R U N N INCx A K O G - D E E R .
11 is Tolly I.O s l i | ) gR- vho i inds iirter a n t e l o p e s , wh i c h a r e noL, l ike hog-cleer ,
oa^i lv l'!-nvii and ovevlaki^n. U is t rue , Llial i i . sUinces h a v e be en known of
a „ , , i „ , , o s la- ing rnn clown, hnl. few . l o g s h a v e M.rvive.l l l , e e x e r l i o n . T h i s
al l i i i les U) fai r r i i i ini i i g : a s lo a s u r p r i s e , i l shi)iikl iioL be Luken a s a s l ami a r c l :
1 have s e en a n l e l o p c s sei zed be f o r e th.-y ha d run tNvenly y a r d s ; l)iil in s u c h
c a s e s the . l o g s ha d eonie on ll.eni n n awa r e s , wl i en the <leer b e i n g l ioavy wi t h
s l e e p , and a b i r u i c d a t ihe s iulden a p p e a r a n c c o f h o r s eme n and d o g s , c o u l d noL
acl wi l l , e n e r g y . E x c e p t Lo g r a t i f y the cur i o s i t y of a s t r a n g e r , no e x p e r i e n c e d
s p o r l s i u a n xvoVid a l l o u his d o g s , a t l e a s t s o r h a s he mi g h t v a l u e , lo s t a r t a t
snch od.U, and wh e r e suc c e s s wo u l d p r o b a b l y be p u r c h a s e d a t the e x p e u s e o f
ihe i r l ives .
An t e l o p e s di l l e r f r om al l o the r d e e r
pl a ins , wh e r e t h e y can s e e a r o u n d the
a nui s ( jne l ba l l . Wh e n a bei
lo r e s t , the y o u n g b u c k s a s
t \ \ o or i br e e h u n d r e d y a r d s
t l ic c i r c ums t a n c e l l i a t l l i cy s e l e c t o p e n
. idi c i cnt ly to di s c e rn d a n g e r , e v en f r om
;| is col l e c t ed on s ome f a v o u r i l e s p o t , and lie d own
,vell a s s ome of the d o c s , a r e d e t a c h e d , p r o b a b l y
e a ch wa y to k e e p wa t c h , e s p e c i a l l y if l l j e r e be a n y
ps of g r a s s , or bus lui s , l )chind ^^ llich a man mi g h t l u r k or a p p r o a c h uns
e en, e x c e p t for such a pr e c a i i l ion. ' I 'hey a r c not g o o d veni son b e i n g d r y a n d
in. T h e lu)"--deer d u r i n g the r a ins , and wh e n the corn is g e t t i n g int o e a r , is
ry f ine e a t i n g , and ma y o f t en b e ki l l ed a s f a t a s I he g e n e r a l i t y of uiul t on.
T h e r o e - bu c k is not u n k n own
p a r t i c u l a r l y a l o n g ihe we s t e r n In
B e n g a l , b n t is f ound o n l y on the b o r d e r s ,
icr , amo n g the c r a g s and r a v ine s . It is f ond
>f e l e v a t ed s i t u a t i o n s ; b u t in g e n e r a l is e x t r eme l y s h y , and f r e q u e n t s such
c o v e r s a s a r e di v i de d into suudl p a t c h e s ; so a s to be a b l e to p l a y a t hi de and s e e k
in its l l i ght . T h e y .lo not g r ow ne a r so l a r g e as i ha v e s e en t h em in S c o t l a n d .
In ( jue s t ing for p a r t r i d g e s and lloi-ikens, h o g - d e e r a r e o f t en s t a r t e d : t h e y
s omo l ime s rise a t y o u r f e e t , and ma y , a s T ha v e f r e c |uenl ly e x p e r i e n c e d , b e
ki l led on such o c c a s i ons b y a r o und o f N o . t). p a t ent sho t , l e v e l l ed e i the r at
ibe be ad or the he a r l . T h i s is iho o n l y c h a n c e e x i s t i n g o f g e t t i n g a s h o t a t
ho g - de e r ; f o r t h e y a r c not Lo b e s e en e i the r in or out of c o v e r s , a t a n y t ime ,
e x c e p t a f t e r d a r k , when t h e y s ome t ime s ma y be s h o t b y tho s e w h o think it
wo r t h wh i l e lo wa t c h d u r i n g t h e n i g h t a t the e d g e s of g r a s s j u n g l e s b o r d e r i n g
on c idl i v a l i on.
