomplished, as Jem could ride along the bottom when
practicable, or, if not, he could ride or walk along the edge, and
throw stones into the dry stream-bed. At the same time I would
dismount, and keep 150 yards in advance, along the margin of the
ravine upon the opposite side.

In this careful manner we beat out three ravines upon the right
front of the spot where the wapiti had crossed the stream. There
remained a large ravine which came from a shoulder of the
mountain, that formed a hollow upon the ridge or saddle. I felt
sure the wapiti must be hiding somewhere among these places.
Telling Jem to wait at the bottom until I should have a clear start
of 150 yards up the hill, I rode through thick sage-bush up the
incline, until I reached the desired position. It had been agreed
that Jem should whistle if he saw the wapiti within the covert.
I did not dismount, as the sage-bush was exceedingly tough and
disagreeable. I therefore kept my horse well ahead of the position
of the beater, which I could tolerably guess from the clatter of his
horse's feet among the stones. I was about half-way up the hill,
when I heard a loud whistle !

I did not dismount immediately, but spurring my horse, I
pushed forward straight up the hill as fast as possible. It was
well that I did so ; had I been on foot I could not have arrived at
a good position • for although I had pressed Buckskin to the
utmost, a splendid stag broke covert about 120 yards ahead of me,
and turning to my left, galloped across my front. By the time I
had dismounted and fired, he was about 150 yards distant; but he
fell almost immediately on his side, and although the body was
invisible in the tall sage-bush (as I looked up hill), one antler
stood high above the surface like the dead branch of an oak tree.1

Seven stags now broke from the ravine about 200 yards in
front, and most unfortunately took a line of retreat parallel with
the gully directly up the hill ; thus nothing but rumps were turned
towards me. Confident in the power of the rifle, I put up the
back-sight for 250 yards, and took a steady shot. I heard the
bullet strike, and I saw the stag run suddenly to the left, and then

1 The antlers of this stag measured —
From extreme point in curve to the "burr, 59f inches.

,, ,, ,, of backward bend of main antler to extreme point of
longest front tine, 37£ inches.
Round the burr, 13 inches.

xxiv THE WAPITI 395

struggle for a few yards towards the sky-line, where it disappeared.
The remaining deer halted exactly upon the sky-line, as though
undetermined as to the course they should pursue. Several turned
round, and from a distance of about 300 yards regarded my horse
and myself. I put up the 300 yards back-sight, and fired at the
chest of the foremost stag. Again I heard the bullet strike, but
they all vanished from the scene beyond the outline of the hill-top.

Jem had now joined me, and I suggested that we should ride
up the hill, but dismount before reaching the summit, as I fully
expected to find the two stags which had been wounded at the
long range. Accordingly, upon nearing the ridge, I cautiously
advanced on foot, and taking a rock to cover the line of approach,
I looked over a narrow shoulder of the mountain exactly in our
front. There was a bare plateau of about 3 acres, beyond which
were a few stunted spruce firs growing in a scattered group on the
verge of the descent to the low country ; some 7000 or 8000 feet
beneath. Among the group of spruce there was a stag with a fore
leg broken just below the shoulder. Another was standing upon
the open about 150 yards from me, with its hind-quarters towards
us, its legs wide apart, and its head lowered till the nose almost
touched the ground. I knew the sickening effect of the solid *577
bullet, and I could see that this was the shot in the hind-quarters
which had raked the poor beast fore and aft. Although I could
depend for extreme accuracy upon the *577, I told Jem to hand
me my Martini-Henry which I had lent to him, as I wished to
prove its reputation — we therefore exchanged rifles, and carefully
turned to the right, in order to see the stag in any other position
than the rear. It did not appear to notice us, and upon reaching
a spot where the neck was plainly visible, the Martini-Henry
dropped it dead.

We now advanced towards the clump of spruce where the stag
with the broken leg had been seen upon our arrival on the crest.
Unfortunately the last shot fired had started it at full speed down
the hill, in spite of the broken fore leg. I ran to the edge of the
ridge, and caught sight of this splendid animal several hundred
yards below us, cantering down the rocky slope with the right leg
swinging from the shoulder — a pitiable sight, which grieved me
sadly, as it was hopeless and impossible to follow it.

My only consolation was, that throughout my trip in the Big
Horn range this was the only animal that was wounded without
being killed.

After watching this stag until it disappeared from view, I
returned to examine our two dead animals. The first was near us.

396 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

I found the bullet-hole in the hind-quarters, as I had expected ;
but I know nothing of its course, as we had no time to dissect it,
having a finer stag to clean below us, the first that I had shot.
We accordingly descended, and having led our horses to the spot,
we took off our coats, and determined to cut up the stag, as it was
wonderfully fat, and altogether a beautiful specimen of a wapiti.

We had partially flayed this animal, and were stooping over it,
engaged in the occupation, when a peculiar sound of something
jnnging in the air above our heads, accompanied at the same time
by the report of a rifle, startled us from our work. Almost
immediately these ominous sounds were repeated, and a third shot
in rapid succession caused my hunter Jem to exclaim, " Look out —
Indians !"

Another shot followed, and several in rapid succession, before
we could even guess the direction from which they came.

As we stooped over the deer, we faced the valley below us ; our
backs were turned towards the ridge or summit of the hills above
us. We were standing upon a spur that ran from crest to valley-
bottom ; upon our riglvt was an amphitheatre, a regular horse-shoe
of high cliffs forming the outline of the ridge ; a terrace slightly
below our level, with only a few places where it would be possible
for horses to descend from the highest point above. We now
observed mounted men scouring along the sky-line, evidently
looking for a passage to the lower ground. At the same moment
my eye distinguished what I at first supposed was a runaway horse,
which was galloping along the auditorium of the amphitheatre.
In another instant I perceived that this was a wapiti stag with
large antlers, coming in our direction, and I felt certain that it
would cross the saddle of the hill-top above us, from which we had
just descended.

Jumping into the saddle, I gave Buckskin the spurs, and
hurried up the hill to arrive if possible below the saddle, on the
right, to intercept the stag. Jem followed, and by dint of the
sharp rowels I managed to force the lazy Buckskin up the steep
incline, and to gain the hollow in the ridge through which I felt
sure the wapiti must pass. I jumped out of the saddle when
within 100 yards, and a few paces on the lower side of the hollow
pass. Hardly was I upon my feet when the large antlers and head
and neck of the stag appeared at full speed, tearing through the
open space. I fired, but I saw the dry earth fly a few inches
short, as the bullet struck the top of the bank which concealed the
body of the stag, but exposed the neck and head above. In another
instant the stag was flying through the pass, and thoroughly in

xxiv THE WAPITI 397

view, as he coursed towards the lower country, where he would be
free from his pursuers. The left-hand barrel nailed him. The
bullet struck fairly in the centre of the shoulder, he turned a
complete somersault, and was stretched dead in his fullest speed.

This was uncommonly pretty. It was the most dramatic
incident I have ever witnessed in a long career of sporting
experiences. I had shot three splendid stags, and wounded a
fourth, all within a quarter of an hour. This last stag was an
unexpected mystery • we knew nothing about it, neither had we
the least idea who the people were who had evidently been firing
at it, when the bullets whistled above our heads. In this unin-
habited wilderness there was as much chance of meeting a human
being as a gorilla or an ourang-outang. Who were those people
who had been seen on horseback on the sky-line 1

The best way of discovering them was to use the glasses,
therefore we ascended the saddle-back pass, through which the
stag had rushed, and then tried the binoculars.

We now distinctly counted five white men mounted upon
horses ; while several other white men and a large number of pack
animals were carefully descending the steep incline to follow those
who had already reached the lower ground ; these were hurrying
towards the spot where they had heard the two shots I had fired.
These people would be as astonished as ourselves at meeting white
men when least expected, in the wilderness of the Big Horn range.
We now stood upon the ridge, which at their lower level would be
the sky-line in their point of view.

In a few minutes they arrived. Our salutations were quickly
exchanged. " Here lies your stag, and I am glad to have stopped
it," I said. "It was wounded of course, was it not?" demanded
one of the party. "Only one bullet has touched it, and that was
the last," I answered.

They all dismounted, and examined the beautiful beast as it
lay stretched upon the ground, like a picture. " We shall be
thankful for a little venison, as we have tasted nothing but bacon
since we left Cheyenne seven days ago," said the first spokesman.

I now explained to them that the stag before them was the
third I had shot within about a quarter of an hour, and that it
was by a mere chance they had driven this animal across my path.
They were welcome to the horns of this stag and the flesh of all
three beasts, if they required them for their party.

We quickly made acquaintance, and they accompanied me to
look at the other two wapiti. I advised them to camp immedi-
ately below the hill, as there was good water and fuel upon the

398 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

spot. It would be easy to cut up the deer, and carry the meat
that short distance ; this would save them much trouble.

They were delighted with the idea, and we proceeded to the
lower ground together, to select a camping place. During the way,
they explained that they were a party bent upon a riding excursion
from Cheyenne through the Big Horn range, but they had been
most unfortunate in shooting, having seen very little game, and
having killed absolutely nothing. This was a curious episode that
was equally unexpected, and at the same time satisfactory to all
parties. In a short time they had their tents pitched, fires alight,
cooking-pots filled, and were thoroughly comfortable, while my
hunter Jem and myself rode homewards, well satisfied with the
morning's work.

On the day following, I rode from my camp with the intention
of calling upon these American gentlemen, and, as I approached
their direction, my attention was attracted by a cloud of smoke
rising from the valley in which I had left their party. Presently
I was overtaken by Bob Stewart and Big Bill, the skin-hunters,
who had observed the signs of a forest fire from a great distance,
and had hurried towards the spot, carrying with them a galvanised
iron bucket and an axe. We now joined parties and galloped
towards the smoke.

Upon arrival we found the desolate signs of a deserted camp.
The large party that I had left on the preceding day were gone,
and with great carelessness they had left their fire burning, instead
of extinguishing it before departure. The strong wind had blown
the sparks into the inflammable mass of dried pine-needles, with
which the ground was deeply covered ; this was blazing in various
places, having already communicated the fire to several of the
dead trees which strewed the surface.

It was a curious example of inflammable material en masse ;
everything seemed prepared for ignition, as though a natural depot
of lucifer matches. In more than a dozen different places the
ground was on fire over an area of half an acre ; these isolated
patches were spreading with great rapidity, and upon arrival at a
spruce tree, the flame ran up the bark with surprising avidity,
licking up the surface in forked tongues, and, when reaching the
branches (if withered), it seized upon the fresh fuel, and flared
with horrible vigour. This showed upon a small scale the
commencement of a forest fire, which would quickly extend into a
terrible conflagration.

We were fortunately at hand to extinguish the danger in its
birth, but we had to work hard for at least a couple of hours

xxiv THE WAHTI 399

before we could accomplish our wojk. The stream ran through
the centre of the forest, and as Bob Stewart had brought a pail,
he devoted his attention to damping out the ground fires. We
cut large branches of green spruce, and dipped them in the stream •
with these we beat out the flaring edges where the pine-needles
were in a blaze, or smouldering. It was annoying to see how new
spots of fire appeared, apparently by magic, as there was no per-
ceptible cause; the wind carried sparks which were invisible in
the bright sunlight, and these ignited wherever they fell, as though
they had adhered to tinder.

Two or three large spruce were blazing among the branches,
although unharmed below. These were, after much labour, felled,
and the fire extinguished. None of our party desisted from our
hard work until every spark was extinct, and I wish that the
unsophisticated strangers who had caused the trouble had been
present, not only to aid in the labour, but to benefit from the
curses that were levelled at their backs, for setting a forest on fire
by such gross carelessness. Our people declared with much force,
that if we had not been in the neighbourhood to extinguish the
fire at its commencement, the whole of the slopes would have
been consumed, which I had termed the " ten mile forest."

On 6 th September we had a fall of snow. For thirty hours
the flakes fell without a moment's cessation. There was not a
breath of wind, and the entire surface of the country was covered,
to the depth of 8 inches, with the winter's garment. This was
extreme misery ; we had only two apologies for tents — one for the
four men, a similar pattern for ourselves. It was dark when we
awoke in the morning, through the deep coating of snow which
lay upon our roof. Presently the flat battens which did the
service of tent-poles collapsed, and down came the tent upon us as
we lay upon the ground, buried beneath canvas and a heap of
snow.

This took a considerable time to rearrange. Fortunately Henry
(the German cook) had made a large quantity of hot coffee ; this
he slipped beneath the tent-wall, and we never enjoyed anything
more delicious.

Having mounted my horse, accompanied by Texas Bill, I rode
throughout the whole day over a large extent of country, as the
new sheet of snow would be a tell-tale guide to the game that had
moved since the fall.

I returned much dissatisfied; my eyes were terribly inflamed
by the glaring surface ; my face and neck were blistered, and we
had seen literally nothing except a solitary bull bison and a few

400 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

black- tail deer. It was time to retreat, as the Big Horn range
had been thoroughly disturbed.

Leaving instructions that the camp was to follow, on 8th
September Lady Baker and myself started, without any attendant,
across the mountains for a ride of about 20 miles to the ranche of
Mr. Peters, in accordance with the invitation they had kindly
given us, to pay them a visit upon our return.

There are few portions of the world so utterly trackless as the
wilds of America. In Africa there are generally traces, or paths,
although insignificant, which mark the natives' routes from one
village to another; but in the prairies, and throughout the
mountains in America, there are no inhabitants, accordingly there
is a total absence of the footprints of mankind. My men were
under the impression that we should not find the direction of the
Peters's ranch. Instead of this, after a ride of about four hours,
we arrived at a point from which we looked down in a direct line
upon the Powder river valley, and with the unassisted eye we
could see the log-hut and the small surroundings which marked
their settlement. We halted to enjoy the view, being rather proud
that we had found our way without a guide. Suddenly we heard
a rattle : this was immediately repeated loudly, and we observed
a rattlesnake about 4 feet in length coiled upon the ground within
5 or 6 yards of our horses' legs. This horrid reptile seemed very
angry at our intrusion, and after hissing with its tongue and
rattling with its tail, it extended itself and glided viciously
towards us.

I did not wish to fire, as my wife's horse disliked the report of
a rifle ; we therefore left the snake in possession of the field, and
commenced the descent that would lead us to the Powder river
valley. Had my men been present, they would have enjoyed our
confusion. Although the Peters's dwelling was in sight, we could
not discover a route for our descent. The sides of the mountain
appeared fairly arranged in a series of inclines, but after marching
three-quarters of a mile, we were suddenly confronted by a pre-
cipitous canyon which extended for an unknown distance in a deep
chasm.

It was necessary to reascend the slope and try another spur.
When we regarded the numerous slopes, or spurs, which appeared
to be natural pathways to the valley some 4000 or 5000 feet
below, it was difficult to believe that they were alike intersected
by canyons, all of which were the result of earthquake disturbance
at some distant period which had split the mountain horizontally.
We were delayed for more than an hour in marching and counter-

xxiv THE WAPITI 401

marching, until it seemed as though we were hopelessly cut off
from the home that lay snugly in the valley before our eyes.

At length I remarked a wooded slope rising higher than the
rest ; this was shaped like a wedge, and continued from top to
bottom of the mountain ; I felt sure that an uninterrupted descent
would be obtained, could we only manage to climb this lofty ridge.
We accordingly cut across a number of depressions, in one of which
we came upon a fine bull buffalo which was asleep beneath the
rocks. I would not shoot it, and we watched the easy manner
with which this massive animal traversed the rocky ground, and
climbed the steep gradients with the comparative activity of a
goat. Our horses were good, but it was as much as they could do
to breast the steep ascent, which at length brought us to the
summit of the wooded ridge. This was a curious buttress of the
mountain ; it was not 80 yards in width, but a well-marked track,
and numerous chippings from the axe showed that persons from
the valley had been here to fell the spruce, probably to construct
the Peters's hut. Our difficulties had vanished, and by an easy
path we descended to the valley, waded through the river, and
shortly were welcomed by our kind young friends, Mr. and Mrs.
Peters, in the rough log-house that we had seen from so great a
distance.

