R U N N I N G A HOG-nEER. 141
„ . „ a r k . b l c U,a, ihey are sdclcn seen where pea-fowls abound , akho„gh ll.o
Z t e d dec- are exlre.nely attacl.ed to such sitnalious. They arc parl.al o ihc
r l t «„ . u p , . e a r .0 cleHglU lu „ .aec am,rdiug .hc,„ a uuK.cr.c
ouceal.uen., TheV are e.treu.ely i.ulolenl, and sec™ lo pass u.osL ol thcr
i sleep. Nevertheless for a short distance ,hey are fleet. Some „„es
c ,net with i„ sueh nuud^crs as absolutely bewilder the uutcr. who at
y o ,e„t either starts, or is crossed by fresh gaute. They do „0, shun the
v c i u l v o f villages, provided the cover be to their fauey , at the tuuc wheu
T e eions are -rowiug fast iu.o blade, they commit cruel depredat.ons;
hi J t a l ; below® the crowns of the plants, aud auuihih.tiug the husb
a u d u t ^ ' s hopes in a few hours 1 They graze at nights, b cug very rarely seen
Stirring until tlie sun l)e set.
In woody eonntries they n,ay generally be found in .he ridges of grass
bordering ieels and bottoms, in which water collects durn,g the ranry season.
T c v m a ^ o c c a s i o n a l l y be pn. n p l V o u , n n a e r h u s h e s i „ u u . c d covers; a n d J W
r e m i r k e / t h a t such as arc d.scovercd u, those s.tuat.ons are, tor the most part,
rger and of a brighter colour, than those which arc bre 0„ the ^ an. s :
nossibly they are invigorated by browsing among ihc leaves. Thus all Lhc hog-
S lit I Jaw in t l , : Dacca .listrict, which ,s full of forests mrd heavy covers,
interspersed with extensive plains, aud which may be justly stdc, ,he cutporum,
of .ame, were more powerful than those on the Cossnub.^ar Island, or tn th
J u ñ g l e t rry. 1 observed the same in regard to the hog-deer bred beyond
c Z pore'and Futty Ghur, towards the Uohillah country, where they far
surpassed in size and speed, those found in Bahar and other open countries
About Allahabad and Chumar, as also in the Jnanpore d.stnct, --JJ-y
scarce. Again, .11 along the Eastern boundary ihcy are numerous, and seatee a
j o ^ jungle can be searched withoul starling both hogs and hog-ileer.
The ho..-decr, which in the Moors' language is called parrah, is about the size
of onr faltow deer ; the horns of the bucks arc similar to then,; but ,hc fonu
of the body differs essentially. Tlte hog-deer has a heavy head somewha hk
a sheep, iis fore quarters are reuntrkably low, and its hn.d parts very bro d
n fle 1 y Down the back two rows of oval white spots, about the s,ze ol t e
Z ^ n ^ f a u,an's th b, are seen commencing ^ ü,e w.üters, and g r ad, , ^
becoining smaller as they approach the tnscr.ion of the ta , " ' " « I " » -
of ,he .uuclope. T l - - I"» rows of spots arc separated by a hst o de^
chocolate colour, about two or three inches •• " " » • " S / f ; ; 1 ™ ^
of the back. The rest of lhc animal is of a mouse colour; but they vary a hlde
according to age and other circumstances.
l^ormerly the large u-act of country skirling the west bank of the Ganges
frou, S . J , up to B.,, was famous for hog-decr. It was then n, a stale of
a re bein.l an in,mense wilderness, replete will, gau.e of eve,? descnp lon.
m ;;;;hy t , d zealous collccor of Boglcpore, ,hc lale M . W
ever among other admirable reformations, worked a wonderful changc.
suggested to Government the utility of heslowing lands on invalided sepoys, to
be rent free for a certain inimber of lives, which, together with their half pay,
nnght prove a very excellent provision for persons of that cla.ss, and stinmlate
Ihc native troops to exertion on all occasions. The plan was adopted in its
fullest extent, and villages were tbulided in the midst of these wildernesses,
consisting chiefly of grass jungles, where allotments were made in proportion to
rank; and the seniors, in their military capacity, hehl the rest in subordination.
The scene was soon changed : in the space of ten years such numbers had been
settled, and such vast (jUantilics of land h;id been brought into enltivation, that
a brother sportsman, riding over the teeming fields with me, who well recollected
what abundance of game used to harbour, ivhcre then only a few
grey partridges could be found, very emphatically cxclaimcd, " they have
ruined this district!" To him the luxuriant crops and nourishing villages appeared
any thing hut improvements : he had a due respect for wine, but not
for corn and oil, when furnished at the expense of his favoin-ite recreations.
NoHvithstantling all the nnn that can be perpetrated by diligent reformers
and spirited cidtivators, abundance of game is now, and will ever be foinul by
the active sportsman. The Nabob Vizier's dominions, of u hieh not above one
third, at the utmost, arc cultivated, will for centuries, at least, present a copious
display ; for under the existing, or any similar government, there appears to
be no' danger of that unhappy country being, according to my friend's very
significant expression, ruined."
Various kinds of deer arc to be met with in India, of which the largest and
scarcest is the elk. This grows to fifteen or sixteen hands ; I once saw a herd
trot by me out of a jimiiss jungle, headed by a buck, of a beautifid black colour
with tanned points, that appeared as heavy as a stout Lincolnshire cart horse !
He was followed hv about a score of does, which were much smaller, and of a
deep mouse colour.' 1 considered myself happy in being out of sight of the
buck which led the way to another cover in a most superb style. The red
deer with very large branching horn.s, often grows to the size of a small cow.
Thej. are found chiefly in the .hmgktcrrg district, and are both fierce and
powerful. Atttelopes arc remarkable for their spiral horns, often near two
feet in length. The outward coating of them, which may be a third of an inch
ill Ihickcness, after being kept until perfectly dry, may be screwed ofl and on
at pleasure The limbs of the antelope are very slight ; and stand more under
the body than those of other deer. The bucks arc of a deep brown, indeed
nearly black, with tanned points, with while hair at the edges of the tail. It is
pleasing to see a herd of antelopes, consisting probably of fifty or sixty does, and
led by a fine dark coloured buck, bounding over a plan,. The height and
distance taken at each bound arc wonderful. 1 speak within compass n, stilting
that they often vault at least twelve feel high, and over twenty five or thirty
feet of ground; and this for their own amusement, and appearing to dcride such
dogs as follow them.