Wi t h r e s p e c t Lo s h o o t i n g a n t e l o p e s , I h a v e e v e r f ound it e a s i e r lo ki l l a s t r a y
b u c k , j ) r o b a b l y e x i l e d f r om a he rd, ihan to g e t ne a r to the he rd i l s e l f T h e
besL me t h o d is lo g e t a p a i r of v e r y cjuict b u l l o c k s ; wh i c h , b y the b y , a r e not
e a s i l y p r o c u r e d ; a n d to wa l k b e twe e n ihcni u n d e r ihe g u i d a n c e o f a na t i v e ,
w h o sho u l d ho ld a p l o u g h . T h e a n t e l o p e s , lo w h o m thi s s i g h t i s p e r f e c t l y
f ami l i a r , wi l l b y thi s de v i c e awa i t wi t h s e emi n g c onf i denc e , a n d e u a b l e the s po r t s -
ma n to a p p r o a c h suf l i c i enl ly ne a r l o g e t a g o o d shot . A .second is n o t to b e
e x p e c t e d . B n t to e n s u r e s u c c e s s , the d r e s s and a p p e a r a n c e of a na t i v e s h o u l d be
imi t a t e d ; e l s e t h e wh i t e c l o a t h i n g g e n e r a l l y wo r n b y E u r o p e a n s wo u l d a t t r a c t
the a n l e l o p e ' s e y e , a n d o c c a s i on a s u s p i c i on, d e f e a t i n g e v e r y e n d e a v o u r a t app
r o x ima l i o n . E v e n ihe c a t t l e us ed for t h e p l o u g h mu s t l)e n o t o n l y v e r y ( jui e l ,
b u t a c c u s t ome d Lo t h e s i g h t a n d a c c e s s o f E u r o p e a n s . T h i s ne c e s s i t y wi l l
a p p e a r the mo r e o b v i o u s , a f l e r ^vhat ha s b e e n s a id of the n a t u r a l vi ce a n d r e s t -
l e s sne s s o f Lhe o x e n in I n d i a , a n d o f the u s u a l d r e s s o f o u r c o u n t r yme n t h e r e ;
pa r t i c ida i - ly a s i h e y a r e so f ew in n umb e r c omp a r e d to l h e ma s s of the na t ive s ,
a n d to the imme n s e e x t e n t o f soi l o v e r wh i c lMv e h a v e c o n t r o u l . T h e r e a d e r wi l l
p r o b a b l y be s u r p r i s e d l o l e a rn l h a t , i n c l u d i n g e v e r y d e s c r i p t i o n of p e r s o n s ,
f r om the Go v e r n o r Ge n e r a l to the s o l d i e r s in the s e v e r a l r e g ime n t s l i v ing in
a l l I n d i a , and emb r a c i n g t h e thr e e P r e s i d e n c i e s of B e n g a l , Ma d r a s and B o mb a y ,
we s h o u l d p e r h a p s be r a t h e r o v e r the ma r k in e s l ima l i n g the n umb e r a t
twent y - f i v e t h o u s a n d .
I h a v e b e f o r e s l a t e d , tha t o x e n a r e u s e d in al l the b r a n c h e s o f Ag r i c u l l u r e ,
and c o n v e y a n c e . A s in ma n y p a r t s on lhe c o n l i n e n t , so in Fudi a , is lhe c o rn inv
a r i a b l y t r o d d e n out b y f o u r or f ive o x e n , mo v i n g r o u n d in a c i r c l e on a l a r g e
a r e a , p r e v i o u s l y smo o t h e d and p r e p a r e d wi t h c l a y and c ow- d u n g . T h i s is <lone
in l h e o p e n f i e lds . T h o s e w h o a r e n o t in w a n I o f mo n e y , e i l h c r b u r y the i r
corn in e x c a v a t i o n s ma<le f o r t h a t p u r p o s e , o r l a y it u p in ¡rolalis, f o rme d of
ma t s a n d b amb o o , ami t h a t c h e d l ike o u r h a y s l a c k s , to wh i c h the y b e a r s ome
r e s emb l a n c e . T h e y a r e a l s o r a i s e d on s t o n e o r wo o d e n p i l l a r s , to p r e v e n t
d ama g e f r om v e rmin o r d amp s . T h e imme n s e g r a n a r i e s a n d c o rn ma r k e t s t o be
s e en wh e r e v e r b o a t s c a n l ind ihe i r wa y , wo u l d a s t oni sh an E n g l i s h f a rme r ,
w h o s e b a r n s wo n l d a p p e a r c o n l emp t i b l e , wl i e i 1 c omp a r e d wi th the nu ant i t i e s
o f g r a i n of t en col l e c t ed b y i n d i v i d u a l s t r a d i n g in lha t c o nmi o d i l y . N o r , i n d e e d ,
wo u l d the E n g l i s h financier and b a n k e r b c l e s s s u r p r i s e d a t lhe g r e a t r e g u l a r i t y
a n d e x t ens i v e d e a l i n g s of lhe s eve r a l shroffs, or mo n e y a g e n t s , o f wh om bi l l s o f
e x c h a n g e , Lo a n y amo u n l , ma y be o b t a i n e d .