The ranche life must have been delightful to young people who
were only recently married, and were newly launched upon the
voyage of their future life. It was complete independence. The
log-house was confined to the ground-floor. There was a good-sized
room, or hall, which formed the entrance ; on the right and left
were two rooms that formed either bedrooms and dressing-rooms,
or single rooms, as occasion might require. A kitchen and a small
pantry were at the back of the entrance hall ; and I am not sure
where a Dane and his wife (the servants) existed, together with
their very fat and exceedingly red child of two years old.

Late in the afternoon our people and camp arrived, but we felt
a palatial luxury in our hospitable quarters, after the cold and
cramped accommodation of the pigmy tent. Curiously enough,
our people had not only passed over the barren portion of the
mountain, where we had seen the vicious rattlesnake, but they
had also met it in the same spot and killed it.

The locality was well chosen for a settlement by Mr. Peters,
and I trust he has succeeded as a rancher. The grass was good,
and there was no danger of interlopers upon any side but one, as
the Big Horn range ascended abruptly immediately from the
opposite side of the Powder river.

2d

402 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

The blood -red sandstone cliffs which arose in perpendicular
blocks for 200 or 300 feet in height from the Powder river were
very striking, as they formed a strong contrast to the glaring white
of the surrounding soil. The Powder river flowed beneath the
cliffs, and occupied a considerable portion of a swampy valley when
in flood ; this was covered with willows, growing so thickly together
that they were difficult to penetrate.

Although the Peters's settlement was situated in a valley, it
was about 6500 feet above the sea-level ; nevertheless we felt a
great difference in the climate, as we had been at 10,000 to 11,000
feet during the last three or four weeks.

It is very delightful to associate with young people who, having
selected their profession, courageously seize the handle of the
plough to strike a furrow that shall lead to fortune. We may
meet the same persons in conventional life, the lady perhaps out-
shining others in the drawing-rooms of civilisation, yet we know
but little of the real character until we find them in a situation
which calls forth the energy and abilities of their true natures.

Mr. Peters had' an English partner. He also was a man
accustomed to the luxury of clubs in London, but he now devoted
himself to hewing wood when it was required, fetching water from
the spring if he wanted it, and in doing everything in America
which he never had been called to do in England.

It was a healthy existence. They all enjoyed their youth and
strength. There was no doctor for several hundred miles; no
clergyman ; no church j no cemetery ; — but plenty of fresh air and
occupation. No person drank anything but water, unless tea or
coffee. A few years before our arrival there was plenty of game
among the willow thickets bordering the Powder river, and venison
could always be obtained from the black-tail and white-tail deer
without much trouble; but continual shooting had driven them
away, and although the animals existed, they had become both
scarce and wary.

There was no garden, as there was not sufficient rain ; and
labour was not to be procured for love or money. It was cheaper
to purchase fruits and vegetables prepared in tins in California
than to attempt the production by home industry. These were at
the same time dear, owing to the great expense of transport for
about 240 miles from Eock Creek station on the Union Pacific
Railroad.

Living was primitive under these conditions, and we were much
afraid that, notwithstanding our friends' warm hospitality, we must
put them to a certain amount of inconvenience.

xxiv THE WAPITI 403

The morning following our arrival, a man arrived in charge
of three mules laden with baggage. This was an extraordinary-
event, and everybody rushed out to meet the stranger, directly
that his approach had been reported.

"Who was he?" — "What was he?" — "Where did he come
from 1 " — " What baggage was that 1 " — " Where was it going to ? "
— " Was anybody coming ? " All these questions were put without
waiting for a reply ; until at length the mule-driver spoke ; his
words produced utter consternation.

" Well, all I know is this. For the last week I've done nothing
but haul baggage for a lot of British lords and ladies, and this
is some of it in advance. A lot more is on the road, and there's a
heap of 'em all coming here to-night to dine and sleep, and maybe
stay a few days before they go up the Big Horn to shoot."

"British lords and ladies ! A lot of 'em coming here to-night
to dine and sleep, and maybe stay a few days ! " murmured our
kind hostess in deep despair. " Impossible ; it can't be true ; who
are they ? Have you got a note 1 "

" No, I haven't got a note, as they said you'll understand.
Let me see, I think I can recollect some of their names. There's

M and his wife and sister ; there's a Captain and Mrs. G ;

that's five. There's Lord M and the Hon. Mr. L ; that's

seven. There's Mr. P and Mr. B. ; that's nine. I don't

think there are any more, but perhaps there may be : I guess that's
about enough to crowd you up, isn't it ? "

The first shock of this sudden intelligence was terrific. It
appeared impossible. How could they be fed or housed? The
idea was stupefying. British lords ! ladies ! an addition of nine
to our already large party of five, in a wilderness which produced
nothing, except a store of canned vegetables, and bacon ! It may
be imagined that our hostess was appalled, and for the moment
prostrated by the announcement.

A dead silence ensued ; during which a general determination
was preparing to grapple with the difficulty. A dinner for British
lords and ladies would necessitate soup, fish, entries ; some piece
de resistance, game, sweets, and dessert.

"We'll manage it, if possible," replied Mrs. Peters ; "but we
must all help. We must sweep out the entrance, and make a
large table with some planks. With a nice clean table-cloth, who
will know 1 We can gather some wild flowers and coloured berries,
and make a pretty decoration. We have soup in tins. Now we've
got our table ready, and the soup. My husband and Mr. Alston
have a net, and they must catch fish; there are plenty in the

404 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

river. We must kill a calf, and have veal cutlets, and a heap of
dishes out of that. We must open some cans of vegetables ;
tomatoes and cutlets will make a capital dish. Preserved pears
and thick cream ; stewed peaches ; but we have no game." I
modestly suggested that I might ramble through the willows, and
perhaps get some wild ducks. The idea was at once seized upon,
and every member of the party set to work to carry out his or her
share of the arrangements. But where were they all to sleep % I
had two small tents and camp-beds. The ladies could sleep
together in a room, and the men must lie upon the floor on mat-
tresses and blankets for one night.

There was a great bustle in the little establishment. Peters
and Alston cleared away packing-cases, boxes, and a heap of articles
that occupied the hall. Both these energetic workers were quickly
armed with brooms, and the room was thoroughly swept out. A
table was cleverly arranged. Mrs. Peters produced a beautiful
new table-cloth, which was in itself an emblem of civilisation, and
my wife and her hostess then sallied out to search for some wild
plants to decorate the* table. There were wild hops in profusion,
growing within 150 yards of the house. Berries of bright red,
and coloured leaves were found, all of which were prettily arranged
in designs which reminded us of home.

I left this domestic felicity, and took my gun in search of wild-
fowl, while Peters and Alston went off with a scoop-net to catch
some fish. They knew a particular pool about half a mile distant
which would yield a good supply.

If a photograph had been taken of the operation, these two
young men would have represented ancient Britons without the
ornament of woad. They stripped themselves quite naked and
entered the pool. The first step, or rather " plunge," consisted in
disturbing the water, when a particular kind of fish known as a
"sucker" at once retreated in shoals beneath the hollow bank.
The waders, or bathers, then advanced, and thrust the net into the
dark recesses of the asylum, pushing the hoop of the net to the
bottom, and gradually raising it towards the surface In this
manner they captured a large number of good fish, from half a
pound to rather more than a pound each. I did not witness this
operation, as I was occupied in searching for wild-fowl along the
marshy borders of the Powder river.

Having several times crossed and recrossed the river by walking
rather more than knee-deep, I had come to the conclusion that my
subscription to the dinner would be rather invisible, and I should
feel ashamed to be present at the table without having at the least

xxiv THE WAPITI 405

presented my hostess with a couple of ducks. I was in a state of
natural despondency, when I observed high in air a flock of wild-
fowl, probably disturbed by our fishermen, which, from the circular
direction of their flight, evidently intended to alight somewhere
among the willows. In a few minutes my conjectures proved
correct, and I marked them down as nearly as possible near a
clump of large cotton-wood trees that grew on the margin of the
stream about a quarter of a mile distant.'

With the greatest caution I approached the spot. The river
had formed several pools, which resembled small ponds of 50 or
60 yards diameter, among the willows. Carefully wading to avoid
the sound of splashing, I worked my way through this excellent
cover from pool to pool, when to my intense delight I saw a flock
of about a dozen widgeon within 40 yards of me ; they were
huddled together, and offered exactly the character of mark that I
desired when shooting for the pot. I fired into the centre of these
unsuspecting birds, and five lay either dead or kicking upon the
surface ; another fell to my left-hand barrel. Instead of rushing
forward to secure them, I reloaded instantly, as I expected that
the remainder of the flock would swoop over those which were
still struggling. This they immediately did, and offered a splendid
shot, two more falling to a right and left.

This was indeed good fortune. I hunted up and secured all
my widgeon ; and twisting a delicate osier, I tied them in two
bundles of four each, and trudged towards home, enjoying in
anticipation the delight that such an addition would be to our good
hostess.

Late in the afternoon there was a cry of distress. We had all
been so thoroughly engaged, including the Dane and his wife
(who did the cooking), that no one had missed the red-faced child.
The frantic mother had now discovered that her two-years- old boy
had disappeared. This was a mysterious announcement, as it
seemed impossible that anything could disappear upon an open
prairie. Everybody was rushing about in all directions, and the
mother at length became hysterical and began to scream. There
were no wolves, and there was no possibility of any hurt befalling
the child, unless it had gone away and fallen into a pit. At length
we perceived Peters returning from the prairie with a bundle in
his arms. He had found the vermilion-coloured boy sitting in
a running stream nearly half a mile from the house, in which
he would probably have been drowned had not his screams been
heard by Peters, who had searched in that direction. The tumult
ceased.

406 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Towards evening all was in readiness — tents, beds, mattresses,
a good dinner, and as pretty a table as could be found in an
English dining-room. The guests arrived in separate detachments ;
probably from an excess of modesty, which would have felt the
strain of a sudden and unexpected influx of nine visitors, some of
whom were perfect strangers.

I do not think any person who was present will forget the kind
hospitality of that evening, and the clever manner in which such
an impromptu entertainment had been provided. The sleeping
accommodation, although rough, was clean and comfortable j but,
just as we were about to retire for the night, a most insufferable
and overpowering odour pervaded every corner ; it could not be
called a bad smell, it was an awful stench. " Skunk," two or
three experienced voices at once explained. It was indeed one of
these disgusting animals which had entered beneath the floor.
Windows and doors were at once thrown open, the floor was beaten
with sticks, and as much noise made as possible to drive the
intruder out. This had the desired effect, as after a time the
smell subsided, and by burning pieces of pine wood the atmosphere
regained its sweetness.

The skunk (Mephitis, Cuv.) is an extraordinary creature, some-
what resembling the badger, and I cannot understand why nature
has arranged that an animal so lovely should be so repulsive
in its odour. The size is that of a small cat. The skin is a
jet black of beautiful texture, long, furry, with white longi-
tudinal stripes, one upon either side. The tail is of sufficient
width and length of hair to completely conceal the animal when
upraised.

The trappers declare that if a skunk bites a dog it will die of
hydrophobia ; this I do not believe, but if a dog were to bite a
skunk, it might possibly die of sheer disgust, as it would never
get ricl of the horrible effluvium. It is an animal that feeds, like
the Herpestes, upon almost anything it can obtain in the shape of
insects, eggs, flesh, or animal matter generally. It has the power
of emitting, when excited, a peculiar secretion which causes the
well-known stench. I have shot several, but no person could be
prevailed to skin them. On one occasion I was obliged to light a
fire above the body to cremate it, as the camp was down wind
some 60 yards below, and it was impossible to endure the smell
even at that distance.

Along the banks of the Powder river the white-tail deer are
still common (G. Virginianus), although much reduced in number
since the establishment of cattle ranches. They are rather smaller

xxiv THE WAPITI 407

than a fallow-deer, and are excellent as venison, though in my own
opinion inferior to the black-tail.

I was unfortunate, during my sojourn in the Big Horn, in not
obtaining a specimen of the Rocky Mountains ram, or "Big
Horn." I saw ewes upon several occasions, but I would not fire
at females.

CHAPTER XXV

THE SAMBTJR (C. ARISTOTELIS)

This is the largest of all deer, excepting the moose and the wapiti.
The stag stands about 13 J hands at the shoulder, and weighs
when alive from 560 to 600 lbs. I have weighed them both in
India and in Ceylon. The horns of this species vary to a great
degree, according to the localities which the deer inhabit. They
are not shed annually, but with great irregularity every third or
fourth year. This has been established as a fact by those which
have been for some years kept in confinement, and it is generally
accepted by all natives who are experienced shikaris. During
eight years' hunting in Ceylon, I killed a vast number of sambur
throughout all seasons, and there was no particular month when
the antlers were shed ; the deer were found with horns in every
stage of growth, irrespective of periods or localities.

It is a curious fact that I never saw a stag sambur absolutely
without horns, although during seven years I was continually
hunting them with a pack of hounds. I have already mentioned
under the heading of " The Boar " the number that is written in
my diary kept at Newera Ellia in Ceylon from October 1851 to
March 1854. One hundred and thirty-eight sambur were killed
with the hounds and hunting-knife. It may safely be asserted
that we killed an average of sixty every year, which would yield
the large amount of four hundred and twenty during seven years.

Allowing only four hundred as my personal experience of sambur
in Ceylon, where the hounds made no distinction of sex, but ran the
first scent they came across, it is very extraordinary that we never
found a stag which had so recently shed its horns that only the
base remained.

They were constantly met when in velvet, sometimes only a few
inches in length, but never completely barren, to prove that the
antlers were only just discarded.

chap, xxv THE SAMBUR 409

We certainly proved that no season dominated the necessity for
shedding horns, but the question of durability remained undecided.
Since that time I have come to the same opinion as the natives,
that there is no fixed period for the duration of a sambur's antlers.

Although the horns of sambur are sometimes large, I cannot
admire them as graceful examples of a deer's antlers ; they have
only three points each, forming a total of six, which gives a barren
appearance to a large head.

There are several deer in Asia which are limited to six points
— the sambur, axis (cheetul), and the hog-deer (C. porcinus). I
do not accept the bara singh of Cashmere as a separate species ;
it is simply the red-deer (C. elaphus) of Europe. If we banish
that deer from the list, we have only the swamp-deer, that repre-
sents a species with more than six tines. The swamp-deer is also
termed in India "bara singh" by the natives. This much
resembles the red-deer of Scotland, and is about the same size ;
ten and even twelve points are not uncommon, but the horns are
seldom massive. I have been unfortunate in not obtaining a good
pair. Although I killed five stags in 1888, there was only one
head worth preserving ; this has ten points, but it lacks weight ;
nevertheless it is far handsomer than those of sambur.

I should feel inclined to link this species with the true red-deer,
although I believe it has been decided to be distinct. I feel sure
that should an average swamp-deer be killed, or introduced among
a herd of red- deer in Scotland, no person would remark any
peculiar difference. The swamp-deer is found, as its name would
imply, in the neighbourhood of well-watered plains or valleys,
where surrounding forests at all seasons afford a shelter.

The sambur has totally different habits.1 This grand animal
is fond of rocky hills and steep mountain ranges, among the gorges
of which it retires during the heat of day. Like most wild
animals it is nocturnal, and will wander great distances to obtain
some favourite food. It is a terrible nuisance to the cultivator, as
no ordinary fence will secure the crops ; the sambur will overleap
anything below 6 feet.

When the cinchona was introduced into Ceylon it became
necessary to protect the young plants by wire fences, as the sambur
committed great depredations in the young plantations, although
they ceased to eat the leaves when the plants became old.
Although this deer exceeds all Asiatic varieties in weight, it is

1 Although the sambur delights in rocky hills and the roughest country,
it is also fond of a mud-bath in a neighbouring swamp, where it will wallow
like a buffalo or pig, especially during the hot season.

410 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

one of the most active. It is a beautiful sight to watch the
irresistible rush of a sambur stag down the steep side of a rocky
forest-covered hill, when it breaks back through the line of beaters.
The animal, weighing nearly 600 lbs., descends at full speed an
incline that it would be impossible for a horse to clamber, even
without a rider.

It is the game most beloved by the native shikaris, who
thoroughly understand its habits. Some of these men are deadly
shots in their peculiar style of hunting, and it has recently become
necessary to enact special laws throughout the Central Provinces
of India, nominally to protect the wild animals ; but I much fear
they will favour the native shikari, who never will be captured in
the act, while they will irritate needlessly the European, who
would otherwise shoot fairly.

A sambur stag is not fully developed until ten years old ; that
is, in the full growth of body and antlers. As it takes so long an
interval to arrive at perfection, it is necessary to protect the young
stags during their growth. This has never been done; accord-
ingly, it is a general complaint that a dozen stags may be shot,
without one head that is worth preserving as a trophy. It is an
ordinary occurrence to hear European residents in India converse
upon these subjects as though they abhorred the idea of shooting
females and half-grown animals ; but although I have been in their
company upon many occasions, I have seen them fire at females
with as little compunction as the ordinary native shikari. I can
safely assert that I never do such an unsportsmanlike thing
myself, unless absolutely compelled through want of meat for the
people, which is seldom the case in India. Throughout the whole
of last season I did not fire at one female of any kind ■ and the
year before, I only killed one doe, to feed the Ghond beaters, who
had joined me from a considerable distance. If people would
regulate their shooting by the rules of sport in civilised countries,
there would be plenty of game in India; but the Government
authorities are now locking the stable-door when the horse has
already been stolen.

Three years ago, in a portion of the Damoh district in the
Central Provinces, I was shooting through a wild range of hills
from Kotah to Ghat Piperia, and thence to Soonbarro. I was
accompanied for about a month or five weeks by Bhopal Singh
and his two brothers, Gholab and Dholab Singh. We killed forty-
three sambur, and had I chosen to take females, I could have
added ten or twelve to the already cruel butcher's bill.

It is seldom that I have met such dead shots as these brothers

xxv THE SAMBUR 411

Gholab and Dholab. They were armed with ordinary matchlocks ;
these were about 6 feet in length, smooth-bores, and carried a
cast-iron spherical ball about 1 ounce, as smooth as a boy's marble.
This fitted exactly. They used a large charge of about 6 drams
of native powder ; when I gave them Curtis and Harvey No. 6
grain it was reduced to 4 drams nominally, but they did not them-
selves approve of a reduction.

Their matchlocks were superior to those in the hands of the
ordinary shikaris, which are generally of so common a description
that accidents frequently occur; the back-sights were carefully
protected by a tunnel, and for a standing shot they were admirable.
These people were not restricted to such easy triumphs, but they
took the animals at any speed, and whenever a shot was fired by
one of these fatal brothers, the game was bagged.

I admired them for putting the bullet always in the right place.
We never had to hunt up wounded animals. If I heard two shots
in a drive, when the beaters or shikaris came up, I inquired,
" Who fired ? " If the reply was, " Gholab Singh," I only asked
whether it was " a stag or a female," as I knew that it was dead.

The iron bullet generally passed completely through the body of
a sambur stag : always so, when Gholab used English powder.

It may be readily imagined that such Nimrods would severely
punish the game throughout an extensive area. I shot last
winter, December 1888 and January 1889, through the same
ground as that of three years previous; we only killed fifteen
sambur where we had killed forty-three. Of these, six were stags.
There could not be a more deplorable proof of the disappearance of
game.

A native has a better chance than a European when squatting
in the jungle, waiting patiently for his opportunity. His patience
is inexhaustible. His limbs and joints are like india-rubber, and
will bend to any required position. He is never stiff or uncom-
fortable, neither does he comprehend the meaning of the word
"cramped." He will sit for an hour upon pointed stones, and
double himself up into a space so small that it is incredible how he
can pack himself away to avoid discovery.

All this is highly favourable to jungle shooting; there is
nothing to equal invisibility. A native watching-place is a very
simple affair. If a drive is to be arranged for sambur, it will
include all other animals that may pass the hidden guns. Such a
man as Gholab Singh, or his brother, would have a thorough
knowledge of the habits of the game, and he would select his
position accordingly. He would then cut a sapling half through,

412 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the thickness of a man's wrist, about 2 feet above the root. This
stem would probably be 1 2 feet in length ; he bends it down, and
with a piece of twisted bark he ties the thin end to a neighbouring
tree-stem, so that it lies horizontally secured. He now cuts a
similar sapling from the opposite side, and bends that down on the
top of the first pole. He secures them together. This forms a
strong double rail, against which he plants a row of small green
boughs, broken off the trees, and arranged to look as though they
grew naturally in their new position. This makes an admirable
screen, behind which he squats upon the ground, invisible. He is
so low that he is beneath the ordinary line of view; as all wild
animals, when disturbed and expecting danger, are looking out
for man, the shikari is far below ; when squatting, and stooping
behind his leafy screen, he is hardly more than 20 inches high.
A European could not compress himself into so small a compass.
An animal will always regard a level from 3 to 6 feet above the
surface, therefore it will generally overlook so low an object as 20
to 24 inches.

I have frequently asked these men whether they were in danger
should a tiger or bear be driven towards them : they replied that
there was only a remote probability of their being observed by the
animals, who would pass by without seeing them.

Whenever arranging a hiding-place for myself, I used much
stronger material, and bent down two horizontal poles about 3J
feet above the surface. I then filled in the space beneath with
thorns, against which I laid tufts of withered grass interspersed
with a few green branches. I sat upon a turn-stool behind this
screen, and cannot remember that I was ever observed until the
animal had passed me. I frequently had opportunities of watch-
ing the animals approach when the wind was fair, and they never
espied the hidden danger until they gained the wind by passing
my position.

This style of shooting does not sound like fair sport, but in
many places it is the only method that can be adopted. If a man
is young and active, he may distinguish himself as a back-gun
behind the line of beaters : he will then have plenty of hard work,
and will generally obtain better shooting than those in the front, for
whom the beat is organised. In places of difficulty, where we
were doubtful of success in driving the game forward, I always
placed the two brothers in the rear of the beaters. The greater
portion of the game was shot when breaking back.

Frequently, upon mountain sides so steep that it appeared
impossible for any four-footed animal to ascend, the sambur stag

xxv THE SAMBUR 413

would thread its way by some well-known game-path, and hide
among the great fragments of rock which had fallen from the crest
above. There were always men who mounted the extreme ridge,
and rolled down stones to disturb the jungle by their crash.
Whenever a stag was seen hiding among the sheltering rocks and
bush, a tremendous yell from the men above gave warning to those
who were below. The fun then commenced for the back-guns.
None but practised natives could scale the heights, and when at
length the stag came thundering back down the steep hillside, and
the shot was heard, it was certain death if Gholab or Dholab were
within 100 yards. These men and the eldest brother Bhopal
Singh were great allies of mine, and I liked them exceedingly ;
their only fault consisted in their unsparing energy, which induced
them to kill everything.

Forsyth, in his most admirable work, The Highlands of
Central India, gives a glowing account of stalking the sambur
deer. The localities must have entirely changed since the days of
his experience. I have been five times to India, and I have never
yet seen a spot where stalking the sambur as a recognised sport
could be adopted. In the first place, they are too scarce ; and
they are too much disturbed.

Although I was eight years in Ceylon, during which I was
shooting or hunting in every portion of the island, I am certain
that I never shot half a dozen sambur. We never drove the
jungles with beaters, but simply strolled through the most promis-
ing country, either upon our ponies or on foot, and took our chance
of any game that we might meet. I rarely met sambur in the
low country ; and, when living upon the mountains at Newera
Ellia, 6200 feet above the sea-level, shooting sambur was out of
the question. Although the interminable forests of that elevated
district abounded with these animals, I have never seen one, unless
discovered by the hounds. The jungles are thick, and it is im-
possible to get through them without noise and considerable
exertion. The animals of course are alarmed, and retreat before
you are near enough even to hear their rush. I have often taken
my rifle, and sallied out before sunrise, upon the wild patinas
(open ground), where nature rested in profound solitude ; but I
have never seen a sambur on the open. I can safely declare that,
during seven years' residence at Newera Ellia, I have never fired
at any wild animal, except an elephant. The jungles formed an
impenetrable sanctuary ; and they remain in the same condition at
the present moment.

In the spring of 1887 I revisited Ceylon after an absence

414 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

exceeding thirty-three years. There were mighty changes in many
portions of the country, but at Newera Ellia the word " progress "
moves but slowly. The roads were certainly improved, as they
were superior to any of our highways in England. The bridges
were built of stone ; in the old days they were dangerous traps of
wood ; but I was disappointed in the number of private residences,
which had not increased to the extent that I should have expected
during so long an interval as thirty-three years. I left about
twenty-four houses, and found only thirty.

Newera Ellia is a peculiar position, the plain, which is 3
miles in length, being 6200 feet above the sea. This level
surface is surrounded by mountains, among which is Pedrotal-
lagalla, the highest point in Ceylon, 8300 feet. A stream runs
through the centre of the plain, and issues from a gap, whence it
descends in a succession of falls and rapids to the lower country.

The gap has been dammed by a solid bhund of masonry, and,
by raising the level between two opposing heights, a considerable
portion of the marshy plain has been converted into a lake. This
has much improved the general appearance of the locality, as in
former years it bore the somewhat desolate aspect of a peat bog.

Mr. Le Mesurier, the district magistrate, has set a bright
example by exerting his energy for the benefit of the public. At
his own cost he established a fish-nursery, to which he applied his
attention with such success that the lake now abounds with trout,
all of which have been hatched from ova introduced by himself,
and reared in his own tanks. This officer is an energetic sports-
man, and he keeps a pack of hounds for the hunting of sambur
deer (miscalled elk in Ceylon), and follows much upon my own
footsteps of a bygone age.

It was a peculiar pleasure to revisit this settlement, which is
the sanatorium of Ceylon, as I had worked so earnestly in its
foundation during my early days. The church which we assisted
in erecting was there, and the churchyard which we had laid out
within the forest was now filled ; one of the occupants being a
much-loved brother, who had helped to plan the cemetery when
we were young. All the graves were kept in beautiful order, and
the sadness of the spot was relieved by beds of European flowers,
and gravel walks that gave the appearance of an English garden.

Some of the mountain slopes at Newera Ellia had parted with
their original clothing of rank forest, and were covered from base
to peak with tea plantations. Others were producing cinchona ;
but the latter tree, although prosperous at the commencement, had
exhibited the risks attending all agricultural industries. The sub-

xxv THE SAMBUR 415

soil at Newera Ellia is rich in iron ; this is fatal to the cinchona,
but favourable to the tea.

The Government had wisely declined to sell Crown lands in the
neighbourhood of Newera Ellia beyond the altitude of 5000 feet
above the sea ; I therefore was delighted to see many places that
were absolutely unchanged, and when, from rising ground at our
old estate, Mahagastotte', I looked upon the rounded masses of
forest and hill-tops extending for 18 miles to the Horton Plains,
my past life appeared like a vanished dream, and I could imagine
that I had only parted from the scene a few weeks ago.

Throughout all this country we used to hunt, and although
pathless, I knew every portion intimately. The return to my old
home was saddening ; most of the old companions were dead, others
had grown old, and were hastening to decay. I looked at the wild
ground, and walked for about 14 miles one morning to revisit the
old scenes. I felt tired upon my return, and depressed in spirit,
as I looked back upon the days when I seldom walked, but always
ran, and never knew the meaning of the word " fatigue." I sus-
pected that I also must be growing old.

It is astonishing to regard the havoc that can be created by the
axe. I remember the time when we looked over an expanse of
interminable and pathless forest from the hill-tops above Newera
Ellia. No person would have believed that it would entirely dis-
appear, and give place to tea. A railway station at Nana-Oya is
only 4 miles from the hotel, which brings the sanatorium within
eight hours' journey of sweltering Colombo.

I re-read my own book, Eight Years in Ceylon, written in 1854,
to refresh my memory of things and people connected with the
country. It struck me that I had been rather unsparing in my
criticisms upon certain governors of the island, but the sins of
omission and commission upon their part were nothing to the act
of the man (whoever he may have been) who had deprived the
troops of their sanatorium, dismantled the barracks at Newera
Ellia, and, although a railway now brings the place within only a
few hours of Kandy and Colombo, had neutralised every advantage
by withdrawing the entire military detachment.

Here was a magnificent anomaly ; " that a sanatorium had been
established which every European who can afford the time and
expense, visits for a certain period of the year. Common-sense
would suggest that British troops should always be quartered in
the most healthy position, and Newera Ellia was in former days
accepted as the hill station for invalids. The only drawback in
those days consisted in the distance and delay occasioned by bad

416 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

roads, sometimes rendered impassable during the rainy season.
Now that the railway was in being, the old difficulty had dis-
appeared ; but in the face of the absurdity the troops had been
withdrawn ! "

I often wonder how England manages to get on as she does ;
she hobbles along through modern history after her own fashion,
supported by the British taxpayer, the easily cajoled and easily
skinned John Bull. With our small and expensive army, which is
insufficient for our needs, we treat our soldiers in a manner that
would be considered a disgrace if they were domestic animals. No
person in Ceylon would keep his dogs in Colombo, if he could pro-
vide for them in the splendid climate of the hills.

It is now forty years ago since I first introduced the brewing of
beer into Newera Ellia. This succeeded admirably, so long as a
good quality of malt was supplied from England ; it was an in-
teresting result of my early experiments to find an important
brewery worked by a company, who make their own malt, and
were about to grow their own barley in the Ouva district, about 13
miles from the sanatorium.

The destruction of forests in the lower ranges which surround
Newera Ellia should have greatly increased the number of sambur
on the highest mountains, which remain untouched. Nothing can
compare in the present day with our game list of olden times ; the
hunting of the pack is confided to a native, and although I saw
some fine hounds, the whole style is differently arranged. We
always turned out regularly three times a week, and I hunted the
pack myself. Occasionally we gave the neighbourhood of Newera
Ellia a rest, and took the hounds for a few weeks either to the
Horton Plains, 18 or 20 miles distant, or to the Elephant Plains
in the opposite direction.

The country offers many advantages, none of which have been
as yet developed. The highlands of Ceylon form an irregular series
of plateaux at varying levels. When Newera Ellia is reached,
although 6200 feet above the sea, it is not a mountain top, neither
is it, like those horrible places Simla and Darjeeling, a mere ridge,
girded by frightful precipices, without a level spot the size of an
ordinary dining-room, unless scarped artificially from the hillside,
but you can drive for miles upon more or less level roads in various
directions. There are many plains, some at the same altitude,
others at a much higher level; for example, the Horton Plains.
The following description, extracted from Eight Years in Ceylon,
will afford more detailed information than I could bestow from
memory : — " The principal mountains in Ceylon are Pedrotallagalla,

xxv THE SAMBUR 417

8300 feet ; Kirigallapotta, 7900 ; Totapella, 8000 ; and Adam's
Peak, 7700; but although their altitude is so considerable, they
do not give the idea of grandeur which such an altitude would
convey. They do not rise abruptly from a level base, but they are
merely the loftiest of a thousand peaks towering from the highlands
of Ceylon.