T i i e s h r o ^ s a r e c e r t a i n l y in s ome r e s p e c t s a v e r y u s e f u l c l a s s of p e o p l e ; b u t
t h e inf luenc e the y p o s s e s s e n a b l e s them t o a r l jus t the e x c h a n g e , not o n l y b e twe e n
two o r mo r e p l a c e s , b u t o f s p e c i f i c c o ins , even a t C a l c u t t a , in the mo s l a r b i t r a r y
ma n n e r . T h e y d e p r e c i a t e g o l d or s i lve r a t p l e a s u r e , and h a v e b e e n k n own to
c a u s e Lhe f o rme r ( t h o u g h b e a r i n g the a u t h o r i t y of g o v e r nme n t , b e i n g c o ined a t
the i r mi n t ) lo p a s s f o r o n e e i g h t h u n d e r i t s c u r r e n t v a l u e . T h e evi l wa s , inde e d,
a t o n e t ime c a r r i ed to s u ch a h e i g h t a s t o o c c a s i on tlie a rmy , wh i c h is pr inc
i p a l l y p a i d in g o l d , to u r g e the i n t e r f e r e n c e o f g o v e r nme n t in s u p p r e s s i n g so
i n f amo u s an a t t a c k on i l s finances. I l is wo r t h y o f r ema r k , lha t , a t the p e r i o d
a l l u d e d lo, al l lhe s i lve r h a d b e e n wi l b d r awn f r om c i r c u l a t i on b y ihn shroff's
a n d gold mohurs, wh i c h a r e e q u a l Lo f o r t y s h i l l i n g s e a c h , c o u l d o n l y l)e e x -
c l i a n g e d b y theui , a l auch r a t e s a s t h e y mi g h t c h o o s e l o s e t t l e a l the i r n i g h t l y
me e t i n g s .
143
P L A T E XL.
THE HOG-DEER AT BAY.
I HAVE o f t en s e en h o g - d e e r t a k e n b y me a n s o f ne t s s t r t l c h e d a c r o s s g r a s s p l a i n s
and. ;oiD j u n g l e s , b u t ne v e r , e x c e p t in one ins t anc e , did I k n ow tha t s p r i n g e s
we r e in u s e amo n g the na t i v e s , e s p e c i a l l y f o r thi s p u r p o s e . Al l wh o wi t n e s s e d
i t s e eme d lo c o n s i d e r the c i r c ums t a n c e a s p e r f e c t l y u n p r e c c d c n L e d . T h e me t h o d
w a s v e r y s i in] ) le, and wh e r e h o g - d e e r a b o u n d , it u i a y , I c onc e i v e , b e f r c<iuent ly
s u c c e s s f u l . A l ine o f c o n s i d e r a b l e s t r e n g t h , and a b o u t a h u n d r e d y a r d s l o n g ,
w a s s t r e t che d in t h e s ame ma n n e r a s is u s u a l in fixing ne t s , o f wh i c h a de s c r i p -
tion ha s b e e n a l r e a d y f u r n i s h e d : a l o n g the l ine , a l the d i s t a n c e o f a b o u l a f o o t
or fifteen inche s , l o o p s , ' b r s p r i n g e s o f h o r s e ha i r , we r e h a n g i n g . T h e line wa s
r a i s e d b y me a n s of s e v e r a l s h o r t s l i cks , wh i c h s u s t a i n e d it to such a l eve l a s
o c c a s i one d the s p r i n g e s l o be hi d in the g r a s s a t a b o u t a foot f r om the g r o u n d .