" The greater portion of the highland district may therefore be
compared to one vast mountain ; hill piled upon hill, and peak
rising over peak, ravines of immense depth forming innumerable
conduits for the mountain torrents. Then at the elevation of
Newera Ellia the heavings of the land appear to have rested, and
gentle undulations, diversified by plains and forests, extend for some
30 miles.

" From these comparatively level tracts and swampy plains, the
rivers of Ceylon derive their source, and the three loftiest peaks
take their base ; Pedrotallagalla rising from the Newera Ellia Plain,
Totapella and Kirigallapotta from the Horton Plains.

" The whole of the highland district is thus composed of a suc-
cession of ledges of great extent at various elevations, commencing
with the highest, the Horton Plains, 7000 feet above the sea.

"Seven hundred feet below the Horton Plains, the Totapella
Plains and forest continue at this elevation as far as Newera Ellia
for about 20 miles, thus forming the second ledge.

" Six miles to the west of Newera Ellia, at a lower level of
about 900 feet, the district of Dimboola commences, and extends
at this elevation over a vast tract of forest -covered country,
stretching still farther to the west, and containing a small pro-
portion of plain.

" At about the same elevation, 9 miles north of Newera Ellia,
we descend to the Elephant Plains, a beautiful tract of fine grass
country, but of small extent. This tract and that of Dimboola
form the third ledge.

" Nine miles to the east of Newera Ellia, at a lower elevation
of 1500 feet, stretches the Ouva country, forming the fourth ledge.

" The features of this country are totally distinct from any other
portion of Ceylon. A magnificent view extends as far as the
horizon, of undulating, open grass land, diversified by the rich crops
of paddy which are grown in each of the innumerable small valleys
formed by the undulations of the ground. Not a tree is to be seen,
except the low brushwood which is scantily distributed upon the
surface.

"We emerge suddenly from the forest -covered mountains of
Newera Ellia, and, from a lofty point in the high road to Budulla,

2 E

418 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

we look down upon the splendid panorama stretched like a waving
sea beneath our feet. The road upon which we stand is scraped
out of the mountain side. The forest has ceased, dying off gradu-
ally into isolated patches, and long ribbon-like strips on the side of
the mountain, upon which rich grass is growing, in vivid contrast
to the rank and coarse herbage of Newera Ellia, distant only 5
miles from this point."

This exact description of the country will enable any person to
imagine the style of hunting the sambur with hounds, as he will
at once perceive that the greater portion of the work must be done
on foot. Although I generally started on horseback, the animal
was seldom seen throughout the day.

The forest throughout the entire district was more or less the
same in character. Fine timber shaded an undergrowth of a plant
called nilho. This grew in straight sticks a little thicker than the
forefinger of a man, to the height of 10 or 12 feet. The density
of the mass may be conceived, as it grew almost as thickly as a
field of corn. There were no lateral branches, but merely leaves ;
fortunately it had no thorns, and was easily broken, otherwise it
would have been impervious.

This plant blossomed only once in seven years ; at such a time
the jungles were a blaze of flowers humming with bees, which
appeared as though by magic, to collect their crop of honey.
When the blossom seeded, great numbers of jungle-fowl invaded
the forests ; but whence they came, no one could satisfactorily
decide. Eats also swarmed to devour the nilho seeds, and from
the commencement of the blossom it was a most interesting
example of one of nature's rules, that wherever there is a supply
of food, some creatures, whether insects or animals, will be ready
to consume it.

But when that nilho had seeded, it died ; the result was dis-
astrous to the hunter. The long sticks fell upon the ground in
chaotic entanglement, and in some places it was impossible to
break through. It was always sufficiently irksome to push a way
through the yielding nilho when it was erect, but when fallen, it
was a terrible trial to the shins.

I have already mentioned the fact that I never saw a sambur
upon the open, unless driven by the hounds. The hunt was con-
ducted as follows. We started at daybreak. I had a special
costume for running. This woven dress consisted of tights, similar
to ordinary elastic drawers, with a short jacket of the same material,
that fitted like a jersey. These were dyed green. A pair of
rather high ankle boots, which laced in the usual manner, the

xxv THE SAMBUR 419

soles not more than a quarter of an inch thick, with about a dozen
large nails in each, and the same around the heel. A rather broad
leather belt, with a very large and strong buckle, and my hunting-
knife, completed the outfit. A small helmet cap protected the
head. A cup of hot coffee before the sun rose, fortified me for
any number of hours that we might be employed. I never ate
anything, but according to my own feelings I could work more
satisfactorily upon simple coffee, with my belt tightly drawn and
buckled. I never by any chance took anything for lunch, and I
made a point of never drinking until I returned home j this was
sometimes, but rarely, after dark. This system was excellent
training for the work required. Upon ordinary occasions I was
either alone, excepting my huntsman (a discharged soldier, 15th
Regiment, Benson), or I was accompanied by my brother, or some
other friend. During the fine season, when Newera Ellia was full
of visitors, we had large parties, including many ladies. On those
occasions every one was mounted, and I invariably reserved certain
localities where horses would be of service, and the sambur would
most probably break across the open.

It was a delightful feeling in those days of activity, when
starting in early morning I opened the kennel-door. A charming
pack was created after several years of crossing special breeds to
produce all that was required.

For hunting sambur in such a country as described, the pack
must be mixed. We commenced by a mistake, in taking a small
pack of foxhounds from England. They were fine young hounds ;
some from Lord FitzHardinge's pack, others from the Duke of
Beaufort's.

I discovered immediately that a pack of thoroughbred foxhounds
was a fiasco in a wild extent of jungle, where it was impossible to
ride. They ran riot upon high-flavoured musky vermin of every
description — cats, and genets, and little red- deer; in fact, any-
thing except the game required.

By degrees I produced a pack of about fourteen couple, com-
posed of various breeds. Some were pure foxhound, others a cross
between foxhound and pointer, blood-hound and pointer, foxhound
and blood-hound, mastiff and blood-hound, mastiff and blood-hound
crossed with kangaroo-hound from Australia, English greyhound
and kangaroo-hound ; in fact, every conceivable mixture, to produce
three classes of dogs — (1) finders, (2) finders and seizers combined,
(3) long-legged powerful hounds for coursing.

The mixture was necessary for these reasons. The habits of
the sambur were nocturnal. During the night it enjoyed the open

420 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

plains. Before dawn, after feeding throughout the night, it drank,
and then returned to the depths of the forests. The stags gener-
ally ascended to considerable heights upon the mountains, and
wherever there were bluff and overhanging rocks, there was sure
to be an asylum much frequented.

It was a rule to start with the hounds in couples, to avoid
trouble and delay, as young hounds would probably stray off upon
some forbidden scent.

Upon arrival in a secluded plain, the course was always directed
towards the stream, as the sambur would have drunk at the last
moment before retiring to the jungle. The scent would therefore
be freshest near the bank.

The hounds would be thrown off upon the plain ; sometimes
two or more pups would be retained in couples, and only released
when there should be "a find."

It was an inspiriting sight to see the foxhounds, or those crossed
with pointer or blood-hound, take the lead, and instinctively dash
along the margin of .the stream. Old Bluebeard was the hound
in which the pack believed, and when he spoke after feathering
along the bottom, with stern erect and nose to the ground, there
was a general rush towards the spot by every dog, no matter what
his breed ; they were all believers. The couples were at once
released, and away went the pups to the halloo of " Hark to Blue-
beard ! " The deep notes of the old hound were quickly heard far
up the mountain side, chorused by the voices of the pack as they
followed hard upon the scent.

In the meantime where was the noble stag 1 He was by this
time standing somewhere high upon the hill, but happily at some
distance from the crest. With a paunch full of green food, the
gluttony of a night, and a gallon or so of water taken when he
quitted the river's bank, he had been disposing himself for sleep,
when his attention was aroused by the excited voices of the hounds.
If any human eye could have regarded him, he would have been
seen standing with uplifted nose and well-pricked ears, listening to
what was music to us, but the death-knell to a deer. When
attentive to the distant voices, quite half a mile away, he little
dreamt that long-legged mute hounds were far in advance upon
the scent. Here we see the advantage of the cross with greyhound
and foxhound, or blood-hound. Those dogs would follow by scent
or sight, but would never open. Much faster than other hounds
which composed the pack, they went ahead, and gained a position
close to the stag before he knew that danger was nearer than the
chorus to which he listened at a distance. Sometimes I feel sure

xxv THE SAMBUR 421

that the long-legged dogs actually appeared in view of the awaiting
stag before he had an idea of any enemy. This was absolutely
necessary to ensure a quick solution of the hunt. If the stag were
not pressed to his utmost at the outset, he would have plenty of
leisure to breast the mountain steep, to reach the summit long
before the pack. In that case he would cross the ridge, and
descend the slope upon the other side. That would be a case
indeed when the buckle of the waist-belt would be drawn as tight
as possible, to prepare for a long day's work ; as the sambur would
never stop when once his nose was turned down hill, and he would
run for probably 10 miles into the depths of some awful ravines,
where he would possibly escape.

If, on the other hand, the mute long-legged hounds should
interview him before the arrival of the pack, the effect would be
magnificent. For the first burst the stag would make straight up
the mountain side, but the full paunch of a night's feed would
quickly tell against his chances of success. The hounds, with
empty bellies, running light, would quickly overhaul him, and the
stag must turn. Then he would come crashing through the jungle,
running obliquely down the hill, but the long-legged ones would
be at his heels, and force him straight down the steep incline, where
he would have the speed.

In the meantime, listening to the notes of well-known hounds,
I could tell with tolerable accuracy the position of affairs. Hear-
ing that the pack did not positively crest the mountain ridge, I
knew that the stag had not been able to attain it \ he therefore
would perforce be coming down. Judging by the appearance of
the country the point at which he would be compelled to break,
I would run ahead with the two long-legged seizers, which always
remained with me, to be ready to slip the moment that he should
appear upon the open. Arrived at the spot, I should now hear
the pack in full cry coming down the hill. Presently the crashing
sound of breaking nilho in the forest would ensure the delightful
advent of the stag. A few moments more and the splendid beast
would appear through the margin of the forest. There he would
wait for a few seconds to gaze upon the expanse of solitude, to
assure himself of safety before he ventured upon a dash across the
open. Away he goes ! straight down the gentle slope, across the
plain. At that moment I slip the straining greyhounds, and the
course begins. They fly !

The stag knows nothing of these new enemies, and he is not
going at his maximum speed; they are. The greyhounds are
closing on him as he nears the stream that runs through the

422 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

centre of the plain — that same stream in which he took his last
drink this morning.

Suddenly he sees the dogs within 100 paces of him, and the
true race begins. They are too quick ; they are upon either flank.
Presently one turns a somersault, as a vigorous kick sends the dog
flying backwards, but the next has him by one ear. The dis-
comfited hound recovers, and rushes to the front ; the other ear is
pinned.

Now the strength of a sambur stag is seen. He gallops forward
with the two dogs gallantly hanging to his ears. The ground is
rough, and covered with large stumps of a coarse grass ; against
these obstacles the bodies of the dogs are swung with terrific force
as the stag ploughs onwards, through the soft earth and swamp ;
but the good dogs never relax their hold. At length the stag
trots — now slowly — then he walks. The dogs now regain their
feet, and hold like a blacksmith's vice.

In the meantime the view halloo had been given the instant
that the greyhounds had been slipped. The well-known sound,
repeated twice or thrice, had been answered by the pack, and
every hound came thundering down straight for the cry, disdaining
all the attractive charms of scent. The long-legged dogs that had
been running mute would be within view, and tearing to the
assistance of the nearly exhausted greyhounds. The knife would
not be far away, and upon coming up, a thrust behind the shoulder
would finish the career of the noble stag. Then the excitement of
the pack would break all bounds ; a general rush upon the helpless
body was permitted for about a minute to encourage the hounds ;
they were then whipped off, and they sat in a circle in general
expectation. The stag was grallocked, the distended paunch and
viscera dragged upon one side, together with the heart and lungs.
The liver was cut into several pieces, and given to the young
hounds, who were called from the ranks by name to receive the
dainty morsels. When all was ready, a halloo was given for a
" worry," and the entire pack flew like wolves upon the spoil.

It would be impossible for me at this great distance of time to
remember every detail of a particular hunt, but as I possess my
old diary, I will extract verbatim the description of one or two
runs which were noted down on the following day with all the
freshness of the recent action : —

" 1852. July 27. — Stag sambur (elk) found at 7.30 a.m. upon
the swampy pastures about 2 miles up Pedro. He first made
straight running down the mountain, with the apparent intention
of breaking upon the plain, but being headed by some noisy people

xxv THE SAMBUR 423

at the back of the old Eest House, he immediately turned and
made straight up the mountain. From that moment all was
mute. Three times did I ascend Pedro in the hope of hearing
the pack at bay in some of the numerous ravines upon the moun-
tain side, but it was of no avail; not a sound could be heard.
We then went up the Newera Ellia pass ; nothing could be heard
in that direction. The whole morning passed away in fruitless
search. It was 2 p.m., and the weaned visitors to the hunt had
long since returned to their respective homes in despair. The day
was hot, and we dropped into Machel's house and had a draught
of beer previous to climbing the steep mountain at the back of
the barracks, in the hope of hearing something of the lost pack
upon the hill-top. Making a circuit on reaching the summit, we
descended by the Cutcherry, and not having heard even a chirp,
we determined to go towards ' Eest and be thankful,' where I had
sent Machel to look out. Upon our arrival on the top of the hill
on the Wallapane road, where the path branches off to ' Rest
and be thankful,' we saw Machel, who was sitting on the patina,
having returned from his post without success ; but a proof of the
direction which the pack had taken, now appeared in Lizzie (a
foxhound bitch), who had just joined him from the Wallapane
road.

" There was no longer a doubt ; the elk had gone towards the
Matturatta Plains, and without a moment's delay we galloped
thither (having now obtained our horses). After a sharp ride of
a mile, we met some village people, who reported that two dogs
had passed them at full speed along the path in the direction of
the Matturatta Plain. Hurrah for him at last ! and away we
went full tilt. When within a mile of the plain, sure enough
there was a stag's track in the muddy path as fresh as a daisy ;
the toes widely spread, proving the speed, together with innumer-
able tracks of dogs all taking the same direction.

" Yelling continuous shouts of encouragement in the hopes of
cheering the hounds as we galloped on, we at length reached the
plains. There to our joy we saw Bran and Lucifer (two grey-
hounds), who, having heard our shouts, were coming to meet us.
These dogs had actually been hunting with the pack throughout
the day, and there was now no doubt that the stag was not far
distant. Lena had kept with us, therefore we had a fresh seizer.
Leaving the road, and riding into the plain, we stopped and
listened. The panting and snorting of the horses, which had
come 3 miles at full speed, at first hushed all other sounds, but
presently we could distinguish the distant and faint voices of

424 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the pack at bay upon our right. The sound was unmistakable,
although the dogs were evidently so weary that they only barked
at intervals. However faint, the bay was positive, and the sound
acted upon our spirits like oil on a dying flame. Away we went
across the patina, utterly regardless of the deep holes and bogs.
Bran and Lucifer, shooting ahead, piloted us at a tremendous pace
towards the wished-for spot. Suddenly away went my horse Jack,
right upon his head in a soft bog, and at the same instant Momus
was likewise inverted by the same cause, both riders sprawling
upon the muddy patina. Gathering up the pieces, and helping
the horses to terra Jlrma, we were quickly in the saddles, and on
gaining some rising ground we saw the hounds a quarter of a
mile distant on the bank of the river ; some were standing, some
sitting, and others lying down, and occasionally barking at a
splendid stag who stood facing them close to the bank, shoulder-
deep in the running stream.

" We were soon up. At the well-known halloo the tired dogs
sprang from the ground, and burst into a tremendous bay, when
they saw the welcome aid now hurrying to the front. The stag,
refreshed by his cool bath, without waiting for an attack, sprang
nimbly up the bank, charged through the pack, striking down
every opposing hound, and at full speed started away up the
gently sloping patina towards the jungle.

" The dogs were not to be beaten. Lena was fresh, and the
eager bitch pressed him in such good form that she was within 6
paces of his haunches when he disappeared within the jungle.
Bran and Lucifer were closely waiting on her, and the following
pack some fifty paces in the rear.

" The forest was open, and the thick fringe of ferns and under-
wood was soon cut into a lane as the dogs crashed through in hot
pursuit. . . . About five minutes passed ; during this time the
cry of the hounds became fainter and fainter, until at length the
sound died away entirely in the far distance. ... It was a
painful silence.

11 The water in the river, still muddy from the recent bay, and
the crushed underwood of the jungle, were the only visible signs
that the stag and hounds had so recently been near us. The game
had gone off so suddenly and rapidly that we could hardly believe
our senses.

" It was impossible to say what direction the stag would take ;
he might go to ' Rest and be thankful,' or to the Barrack Plain ;
or he might go right off towards Pe'rewelli (8 miles distant in the
low country) ; one place was as likely as another. Certain it was,

xxv THE SAMBUR 425

that this stag was a devil to run, and we now seemed to be as far
away from the end of the hunt as ever. My only hope lay in
Lena \ she was fresh, and was so* near him when they had entered
the jungle, that I thought she would hold her position in such an
open forest ; although she did not follow by scent, she would
rarely lose her game with so good a start.

"Disappointment possessed me, and my patience had nearly
oozed away with sundry anathemas upon the sinewy legged stag,
who seemed to laugh at the speediest dogs, when suddenly I heard
a distant sound. Was it a dog 1 — Yes ; — No ; — but hark ! — then
it most certainly sounded ! — now again ! There was no mistake ;
nearer and nearer the cry rapidly approached, swelling into such a
chorus that there was no doubt the whole pack was close upon
him. On he came ; the crash of the yielding underwood ushered
the stag's approach, and he bounded forth upon the plain within a
few yards of the spot where he had so recently entered the forest.
Lena was leading beautifully, and as the grand stag rushed through
the high ferns, the bitch made a gallant spring. For the instant
he was down ; but shaking the bitch off, he was again free ; he
flew down the sloping patina towards the river with the three
greyhounds laying out in such style that it was even betting if he
could reach the bank. He neared the stream ; they were at his
haunches. As he took his spring from the steep bank, the grey-
hounds pinned him, and they splashed together into the deep
water in a confused heap, the dogs losing their hold through the
severity of the shock.

" Once more the stag was free. He now boldly turned, and
faced the dogs in water so deep that he was forced to swim, and
was of course powerless.

" Bran had him in a moment. Lucifer and Lena pinned him
likewise ; the whole pack closed up, and he was overwhelmed with
dogs.

"I thought the game was ended, when to my surprise he
suddenly dived, and regularly drowned every dog from its hold.
Once again the gallant stag was free, and wisely turning his back
upon his foes, he swam rapidly down the river with the pack
swimming after him in full cry.

"At length he gained a footing in the bottom, where the river
suddenly grew shallow ; disdaining further flight, he turned sharp
round, and with an angry bark he dashed straight at his pursuers,
striking them under water right and left. Now Lena came
splendidly to the front, and sprang towards him from a shallow
sandbank where she could obtain a footing, but the stag, fore-

426 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

seeing her intention, met her in her spring, and struck her down,
following her up most viciously with his antlers. In another
instant the bitch would have been impaled, but at this critical
moment Valiant, who had gained a good position, cleverly sprang
forward and seized him by the ear. Nothing could shake him
from his hold. ' Hold him, good lad,' I shouted, when Ploughboy,
who was close alongside, seized the other ear.

" The stag now rushed down the river with the two dogs hang-
ing like earrings from his head. Rearing upon his hind legs, he
vainly endeavoured to shake them from their determined hold.
Rushing again into the deep water, once more he dived ; but all
in vain ; as he reappeared upon the surface, the staunch couple
were hanging like leeches at their places, although half-drowned,
and regardless of many severe blows they had received from his
fore-feet.

" I now jumped into the river, with a loud cheer to the pack,
and the knife bared. In another moment the greyhounds sprang
upon the stag. The spray flew from the blows of his feet, as he
lashed out in all directions in desperate fury ; but the maddened
hounds were upon him, and the knife put an end to a hunt which
had lasted from 7.30 a.m. until the termination at 4 p.m. Eight
hours and a half; during which it would be difficult to guess the
number of miles that were covered by both stag and hounds.
Ploughboy was lamed for a week from a severe kick, but none of
the other dogs were seriously injured."

Although as a rule a stag is more dangerous than a hind, I
have seen fatal wounds produced by the blow of the fore-foot, with
which the sambur hind is very active. It may readily be imagined
that in deep water, where the deer is obliged to swim, it is power-
less to act on the offensive, but when so large and powerful an
animal stands only belly-deep in the midst of a roaring torrent, it
becomes impossible for any dog to approach, as it would be
instantly swept away by the stream. A hind becomes dangerous
to hounds in such a position, as she is apt to make a sudden
bound, and strike a dog with both the fore-feet simultaneously. I
once knew a fatal accident, when a dog named Cato was killed in
this manner, and the sharp pointed hoof penetrated the body like
a spear, and dragged out the intestines in the act of withdrawal.
Success in hunting sambur deer with hounds must depend upon an
intimate knowledge of the character and habits of the animal, a
mutual confidence between master and hounds, and a most perfect
experience of the country. If the hounds feel sure that their
master will stick to them, and be certain to appear sooner or later,

xxv THE SAMBUR 427

they will keep the deer at bay, and never give up their game till
nightfall ; but if they are not well supported, the best dogs would
probably get tired of a prolonged hunt, and return to kennel after
having uselessly held their stag at bay in the absence of human
assistance.

My hounds seldom lost a sambur ; but if they were unlucky,
they never returned home until long after dark, showing that they
had only given up the game with failing daylight.

There was one memorable stag that beat us upon several
occasions, and I shall extract the account from my old diary
exactly as it was written upon the day following the last hunt : —

" 1853. March 11. — Stag found at the foot of the hills in the
Elk Plains.

" On several occasions an elk (sambur) had been found in this
spot and invariably lost, as his habit was to make off to some
unknown line of country, which had always ended in his escape,
and in keeping the best dogs out till nightfall. They had then
returned to kennel crestfallen and tired out; evidently having
been beaten off.

" On this day, sure enough, the tracks of a stag were fresh at
the usual place, and in a few minutes after our entrance of the
jungle, the entire pack opened with beautiful music, all well
together.

" We immediately ran out of the jungle, and on the open patina
only a few notes of the tailing hounds were audible ; these were
at a great distance, the stag, as usual, having gone off at railway
pace.

"The important question now was, 'Where was he gone1?'

"This was the old story over again, and the hunt seemed
likely to have its customary termination. We had hitherto
imagined that the stag had escaped by going off to the left at the
base of the hills, and by ultimately rounding the extremity of the
range, and by this means getting into a jungle country of
enormous extent.

" Upon this supposition Jem started off towards the second
Elk Plains, in the expectation of hearing them as they rounded
the extremity of the hills.

" On the other hand, I was of opinion that they had gone over
the hills, as the voices of the tailing hounds (which I distinctly
heard) were very high up. We had run out of the jungle so
quickly that I felt convinced we must have heard the leading
dogs, and the entire pack, had they not already topped the range.

"Accordingly I started off, and entering the jungle, I made

428 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

straight for the hollow between the mountains in which I had
last heard the dogs, with the determination of following up their
tracks if I should be fortunate enough to find them.

"After toiling for some time through the thick jungle I
arrived at the hollow, and I shortly discovered a capital path made
by elephants of all dates, and which, from its beaten appearance
and total absence from underwood, was evidently the direct track
over the mountain which had been used for many years. It
immediately struck me that it was by this easy route that the
stag had always escaped over, and not round the hills, which I
had hitherto supposed. Fully convinced of this, I hurried up the
path as fast as I was able, and when about half-way up the hill,
sure enough there were the deer's fresh tracks in the path, together
with those of the whole pack likewise, taking the same direction
up the hill.

" The hillside was about a mile in length, and a regular breather,
but the excitement kept up a sort of shuffling run, until at last
the summit was gained.

" From the top of this ridge is a very magnificent view over a
jungle country of about 30 miles, bounded by lofty mountains,
among which Adam's Peak towers majestically in the distance.
A few small patinas (grass lands) are dotted about in the vast
expanse of forest, and countless dark ravines furrow the mountain
sides. The ridge upon which I stood formed the bold outline to
this side of the panorama. On the right hand, far below, lay
several coffee plantations, i.e. Palliser's and Hunter's, etc.

" A steep but regular inclination led from the point upon which
I stood for about 5 miles downwards, to the level of the large
river which flowed through the coffee estates, and a dark hollow
in the face of the mountain marked the source and rapid increase
of the Diggamy Oya, which meets the larger river below at right
angles.

" To this dark line in the mountain side my eyes instinctively
wandered as the possible line of the elk's run, as I knew he would
soon take to water after his quick burst up the hill.

" The sky was spotless, and not a breath of air stirred the tree-
tops, upon which I looked down as upon a vast carpet of undula-
tions. It was a lovely morning for listening, and I strained my
ears for the slightest sound. I fancied that I heard an indistinct
noise from far beneath like the hum of bees ; this seemed to pro-
ceed from the dark hollow which marked the river's course. . . .
It was not fancy. Once or twice I heard a deep voice louder than
the rest. ... To crown all certainty I heard most distinctly the

xxv THE SAMBUR 429

sudden and ringing bark of an elk. They were at bay ! but at
least 3 miles from where I stood.

" In this spot, on the narrow ridge of the mountain top, the
winter wind had prevented all trees from growing. The vegetation
consisted of nothing but stunted bushes and dwarf nilho, gradually
increasing in height as it obtained a more sheltered situation in
its descent, until it gave place to lofty forest. From this clear
and elevated post I marked out the line of country that I ought to
take, and following the elk's track as my surest guide, I started
off at a great pace down the mountain side.

" Tearing through the bushes and trees at this rate, I lost the
track. Striking my line of country according to my own judgment,
I ploughed along for a couple of miles, sometimes losing all sound
of the bay, at other times hearing it indistinctly, but always as
far off, or apparently farther off than ever. The real fact was that
the elk was continually breaking his bay, and running farther down
the mountain towards Dimboola; he was only standing to bay
within the river at short intervals to rest.

" For about 4 miles I had burst my way through the jungle,
when, upon issuing from a hollow close to the river, I heard the
bay within a quarter of a mile, and the jungle in this part being
more open, I put on extra steam and was soon up. Ye gods,
what a pair of antlers ! what a splendid stag ! There he stood in
the middle of the river, knee-deep, with the dogs around him,
playing old Harry with the leaders of the pack whenever they
showed signs of making an attack.

" It was a splendid sight, and it was delightful to see the joy of
the dogs as they welcomed me upon arrival. Lucifer, Bran, and
Hecate all left the bay, and came up to me wagging their tails,
and then once more returned to their work, to fight. Bertram
was too absorbed in the excitement of the battle to think of any-
thing but the game before him. I never saw a dog more regardless
of punishment. He was struck down every minute, but he never-
theless returned to the charge with redoubled fury, and always
retained his place as the first to lead in when any chance opened
for attack.

" All this courage was useless ; the stag was so quick in repelling,
that the dogs, who were almost swimming, had no chance.
Accordingly I drew my knife, and, giving them a cheer, I went
into the rapid stream.

"Immediately the stag broke his bay, and, rushing through
the jungle, he was closely followed by the pack, until he again
came to bay about a quarter of a mile lower down the river. I

430 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

was soon up, and I found he had gained an impregnable position
in a broad portion of the river, where the water was about 3 feet
deep ; this was just above a frightful waterfall about 100 feet in
depth. On one side of the river the banks were precipitous, and
about 12 feet high. Beneath this steep place of refuge the stag
was standing, and for about ten minutes he amused himself by
striking the dogs beneath the water in every direction, whenever
they ventured to approach by swimming.

" I saw there was no chance for the unfortunate dogs ; I there-
fore determined to try my fortune with the knife.

" From the high bank above the deer I noticed an overhanging
branch which I thought would be sufficiently elastic to bear my
weight. I accordingly grasped this with my left hand, and with
my knife in my right I made a jump downward, intending to strike
the stag between the shoulders, and then to regain my position by
means of the elastic bough. I made the attempt; the bough
broke, in an instant I was on the deer's back, and in another
moment fell sprawling in the water.

" The stag sprang away as though stung by a hornet, but the
knife had entered to the hilt, and I had struck him just between
the shoulders.

"The dogs, having seen me attack, rushed at the stag as he
passed by, and at the same moment Bertram was seen hanging on
his ear. .Lucifer had him a second later, and the stag, shunning
the brink of the waterfall, dashed through some thick bushes to
the left with the dogs holding him, and in a moment they
disappeared.

"I heard a dull heavy sound like the fall of some solid body;
upon approaching the spot, I found the greater portion of the dogs.
They were on the brink of a precipice about 30 feet deep, down
which the stag, with Bertram, Lucifer, and Ploughboy, had fallen.
Fortunately some dense tufts of bushes grew from the sides of the
almost perpendicular cliff; these had broken their fall, otherwise
they would have been killed. As it happened, they were not only
unhurt, but I heard them at bay beneath.

"By making a circuit of about 100 yards, I discovered a place
by which I could descend. The dogs had preceded me, and I
heard a tremendous bay on a ledge of rock which formed a narrow
terrace or shelf; there was a chasm below, and a wall-like cliff
above, covered with bush ; down this the stag and dogs had fallen,
being saved from certain destruction by being caught upon the
ledge.

"Having descended and gained this shelf, I made my way

xxv THE SAMBUR 431

towards the spot where the stag was again at bay. Upon my
approach he immediately saw me ; determined to gain the forest,
he charged straight past me, or at me, I would not say which. I
had expected this, as from his position he could not retreat with-
out leaping into the chasm and certain death below. I had my
knife ready, and I met him with the point just beneath the eye,
and jumping quickly on one side I gave him a quick thrust under
his right shoulder. The next instant he was covered with dogs,
and the wound proving almost immediately fatal, the hunt was
over. His horns were 30 inches long, and were the most graceful
pair that I had ever killed.

"I cut off his head, and with it commenced a toilsome walk
home, having killed the elk, wThich I had every reason to believe
had so often beaten off the dogs and baulked me."

On that occasion I was quite alone, my native huntsman having
lost his way in the jungle ; I thus had to carry a head weighing
about 40 lbs. for at least 4 miles up the steep mountain and then
2 miles farther to my own home. I had cut open the stag, and
allowed the hounds to take their fill of this gallant antagonist,
who had worsted them upon former occasions, and would have
been victorious again had I not arrived to their assistance.

From the few hunts I have described, it will have been apparent
that the hounds are exposed to the roughest wTork, and that a
valuable dog must combine great valour with discretion. It is
the same with men ; courage is always necessary, but it must be
allied with prudence. Some persons assume that courage is the
commonest qualification, and is to be found among all men, just
as ten fingers (with the thumbs) are supposed to be our due. I
quite agree that after a good dinner in England, with plenty of
wine inside, a bright fire burning in the grate, and no enemy in
existence, men feel uncommonly courageous. It is natural that
they should be so. But would all men feel the same with empty
stomachs, no wine, no fire, but awakened suddenly from their sleep
at three o'clock in the morning by the bugle sound of the alarm,
the enemy being close at hand 1

There are impetuous men and impetuous dogs — neither live
long lives if exposed to danger. The hound for dangerous game
should be like his master, a good fencer, and not run upon the
points of a stag's antlers.

I have mentioned the name of Bertram among others. He was
a grand young hound, by Smut (Manilla blood-hound cross with
Cape mastiff) out of Lena (kangaroo-hound), born 7th February
1852. He was killed 18th March 1853. This splendid young

432 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

dog was hardly fourteen months old. His height at the shoulders
was 28 \ inches, and he was exceedingly heavy; the coat was
yellow and smooth, as he showed more mastiff, having the regular
mastiff head and black muzzle. I have only seen one dog who was
his equal in reckless courage ; that dog was also killed, as all dogs
will be very speedily, unless they combine a large share of common-
sense with valour.

Bertram's death must close my description of sambur deer.
This is also extracted verbatim from my original diary : —

" 1853. March 18. — Stag found on the Matturatta Plains at
7 a.m. The dogs took the scent off the patina, and ran the elk
down to ' Rest and be thankful ' bottom. Turning sharp up the
mountains to the left, they went to the devil. After looking for
the lost dogs in many directions without success, I returned to the
Matturatta Plains. Crossing the river, I entered the beautiful
open jungle on the opposite side, and strolled on in the hope of
hearing something of them; Bertram, Bran, and Lucifer were
with me.

"It was about 1 p.m., and we had gone several miles, when I
thought I heard the deep voice of a dog at some great distance.
We stopped and listened. For some time we could hear nothing,
and thought it must have been only fancy; perhaps the wind,
grinding one bough against another, which is so frequently
deceptive.

" Again we heard it, and there could be no doubt that it was a
dog ; I was almost certain that I distinguished another voice ;
they were at a great distance, far away upon our right.

" After running for about half a mile, I heard them distinctly,
but I could not make out the exact direction, as the elk was still
on foot, and the position of the bay was continually changing,
always increasing the distance.

" At length I came to a sudden standstill, as an abrupt precipice
of about 500 feet fell sheer down before me, forming a terminus to
the wooded country of this portion of Ceylon, and affording a view
of some 50 miles' distance of undulating plains, several thousand
feet below.

" The precipice formed a horseshoe, like an amphitheatre of 2
or 3 miles in width ; at the base was an undulating patina divided
by strips of jungle, which ran like ribbons from the main forest on
the mountain top, and gradually terminated in stupendous ravines ;
these led down from the base of the amphitheatre, and yawned in
wide gaps above the lower country.

" In one of these narrow strips of jungle, at the foot of the

xxv THE SAMBUR

433

precipice far away upon the right, I heard the whole pack at bay
T 5*°* }^mg able t0 descend> I was obliged to run along the top
of the cliff for about a mile before I could discover a way below
inis I at length did, and the greyhounds immediately dashed off
across the patma to join the bay. In a couple of minutes I arrived
and found the stag standing at bay in a deep gully of a small
wooded ravine.

"A shallow stream flowed through the gully, and being a
torrent in the rainy season, it had bored a deep gap in the high
bank, which formed a sudden angle in its course.

"In this gap, with his hind-quarters half concealed by this little
tort, the stag now stood secure from attack, as no dog could possibly
get either on his side or behind him; there was no advance except
direct at his face. He was a determined fighter; making sudden
. sorties from his position, he continually struck down the leading
hounds, and then quickly sprang back again to his stronghold

lor a few seconds I silently watched the fight. I saw that
the dogs had no chance, and, hoping to make the stag break his
bay and change to a more favourable position, I hallooed the dogs
on. When Bertram heard my voice it mattered little whether it
was elk or boar, and the young dog rushed like a lion straight at
the stags head The stag met him in his charge, and pinned the
brave dog with his antlers against the perpendicular bank
Nevertheless the staunch hound would not loose his hold. Without
a seconds delay Bran and Lucifer rushed to the rescue, and the

::vzZ7h the jungle with the three dogs han^ ^ *

withif ^ a ^°rt Tt thrgh the Patina> X came UP with them
I-iA ■ °°, yardYfrthe first Position. Bran and Lucifer had
nailed him fast, and slipping the knife behind his shoulder, I killed
him immediately. ' lvlliCU

"Poor Bertram ! I feared that was a fatal thrust when I saw
him pinned against the bank, and now I felt sure that he was dead
as he was absent from his place. I immediately tracked the stai
back, and within 30 yards I found the dog lying in the last Isd
with a horn wound in the centre of the chesl, cLple^lytrfugh
his lungs. He had evidently kept his hold until he dropped in the
pangs of death. I poured water in hopeless sorrow over his face
striving to relieve him as he convulsively gasped for breath. '

was gtne!"^ ^^ md Stiffened' M^ ^ood doS

No one knows the loss of a dog of this kind unless Tip i«

constantly engaged in these wild sporfs. If Bertram had lived' he

434 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xxv

would have been invaluable, but it is a physical impossibility that
any dog so reckless of danger can long survive. Killbuck, who was
killed by a spotted buck at the Park, was just such another dog as
Bertram, and he won undying renown by his feats of seizing during
an experience of two years, until he met an untimely fate by
impaling himself upon the deer's antlers, at the same time that he
pulled his stag down single-handed, and died in victory:

These extracts from my original diary afford a vivid picture of
the sport of sambur deer hunting, as it was conducted in Ceylon.
I never permitted a rifle to be carried by any person who
accompanied the pack, as shooting a hunted stag would have been
regarded in the same light as shooting a fox in England.

I have frequently remarked with surprise that residents in
India do not more generally make use of dogs for various types of
hunting, especially as the climate during winter throughout the
Central and Northern Provinces would be favourable to the sport.
There are many places which I know, that would be far easier to
hunt than the boundless jungles of Ceylon, and the sambur stag
would then exhibit his real character, instead of dying like a sheep,
killed by a rifle bullet from an ambuscade.

Taking this animal as a representative of the species, although
the antlers have few points, the sambur stag must be accepted as
one -of the finest specimens of the genus Cervus in the world.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE SPOTTED DEER (C. AXIS) : HOG-DEER (c. PORCINUS)

Without any exception, this is the most beautiful and graceful of
the deer tribe, although, like the sambur, it has only six tines upon
the antlers. These are very long, slender, gracefully curved, and
exceedingly sharp at the points.

The stag is a little larger than a fallow buck. The skin is a
rich dark brown, glossy and short ; this is completely covered with
snow-white spots. The belly and the inside of the thighs are white.

In India this species is generally known by the name cheetul,
but the habits of the deer are different from those of Ceylon. In
the latter colony they are found upon plains in the neighbourhood
of forests, until about an hour after sunrise \ they again reappear
upon the open at about 4-30 p.m. In the northern district, about
Jaffna and Illepecadewe', there were an immense number when I
knew the country many years ago. They were so little disturbed
that I have seen them upon the open, and beneath shady trees and
bushes throughout the day, in herds of upwards of a hundred each.
In India the cheetul is generally found in thick jungles upon the
banks of rivers, where the country is much broken, and intersected
by nullahs and water-courses.

Stalking the spotted deer in Ceylon was always an enjoyment,
as the animal was, like most other deer, always on the alert, and
the sport required both skill and patience, combined with accurate
shooting.

In India I have never seen them in any numbers approaching
to my early experience in Ceylon. I remember at Illepecadewe^
we had nine bucks hanging up in camp as the produce of one day's
sport. Fortunately we had a great number of coolies to consume
the flesh, but even then a portion decayed before they had time to
prepare it thoroughly.

Whenever there is an excess of supply in a tropical country,

436 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

the flesh should be cut into long thongs about 1 inch thick. A
framework of green rods should be made about 4 feet high, beneath
which a smoking fire should be well sustained. The strips of flesh
should be laid upon the frame, and the smoke will prevent the
flies from laying their eggs ; which they otherwise will certainly do
before the sun has power to sufficiently dry the meat.

The smoke improves the flavour, and, when the flesh has been
thus exposed for ten or twelve hours, it may be hung upon bushes
in the sun, on the following day, until perfectly dry. A stock of
dried meat should always be preserved in wild countries, as there
is frequently a feast to be followed by a fast. Although the
appearance of flesh thus roughly treated is not exactly encouraging
to a delicate appetite, it may be rendered excellent by beating it
between two stones until well pulverised, and then transforming it
into a curry, with the addition of a couple of hard-boiled eggs or
vegetables. The venison of the spotted deer is seldom or never
fat, although the animal is exceedingly round and fleshy. I have
never found that good pasturage has improved the quality of the
meat, which is rather wanting in flavour, and not to be compared
with that of the black-buck or the hog-deer.

The horns exhibit the effect of pasturage, as those of India are
much superior in average length to the antlers of Ceylon. In the
latter country the effect of a poor and inferior soil is marked
among all wild animals, as there is an absence of lime and phos-
phates, which deprives the elephants of ivory, and dwarfs the horns
of buffaloes and deer. I have observed in India a superlative
shyness in the cheetul, which is the result of the unremitting
pursuit of the native shikari. This fellow is specially adapted by
nature for destroying the spotted deer. The habits of the animal
induce it to inhabit the thick jungles upon the banks of streams.
These are fringes seldom more than 150 yards in width. The
shikari accordingly squats upon the ground, concealed as already
described by a few bushes, while he sends a couple of boys up
wind to enter the jungle, and then come down the wind upon his
position. The cheetul, having scented danger, begin to move.
They do not wildly dash forward, but cleverly retreat, stopping
continually to listen ; they turn up this nullah for a while ; then
cross over the dividing ridge ; now they descend into the neigh-
bouring nullah, and steal away down that. The shikari knows
their probable path, and presently a shot from his matchlock kills
a fine buck within 8 yards of the muzzle, where the herd has been
listening for the danger from the other side, unconscious of the
living trap in front.

xxvi THE SPOTTED DEER 437

It is curious to observe the difference in the sporting arrange-
ments of various countries. I never can remember any instance
of driving jungles with beaters in Ceylon ; this was quite unheard
of, excepting upon rare occasions for elephants, when a herd of
these animals had taken up a position in such thick jungle that it
was impossible to approach them. There can be no doubt that
game is far more abundant in Ceylon, therefore the chances are in
favour of seeing the animals upon the open. The population of
the island is exceedingly small ; large tracts of country are more
or less unoccupied, and are undisturbed ; this is naturally an advan-
tage to the shooter. I have often looked back to bygone days,
and regretted that we did not drive jungle, as I am of opinion
that we should have seen many more bears and leopards, which
are seldom met with when simply walking through the forest
glades, and the open spaces of the jungles.

I believe that the spotted deer have decreased in Ceylon,
although there is a special close time, and stringent game-laws are
enforced by the authorities. British action is generally " too
late " ; had these laws been made forty years ago, Ceylon would
have been now a sportsman's paradise. Even at the present
time, from the accounts which residents have given me, it far
exceeds most countries in the exhibition of game ; but it is a
young man's shooting-ground ; it is all hard work, and the luxury
of Indian travelling and shikar is quite unknown. In India you
may shoot when you are the age of Methuselah ; the character of
every sport is luxurious ; you also have during the winter season
the charm not only of climate, but the peaceful repose in the total
absence of insects. Ceylon is the insect's paradise, and, if the
sportsman resides in the same heaven for only a short period, he
will enjoy a change.

I tried every kind of sport during a residence of eight years in
Ceylon, among others that of coursing the axis (spotted deer) with
greyhounds. My dogs were carried in a palanquin for 100 miles
from Newera Ellia to the Park country. This was a beautiful
portion of the island, where most kinds of game were plentiful.
The name given explains the appearance of the locality : it was
like a park, diversified with rocky hills of great height, jungles,
rivers, and open plains.

The climate was exceedingly hot, as it is throughout the low
country of Ceylon ; it was therefore impossible to hunt with dogs,
except in the earliest hours of sunrise.

I then rode out with about a dozen of my men, and a couple of
greyhounds in slips. There was plenty of game, therefore we were

438 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

never long without seeing deer. Sometimes we espied at a long
distance a herd of axis. We then did our best to stalk them,
leading the two greyhounds in the slips.

This was a very delightful sport, as the work was on horseback
instead of toiling throughout the day on foot, as in Newera Ellia,
when hunting sambur deer.

When a herd of cheetul were approached within 150 yards, I
slipped the dogs. It was a beautiful sight to see the highly trained
greyhounds select their deer. Killbuck despised a doe, and
invariably picked out a buck, which he would quickly separate from
the herd, and course single-handed across the open, until the
opportunity offered, when by a well-prepared spring he fixed upon
the ear. Being well mounted, I was always in view ; and riding
to the spot where he was holding the buck I dismounted and gave
it the usual thrust behind the shoulder.

This was my best dog, but he met his death upon an occasion
when we happened to come across a very grand buck that was a
born fighter.

As usual, the dog had the speed of the deer upon favourable
ground ; I was going my best to keep them in good view. I saw
Killbuck reach the flank, but before he had time to make a spring,
the stag threw his head upon one side, and backward, so as to
strike the dog with the extreme points of his sharp antlers. A
short time after, the stag came to bay upon firm open ground, and
fought the dog face to face. I saw Killbuck rush straight at the
deer's face, and instead of receiving the attack passively, the deer
quickly lowered his head, and not only met but charged the dog,
rolling him over, and following him up as he drove his sharp tines
deep into his body. The instant I arrived, the deer would have
charged the horse, but Killbuck, who had recovered his feet, lost
not a moment, and seizing the ear, the stag was in his hold. In
a moment I jumped off, and drove the knife into its heart, killing
it upon the spot.

The dog was dreadfully exhausted, and lay panting upon the
ground. There were two or three small holes in his chest, which
did not bleed. My people came up, and finding water in a stream,
we fetched some in my helmet to bathe him. This seemed to re-
vive him, and he was placed in couples with the bitch, who had
come to the call, having been also wounded by her stag. In a few
moments the dog fell to the ground, gave a few gasps, and died.

An examination showed that the horns had passed in two places
through the lungs ; but in spite of the mortal wounds, he had seized
and held the stag.

xxvi THE HOG-DEER 439

My experience in hunting the axis proved that the extreme
quickness, and dexterity in using the antlers, made it a more for-
midable antagonist to the greyhound than the more powerful but
less active sambur. The real sport lay in coursing with a brace of
greyhounds, but the difficulty lay in discovering a single stag. The
deer were in herds, therefore when the hounds were slipped, they
took different deer, instead of selecting and following only one. A
single greyhound would be sure to receive a wound if he were game
enough to go straight for the deer's head.

The hog-deer (G. porcinus) is the third species in Asiatic deer
which has only six tines to the pair of antlers. This is a remark-
able little animal about the size or a little larger than a good roe-
deer. The skin is a deep rich brown, and the horns resemble those
of a diminutive sambur. The habits of this deer are totally opposed
to all others. It is never in herds, although a locality may abound
with them, but it is generally found in pairs, or singly. The
female of this species has frequently two calves at a birth. I have
never been able to understand the reason of the name " hog-deer,"
except that it is generally found in high grass and the same places
that are infested by wild pigs. In certain districts the G. porcinus
is very common, while in many other portions of India it does not
exist. It generally lies close to the ground in very high grass or
dense bush, and will not move until it is beaten out, or almost trodden
upon by a line of elephants. They are difficult to hit with a bullet
from the howdah, as they can seldom be seen distinctly, owing to
the great height of the grass, through which they rush at a
tremendous pace when kicked up by the advance of beaters. I
am not ashamed to use buck-shot, or B.B. in one barrel of my
Paradox gun, which is admirably adapted for a snap-shot. When
fired at, if wounded, or even if missed, the hog-deer will sometimes
rush forward for 50 or 100 yards, and then squat, to conceal itself
in the dense grass. It will lie perfectly close until the elephants
arrive within a few feet, and then start off at its usual extraordinary
pace.

In some of the churs of the Brahmaputra there are great
numbers of these deer, and now that the tigers have been almost
extirpated, I have no doubt they will increase. Although the hog-
deer cannot be said to afford great sport, it much enlivens the day,
and it is excellent practice for the nerves of elephants, as it keeps
them upon the strain for hours together when marching through
the grass.

There is a species of deer in Japan which closely resembles the
fallow-deer of Europe, excepting the difference of antlers. The

440 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

Japanese variety is not palmated, but round, like those of the red-
deer ; they have four points upon each horn, i.e. the brow, and two
tines in addition to the extreme point. I have several specimens
in my possession which I procured in Japan, but I did not myself
shoot them, although I accompanied the native hunters among the
mountains bordering Lake Biwa upon several occasions.

The country is very precipitous, and the habits of this variety
induce it to cling closely to the protection of the woods, where deep
ravines and overhanging precipices afford a secure asylum. The
only method of shooting in such a country is by driving \ either
by beaters, or by disturbing the forest with dogs, and posting guns
in well-known passes where the deer will probably run through.

There were eight or ten Japanese hunters with me, one of whom
was an enthusiastic old Nimrod of seventy, who prided himself
upon his activity and the sureness of his aim. All these people
were armed with matchlock rifles, exhibiting a step in advance of
the Indian shikaris, whose matchlocks are generally smooth-bores.

They were indefatigable fellows, and we worked from daybreak
until after sunset ; upon one occasion we did not return until two
hours after dark.

When I saw the thoroughness of these native hunters, and their
intimate knowledge of the mountains, and habits of the game, I
could not help wondering that any deer remained. Nevertheless
we always found, and no beat was ever blank. Several times I
saw deer rushing through a valley when I was perched upon a rock
out of distance, but nothing came towards my position. The cracks
of native rifles showed that they had posted their guns in the
proper passes, but with all their good intentions, fortune did not
favour me. Several deer were killed, and had it not been for the
difference in the horns, I should not have distinguished them from
fallow-deer, as they were the same in size and colour. The summer
coat is prettily spotted, but in winter the stags are a russet brown.

In the northern island there are great quantities of these deer ;
but I was informed that it is by no means a sporting country,
being generally a mass of forest, in which no shooting could be
obtained without a great number of beaters ; these could not be
procured. There are large black bears in Yezzo ; these also are
impossible to discover by any stranger, who is not thoroughly con-
versant with the forests and the language of the inhabitants. I
saw two live specimens of the bears in Tokio ; they appeared to
be exactly similar to the black bear of North America.

When in China, I saw tame deer similar to those of Japan.
These had been brought from the interior. I have also seen deer

xxvi THE HOG-DEER 441

(alive) from the island of Formosa, which had round horns, but I
could not say positively how many points.

There is an exceedingly small deer in China, that weighs about
25 or 30 lbs. I have seen several when shooting, but never
myself shot one. These are in very great numbers, and although
they are generally either single or in pairs, a large number are shot
annually, when the shooting season commences in Shanghai, and
parties with their house-boats start for the interior by river and
canal. In the commencement of November a charming trip may
be arranged from Shanghai, as the house-boats are conveniently
fitted, expressly for the purpose, and there is no limit to the area
where pheasants, wild-fowl, snipe, deer, and wild pigs may be shot,
without the slightest difficulty or personal exertion.

There are several varieties of small deer both in Ceylon and
India. The barking deer (C. muntjac) is an exceedingly pretty
creature of a light red colour, which occasioned the name given to
it in Ceylon, "red-deer." This little animal affords some amuse-
ment in the low country of that island with a scratch pack of
native dogs, as it has a very powerful scent, which the dogs seldom
lose ; it never goes straight away, but runs round the numerous
undulating hills, across the paddy-fields in the bottoms, back again
over the summits, and is generally killed in the thick bush, after
having left its mark upon one or two of its pursuers, in some
awkward cuts with its sharp tusks.

These are like boar's tusks reversed, projecting from the upper
jaw and turning downwards. They are very long and sharp, and
inflict wounds of greater extent than would be expected from so
small a creature.

There is also in Ceylon a diminutive species, the mouse-deer,
which is not larger than a hare. The male of this variety is devoid
of horns.

Although I mention this most insignificant variety, it may be
remarked that I have omitted the name of the largest of all the
Cervidse, the moose (C. Alces, Lin.) This is intentional, as I have
never seen the species in a wild state. The object of this work
was to place before my readers the experience which I myself have
gained, therefore I do not attempt to include every creature which
may be classed among wild beasts.

Many years ago, when reviewing Mr. G. P. Sanderson's excellent
work, Thirteen Years with the Wild Beasts of India, in the
Quarterly Magazine, I wrote the following critical remarks, to
the spirit of which I rigidly adhere : — " When we consider the
difficulty attendant upon the study of wild animals in their native

442 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap, xxvi

pastures, we may at once agree that a limited experience must be
of little value to the lover of natural history. The book we
require as a standard authority must be the result of many years'
practical study, and intimate association with the animals described.
It is impossible that one man can have had experience sufficient
to embrace all portions of the world, and the fault of many writers
consists in their attempting too much. If an individual will con-
fine his description to that particular branch of sport and natural
history which he has carefully mastered, and neglect all hearsay
evidence, but relate only that which he has positively accomplished
and personally witnessed, his book will be received as a welcome
exception to the general rule."

Upon this principle, I do not intrude upon the province of
others who have had experience in countries which I have not
visited. I have no practical knowledge of the animals of the
Himalayan range, therefore I say nothing concerning them. The
admirable work of Colonel Kinloch, Large Game shooting in
Thibet, the Himalayahs, and Northern India, embraces the
numerous species of sheep, the yak, and the various interesting
fauna of those high altitudes. To such works the public can
refer with confidence, in the knowledge that the writer describes
what he saw, and not what he had gathered from doubtful hearsay.

CHAPTER XXVII

CONCLUSION

In taking leave of "Wild Beasts and their Ways," there are
certain destructive creatures which can be hardly classed under
this denomination, but throughout the Indian empire they exist in
such enormous numbers that it would be interesting to obtain
some approximate computation of the money value of the crops
which they destroy. These enemies are monkeys, parrots, and
flying foxes.

The monkey is sacred; this pest is accordingly permitted,
carte blanche, to pillage at discretion. The mischief committed
by these creatures is most serious, but as this has continued for
many ages, the people have become inured to their depredations.

It is a curious fact that, although monkeys and apes are closely
linked with the human species, they never can be trained to any-
thing that is really useful. They are not companions to man, like
the dog, but they are simply caricatures of the human race, and if
every monkey and ape could be destroyed by one flash of lightning,
so that they ceased to exist in the world, no one would miss their
society, but everybody would be glad of the riddance. India
would feel that an incubus had been removed from her agricultural
industries.

I have seen at least eighty or a hundred monkeys in one small
field of wheat, carefully picking every blade of corn ; this was in
a plot adjoining a jungle, which afforded a quick retreat. The
natives guard their crops more or less, and sling stones or dry
lumps of earth at the invaders, but they are generally regarded
with ridicule, and the monkeys eventually gain their ends.

Ahmedabad, which is one of the largest cities in Western India,
is infested with the large gray monkeys, known in India as
" longoor " (Untellus). These may be seen at all hours sitting
upon the tiled roofs, staring at the city throng and the crowded

444 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

streets, no doubt moralising upon the stupidity of human nature,
which is forced to labour, whereas the wise monkey lives oy the
pilfering of its hands.

In Ahmedabad it is a common trick upon an unpleasant neigh-
bour, to throw a few handfuls of gram (a sort of pea) upon his
roof. The tiles being always loose, the gram sticks between them,
and some finds its way beneath. The monkeys in their wanderings
are certain to discover the much-loved food, and with the greatest
diligence they lift up the tiles, and turn them over to discover the
grains that are concealed below. The first heavy shower informs
the owner that the monkeys have been gleaning upon his roof, and
improving the arrangement of his tiles.

These wretched animals entirely destroy the fruit. I have seen
large tamarind trees left completely bare. It is astonishing how
they can eat the unripe tamarind pod, as the acid is intense ; but
they munch this with avidity. They also eat the leaves.

When the mangoes change their foliage in March, the various
tints of colouring are most beautiful. Some varieties burst forth
in a vivid green, others dark ; some will be a bright copper colour,
and a few deep purple. The monkeys then delight to eat the
young foliage, and in some cases nearly strip the tree. When the
mango fruit is swelling in late April, but still unripe, it is dreadful
to see the utter destruction entailed by a large troop of monkeys.
It is not what they actually consume, but the immense quantity
which they spoil, by recklessly biting hundreds and thousands of
unripe fruit, and throwing them, discarded, upon the ground.

The flying fox (Pteropus) is also a great enemy of the fruit trees.
This large bat is frugivorous, but also an insect-eater. Although
its habits are nocturnal, it exposes itself during the day by roosting
in many thousands together upon certain large trees.

I have seen tamarind trees the size of our largest oaks so com-
pletely covered with many thousands of these creatures suspended
head downwards by the hook at the extremity of the wing, that
the entire tree looked as though covered with old leather bags.
The ordure of these bats poisons and destroys the foliage of the
tree which they monopolise as their meeting-place. They vary in
size from 3 J feet to 4 feet 2 inches, which is the largest I have
measured from tip to tip of out-stretched wings. They have only
two young ones, which cling to the breasts and sides of the mother
during her flight. The head of this species resembles that of a.
very small fox j hence its name. The teeth are differently shaped
from those of ordinary bats (Vespertilio, Lin.), as the grinders
denote the aualitv of their food, which is chieflv vegetable. There

XXVII

CONCLUSION 445

can be no doubt that they destroy great numbers of nocturnal
insect, ~\ch as moths and beetles, as they invariably appear im-
mediately after sunset, and may be observed at an altitude just
above the upper foliage of the trees, where they remain flying to
and fro, evidently in pursuit of winged creatures which have issued
from their hiding-places at the same hour.

In Ceylon, where toddy is extracted upon an extensive scale
from the groves of cocoa-nut plantations, the chatties, or earthen-
ware pots, which are suspended to receive the flowing sap, are
carefully protected from the flying foxes with covers of plaited
palm-leaves, otherwise these creatures would not leave a drop.

They are not vicious, as they never attempt to bite when

wounded.

The bat tribe generally are most serviceable as destroyers of
insects. I remember when, upon the White Nile, our diahbeeah
was swarming with large cockroaches, that were far beyond our
powers of extermination. These horrible insects are well known
to be more than usually active during night. Bats were our
welcome allies. There was a small variety which entered the
open windows, and amused themselves till daylight in hunting our
enemies. No American Indian could have been more particular in
the arrangement of the scalps of his slain. In the morning, the
divan (or sofa, against the walls of the cabin) was ornamented
with neatly made piles, about 2 \ or 3 inches diameter, composed
of the horny legs and wing-cases of large cockroaches. I imagine
that each bat kept its separate pile, which must have contained
the indigestible and rejected portions of about 15 or 20 of the
insects.

There are numerous animals, more or less interesting, which
hardly belong to the classification of wild beasts. There are the
wild asses of the desert, most beautiful and agile creatures, quite
unlike the humble donkey of our civilised surroundings. In these
we see the reverse of evolution.

The wild ass is widely distributed both in Africa and Asia, and
it exhibits its connection in various colourings and affinities with
the quaggas and zebras.

The true wild ass is an animal of the desert. It is intensely
shy and difficult of approach, and far exceeds the horses of the
country in swiftness and endurance. The only method which is
successful for capturing these animals is to pursue them with fast
dromedaries when females are accompanied by young ones. A
chase by three or four well-mounted Arabs will, after a hunt at
full speed of several hours, separate the tired little ones from the

446 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

long-enduring mothers. The small foals are then caught and slung
upon a camel, in the same nets that are used for transporting the
camel calves when too young to follow on the march.

The nature of the wild ass defies all attempts at breaking it
for domestic use. It is kept specially for breeding, as the cross
with the ordinary donkey produces a superior animal, which is
highly prized by the Arab sheiks of the great desert.

The wild ass is found at so great a distance from water that
the Arabs declare it only requires to drink every third day. I
can readily believe this, as it is extraordinary to observe in
countries of great thirst how animals adapt themselves to the
necessities of their localities. During the dry season, between
Sofi, on the Atbara river, and Kadarif, there is a long interval
without water, although the land is rich and fertile during the
rains. The cattle march 25 and 30 miles to the river, and during
the dry months they drink only upon alternate days. When we
see the fact established among domestic animals, we may readily
accept the Arab's accounts of desert creatures, which have been
born under conditions that could hardly be supported except by
those whose progenitors had been inured to similar hardships and
necessities.

The first and last time that I ever disturbed wild asses was in
1861, when, after a most arduous chase through the desert in the
hottest season of the year, I shot a male. This was a large and
beautiful specimen, much more like a very large zebra without the
colouring, than a donkey. It was about 14 hands at the withers,
which were as usual low ; the hoofs were exceedingly large, in no
way resembling the contracted foot of the domestic species. The
colour was a deep cream, with a tinge of strawberry upon the back ;
a black line along the spine and across the withers. The eyes were
beautiful, exceedingly large and bright.

I was sorry to have shot this harmless animal, but it had a
glorious revenge. On the following day I was prostrated with sun
fever and violent indigestion, having dined off asinine cotelettes
from my new specimen of a male wild ass. From the dryness,
toughness, flavourless and impossible character of the flesh, I could
well imagine that this hardy offspring of the desert had never
drunk water, nor had had anything to eat except wood, hot dust,
and porphyry, and that it had existed upon this food for centuries.

In 1873 the late great sheik, Hussein Khalifa, presented Lady
Baker with a most beautiful female donkey, which had been
captured when small, but had never been tamed. This pretty but
desperate present required a number of men to introduce her to our

xxvn CONCLUSION 447

yard in Berber. She was secured by two strong ropes around her
neck, the ends of which were well manned upon either side to
prevent her from seizing her conductors with her teeth. Kicking,
rearing, biting, and striking out with the fore legs, this interesting
acquisition formed a startling picture of a lady's pet. The question
was serious. We could not return it, lest we should offend the
donor ; we could not let it run away (this wicked idea certainly
passed through my mind), as it would be regarded as an insult ;
but how should we march this wild animal 270 miles to Souakim,
and then ship to Suez 1

Kindness might possibly accomplish this, and my wife took it
in hand, to the horror of the Arabs, who would not approach it.

The savage creature became so tame and affectionate after only
three days' personal care and handling, together with gifts of bread
and pieces of sugar-cane, that all our people were delighted with
the success. It marched to Souakim, being led by a halter, without
the slightest trouble, and was delivered in Cairo to His Highness
the Khedive Ismail. No one had ventured to mount its back.

There is another animal whose importance to man cannot be
over-estimated, and, although it cannot claim the distinction of a
wild beast, it must not be omitted from our consideration,
especially as it is so« frequently linked with the military operations
of our army. This is the camel (Camelus).

It has been debated amongst naturalists whether this animal
has been actually proved to exist in a wild state. It has been
asserted that wild camels have been known in the deserts of
Central Asia, but were these originally wild 1 or were they simply
animals that had strayed and become lost during tribal raids, or in
the Mongolian migrations of the early ages 1

Lieut. Younghusband, in his splendid journey from Peking to
Rawul Pindi, saw camels in the distance upon the steppes, which
were reported by his people to be wild. He described them as
smaller than the ordinary domestic camels. There could not be
a more trustworthy authority as a traveller ; but considerable
experience of a locality and an actual examination of the animal
are necessary before it is possible to determine whether it is
aboriginal, or whether it may not be the descendant of some lost
or strayed ancestors.

There are two distinct species of camels — the Bactrian, with
two humps, and the Arabian, or ordinary camel, with only one.
The camels in the deserts north of the Himalayahs, which are
reported as wild, have only one hump ; this does not favour the
assumption of their origin. Where are the progenitors of the two-

448 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

humped species 1 These should be derived from Northern Asia,
as no such animals are to be found either in Africa or Arabia.
There is a peculiar mystery attached to the origin of a camel which
is difficult to fathom, as it is one of the oldest historical animals,
and has been connected with man, as the recognised beast of
burden, from the most ancient period. The llama of South
America is accepted as the representative of the camel in that
country, but it is like the alpaca, a small animal without any
hump, and in noways resembling the camel in its habits.

There is no domestic animal that would so easily accommodate
itself to the change to a wild state as the camel, should it be lost
through straying in search of food, or through the destruction of
its owner.

It will eat almost anything in the shape of grass or bush.
Nothing is too coarse or prickly for its impenetrable mouth and
tongue.

A couple of years ago a travelling menagerie camped near my
home in South Devon, and the camels were turned out to graze in
a meadow hired for the occasion. Like most Devonian fields, the
grass was full of vigorous thistles. I knew what the camels would
do ; I therefore watched them. They cleared the field of thistles
in preference to the herbage.

A camel that has been lost would discover food of some kind
upon the barren surface of most deserts ; and should it be within
reach of water, it would resign itself immediately to its new
conditions.

If the camel is not required to labour, it will exist upon very
little, but that " little " must be provided.

It appears to be a generally accepted belief that the camel,
because it has been poetically termed the "ship of the desert,"
requires neither sleep, nor food, nor water ; that it will carry any
weight ; and that, when loaded, a couple of soldiers may mount
upon its back without increasing the burden. It does not matter
in the least whether the saddle fits, or whether it is properly
stuffed, or whether the hungry animal has eaten the stuffing from
its own saddle when unloaded for the night. In this manner the
camels are generally neglected in our military expeditions.

When it is considered that the success or failure of every
expedition must depend upon the transport, it is astonishing that
the organisation of the camel corps should be so lamentably
neglected.

In the last Afghan campaign 61,000 camels actually died from
starvation and over-work. The country has not yet recovered

xxvn CONCLUSION 449

from this terrible mortality. The few weeks between Korti and
Metemma in the Soudan expedition were sufficient to disable all
the transport animals.

I have had a long experience in desert travelling, and I strongly
advise (whenever possible) the hire of camels with their owners,
instead of purchase. If it is absolutely necessary to buy, the
greatest care must be directed to their backs, and all those should
be rejected which exhibit old scars of healed sores, as these are
almost certain to break into wounds after a few weeks' hard work.

The camel-saddles must be rigidly inspected. These should be
stuffed with rice-straw, or other tough material that has not been
broken by thrashing, but simply the heads cut off the stalks. A
thick padding stuffed with wool (not cotton) should be next the
back. The saddle must be arranged so that, when loaded, it is
quite 3 inches clear of the hump.

It should be remembered that extra stuffing is required, as the
animals are sure to lose a certain amount of flesh, in which case,
the saddle which fitted at the start will become too large. If
once a sore is established during a long expedition, the camel is
doomed. The pain exhausts the poor animal ; it ceases to feed,
and quickly becomes a mere skeleton, then dies. Marching
throughout the night should always be avoided, as nothing dis-
tresses both men and animals so much as an interference with the
natural hours of food and rest.

If the bugle sounds at 2.30 a.m. the camels will be loaded and
the march commence at 3.30. They should continue until 11 a.m.
This will be 7J hours, which at 2J miles an hour will complete a
march of about 17 miles. This arrangement affords seven hours
of daylight for the tired camels to graze ; they should be given
about 2 lbs. of dhurra {sorghum) each before the bivouac for the
night ; the saddles being arranged close to their respective camels,
to prevent confusion in the early morning, or retained upon their
backs should the night be cold. If it is necessary to make forced
marches, the same hours of starting and marching may be observed,
but an extra two hours' march may be added from 4 till 6. This
will add 4 J miles, making 21 J during the day. During the
hottest time of the year I generally managed in this manner
between the Nile and the Red Sea, but the desert being good, we
made better speed, doing 2J instead of 2\ per hour.

It must be remembered that the camel, if a real desert animal,
will march in the hottest season three days without requiring
water. During the kharif, or winter, it will march six or seven
days without drinking. The camels must be taken to the water

2 G

450 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

when they are loaded ready for the start. This tightens the girth-
ropes, which should be arranged to allow for the expansion.

I have put in italics the " real desert animal," as much depends
upon the breed and habits of the camel. There are enormous
camels in Alexandria and Cairo that will carry 700 or 800 lbs..
but they would be utterly useless in the desert. These animals
are fed upon " burseem," a species of clover which is cut green j
they also drink daily during the hot season, and upon alternate
days during the cold weather.

If these camels were introduced into the deserts of Nubia, they
would be more akin to horses than to camels, as they would
require the same attention to provender and water.

The Bishreen camel is much esteemed as a hardy beast,
although it is not powerful in appearance. Upon a flat surface it
will travel with 500 lbs., but in a hilly journey all camel loads
should be restricted to 400 lbs.

The Hadendowa animals are celebrated for rocky and uneven
ground, as they are born and bred among the mountains. This
breed is very sure-footed, and from its continual practice upon a
rough surface it does not get footsore during a march over broken
rocks. Between Berber and Souakim there is a portion of the
route strewed with obsidian ; this somewhat resembles broken
bottles, and is very dangerous to the feet of camels.

It is a difficult matter to obtain a first-rate riding dromedary.
The name is merely optional, as there is no distinction except the
appearance of "thoroughbred," such as would be denoted in a
horse. The Arab sheiks decline to part with their best " hygeens "
upon any terms, although as a personal favour they will sell you
an inferior animal with a magnificently false reputation.

A really good hygeen, carrying one rider upon a light Arab
saddle known as the " mogaloofah," should travel 80 miles, if for
only one day, at about 5 miles an hour. The same camel would
cover 60 miles, at 6 miles an hour. Such a first-class animal
would continue to travel 60 miles daily throughout the week at
this pace, resting occasionally during the day's march.

When we consider that Weston the pedestrian walked 5000
miles in 100 consecutive days, making an average of 50 miles a
day throughout that lengthened period, the performance of the
hygeen does not appear remarkable ; but Weston could eat and
drink when he pleased. The wonderful advantage of the hygeen
lies in this : that a certain distance is absolutely devoid of
water or forage, it therefore would take three days of forced
marching, during which the baggage camels must carry their own

xxvii CONCLUSION 451

food, in addition to their loads ; the hygeen does this in one day !
Wonders may be accomplished in desert travelling with camels if
properly managed • but we usually challenge misfortune by com-
mitting the charge of these animals to those who are perfectly
ignorant of their habits or character.

Sometimes the male camel is exceedingly vicious, especially at
the rutting season, which is announced by the excretion of an oily
fluid like coal-tar from the back of the neck. When angry at this
period, it blows a large bladder from the mouth, which remains
distended for more than a minute before it disappears. I have
se^n a male camel attack the people in every direction (fortunately
hobbled) ; and although they beat it with thick bamboos, it was
in noways cowed.

The bite of a camel is very severe, and fatal accidents have
occasionally resulted from the periods of excitement in the male.
The teeth of the camel are peculiar. Cuvier thus describes
them : — " They have not only always canines in both jaws, but
have also two pointed teeth implanted in the intermaxillary bones,
six inferior incisors, and from eighteen to twenty molars only;
peculiarities which, of all the Euminantia, they alone possess,
besides which the scaphoid and cuboid bones of the tarsus are
separated.

"Instead of the great hoof, flat at its inner side, which
envelops the whole of the inferior portion of each toe, and which
determines the figure of the ordinary cloven foot, they have but
one small one, which only adheres to the last phalanx, and is
symmetrically formed like the hoofs of the Pachydermata. . . .
Their extreme sobriety, and the faculty they possess of passing
several days without drinking, cause them to be of the highest
utility.

"It is probable that this last faculty results from the vast
masses of cells which cover the sides of their paunch, in which
water is constantly retained or produced. The other ruminants
have nothing of the kind."

I cannot agree with Cuvier in accepting the word "produced."
As I have already described, the Arabs invariably let the camels
drink immediately before starting on their journey. The animals
drink thier fill, and take a considerable time, resting between their
long draughts. They seem to be aware, when loaded, that they
have a long journey before them, therefore from a natural instinct
they prepare for the thirsty desert, and fill their cells ; but those
cells do not " produce " water.

The fact of a camel being a ruminating animal is immensely in

452 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

its favour as a beast of burden, where long tedious marches are
necessary at all hours, either of day or night. This should be
carefully considered, as supporting my view that the march should
as much as possible be confined to daylight.

All ruminants are quick feeders. An ox or camel will make a
snatch at a bunch of grass without halting, but quickly as it
passes it upon the march. In this way they are always feeding,
even while they are moving, if either bushes or grass are present ;
they lose no time or opportunity ; and the fact of this food excite-
ment in looking out for something to eat, whiles away the time,
and lessens the weariness of the journey.

When night arrives, they have not only the enjoyment of rest
from the day's labour, but the intense happiness of ruminating.
Should the camel have had no supper, he can nevertheless munch
up his morning meals by ruminating until he sleeps.

I sincerely trust that upon our next Oriental expedition, when-
ever the services of camels may be required, some special and most
stringent arrangements will be made, that will throw the entire
responsibility for the transport service upon the shoulders of
officers who have not only knowledge, but a personal pride in the
condition of their animals.

With native owners the loss is a mere nothing, as they are sure
to take the ordinary care to which these beasts have been accus-
tomed ; but if camels are left to the tender mercies of inexperienced
young officers and the British soldier, the wind may be tempered
to the shorn lamb, but nobody will take care of the camel's back.

Camels differ in size as much as horses. I measured a riding
dromedary (hygeen) that belonged to Sheik Achmet Abou Sinn, of
the Shookerieah tribe ; this fine animal was 7 feet 2 inches per-
pendicular height from the hump to the ground. As a general
rule, the hygeens are not so powerfully proportioned as those which
carry baggage, and the Arabs are very particular in refusing to
place a heavy weight upon a choice animal, as they declare, with
good reason, that it would spoil the elasticity of its pace.

A good hygeen is worth from 80 to 100 dollars in the Soudan,
while a powerful baggage camel can be purchased for 12 or 14.

The female produces only one at a birth, but the calf is not
permitted to monopolise the mother's milk ; she is kept for the
daily supply of the proprietor, as our cows in Europe are managed
for the dairy. Camel's milk is richer and more nourishing than
that of any other animal, in the estimation of the Arabs. Barren
females are frequently killed for their flesh ; this is far superior to
any ordinary beef from the oxen of the Soudan.

xxvn CONCLUSION 453

The camel is certainly the most useful beast in Africa, as
without its aid the deserts would be absolutely impassable ; but
although indispensable to man, it is a stupid beast, that exhibits
no affection whatever towards its master, and never shows the
slightest sign of intelligence under any circumstances. The only
time that it appears contented is when the Arab arranges a pile of
dhurra, carefully measured in double handfuls according to the
number of his beasts ; this is placed in the centre of a mat, upon
which the Arab sits, while perhaps eight camels kneel upon the
ground with their heads converging in a centre, all intent upon the
heap of corn, each endeavouring to swallow more than its due
proportion. The Arab continues to rearrange the heap while it is
growing less, occasionally pushing an extra mouthful towards a
weaker animal that is bullied by a greedy neighbour.

I never lose my interest in camels, as they have carried me
faithfully during many years over some thousands of miles ; but
the time will arrive when light narrow-gauge railways across the
deserts will relegate this animal to a different duty, in conducting
the traffic for short distances to stations upon the main line, instead
of being, as at present, the tedious and only means of conducting
the commerce of an enormous area.

I conclude my reminiscences of wild beasts and their ways with
the hope that the pleasure the study of natural history has afforded
me through life will be enjoyed by others whose tastes are similar,
and who may accompany my own experiences as I have narrated
them. Although an ardent admirer of nature and her mysterious
laws, I am not one of those who regard them as perfection : it is
an irresistible law of force, by which the strong predominate, and
the weak must suffer. In every direction we see a struggle for
existence ; the empty stomach must be filled, therefore one species
devours the other. It is a system of terrorism from the beginning
to the end. The fowl destroys the worm, the hawk destroys the
fowl, the cat destroys the hawk, the dog kills the cat, the leopard
kills the dog, the lion kills the leopard, and the lion is slain by
man. Man appears upon the scene of general destruction as the
greatest of all destroyers, as he alone in creation wars against his
own species. We hear of love, and pity, and Christian charity ;
we see torpedoes and hellish inventions of incredible power to
destroy our fellow-creatures. The inventors of these horrible
engines of destruction receive titles and the highest honours, while
those who have worked in progressive science for the welfare of
mankind are forgotten in the obscure laboratory, although the

454 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS chap.

saving light which they invented is gleaming above the hidden
rock, for the benefit of all, to expose the danger of the sea. Tims
with one hand we save, with the other we destroy.

This has been the principle since the original creation. The
civilised world boasts of its progress in civilisation, and of the
modern triumphs of knowledge, science, and general education j
but those countries which command respect in the councils of the
world are the possessors of the big battalions. " Force," the great
law of nature, will assert its power, and rule.

It is a relief to enjoy nature in her wild and unrestricted
solitudes far away from the intrusion of mankind • it is there that
we see her in the fullest charms. Although we know that one
species preys upon another, we do not feel it, as the painful scenes
are not apparent ; we see a giant trunk prostrated on the ground,
covered with moss and lichens, and brightened by many-coloured
fungi ; we forget that these are preying upon the dead body of the
once glorious tree. We remove the rotten bark, and disturb panic-
stricken ants and beetles, together with the larvae of many other
insects ; it hardly occurs to us that they also are attacking the
remains of a dead giant. A continual change is taking place. A
bird drops the seed of a bo tree (Ficus religiosa) upon an ancient
temple ; it germinates, and by degrees the roots penetrate through
a thousand unknown crevices in search of moisture and support.
The young tree has determined to live upon the ruin of that
temple ; in the course of time the expansion of the growing roots
splits and tears asunder the great mass of masonry.

In the same manner, a seed of the bo dropped into the huge
forked centre of some great forest monarch, which contains the
first signs of rottenness within, quickly germinates, and takes
complete possession of the old trunk ; it drives its insidious roots
down into the very centre, and subsists upon the destruction of its
victim. These are among the changes that prove the rule of
superior force throughout every portion of the earth • and in every
drop of water that is sufficiently impure to have generated animal-
cules. In that one drop, the microscope will show the monsters
of the tiny ocean, invisible to the naked eye, but the strong are
devouring the weak, as the rotifera swallow down the helpless
victims in unresisting shoals. There is in the ferocious instincts
of the microscopic insect the same fury of attack as in the cruel
shark, although unseen by the unaided human eye. The spider
emulates the fisherman in the construction of its net, both guided
by natural laws, reason, instinct, and desire, to catch and kill
something that will enable it to subsist.

XXVII

CONCLUSION

455

The lover of nature will never tire of studying her ways. When
young, he will wonder and admire ; when old, he will reflect, but
still admire. In all his studies he will discover one great ruling
power of individual self, whether among the brute creation or the
vegetable world. Of the civilised world I say nothing.

In his wanderings as a naturalist he will remember, that should
he endeavour to study in their secluded haunts the wild beasts
and their ways, the law of force will be always present ; it will
accordingly be wise to secure the force beforehand upon his side,
and no more trusty companion and dependable agent can be found
than a double-barrelled '577 rifle, to burn 6 drams of powder,
with a bullet of pure lead 650 grains. This professional adviser
will confirm him in the theory that " the law of Force will always
govern the world."

BRONZE CAST OF BOAR, BY H. DIXON.

Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh.

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