T h i s b e i n g d o n e , all the p e o p l e wh o c o u l d b e c o l l e c t cd we r e f o rme d int o a l ine,
wh i c h mo v e d on t owa r d s the sna r e s . Ma n y h o g s , h o g - d e e r , &c . we r e r o u s e d ,
a n d p a s s e d u n d e r the r o p e . O n e do e , h owe v e r , h a p p e n e d to b e l e s s f o r t u n a t e
than lhe o t h e r s , a n d wa s , to he r g r e a t a s t o n i s hme n t , b r o u g h t u p s h o r t b y a no o s e ,
i h r o u g h wh i c h h e r h e a d h a d p a s s e d .
T h e o p e r a t o r Avas a s t r a n g e r , and c amc f r om s ome v e r y r emo t e ( [ua r l e r . H e
wa s not wa n t i n g in e n c omi ums on his own abi l i t i e s , a n d l a i d g r e a t s t r e s s on
the o r i g i n a l i l y o f the c ont r i v anc e , c l a imi n g the ent i r e me r i t of inv ent i on to
h ims e l f H e wa s mu c h d i s p l e a s e d a t my a s s e r t i n g tha t e v e r y p o a c h e r in
E n g l a n d wa s a c i u a i n l e d wi t h i h a l v e r y c ommo n t r i ck o f s e t t ing s p r i n g e s , a n d
in a mo s l c o n l emp t u o u s ma n n e r i n s i n u a t e d , t l ial o u r c o u n t r y Nvas he ld in
de t e s t a t i on, a s h a r b o u r i n g inf ide l s and o u l c a s l s ; and tha t we r e ho lo vi s i t it, he
mi g h t f ind my a s s e r t i on to be u n f o u n d e d . B u t a r u p e e or two p u t the a dv ent
u r e r into " -ood h umo u r , and wo p a r t e d wi l h the a p p e a r a n c e o f r e coi i c i l i a t ion ;
t h o u g h no i l o u b l h e ne v e r f o r g o t , no r f o r g a v e m y uninl enl i ona l d e r o g a t i o n o f
hi s i n g e n u i t y , Ce r t a i n l y hi s de v i c e coulil n o t be he ld in c omp a r i s o n wi l h a net ,
in r e g a r d to c e r t a i n l y ; b u t for c h e a p n e s s a n d e a s e o f c o u v c y a n c e i t wa s
a b s o l u t e l y p r e f e r a b l e .
I n h u n t i n g h o g - d c e r , g r e y h o u n d s a r e v e r y s e m c e a b l e ; they not o n l y k e e p
the g ame to i t s u tmo s t s p e e d , b u t p r e v e n t i t f r om s q u a t t i n g a s h o g - d e e r ,
e s p e c i a l l y the do e s , a r e v e r y a j i l to do . T h e b u c k is e x t r eme l y f i e r c e whe n
c l o s e l y p u r s u e d , and r a r e l y f a i l s to ma k e an o b s t ina t e de f enc e . I l iave been
s e v e r a l Limes in c o n s i d e r a b l e d a n g e r f r om ihe i r s u d d e n c h a r g e s . T h e y ha v e an
u g l y t r ick of s t o j j p i n g s h o r t unt i l the hor s e ma y ha v e p a s s e d , wh e n t h e y rus i i
a t hi s h i u d q u a r t e r s wi l h ama z i n g imp e t u o s i l y . I f ihe r e be two p e r s ons in
c omp a n y , this a l l b r d s a f a v o u r a b l e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r d e l i v e r i n g a s p e a r ; but ihi s
b r a n c h of s p o r t i n g d o e s noL I ' cqui re such sup[ )or t f r om c o l l e a g u e s a s ho g -hunt -
i n g , wh e n c e ma n y f o l l ow h o g - d e e r wi t h o u t a d v e r t i n g lo ihc di f i i cul t i e s tha t ma y
e v e n t u a l l y p r e s e n t t h ems e l v e s lo a s ing l e p e r s o n ; a n d o f whi ch the b u c k s r a r e l y
fai l lo t a k e e v e r y a d v a n t a g e .
S ome l ime s a d o e wi l l ma k e a l i t t l e s h ow o f r e s i s t a n c e ; b u t 1 he y , for lhe
mo s l p a r i , s u c c u u d ) wi lh r e s i g n a l i o n lo thei r f a l e ; l y i n g d own whe n e x h a u s t e d
wi t h f a t i g u e , and a l l owi n g the h u n t e r to d i s nmu n l to l ie the i r l e g s wi lh hi s
h a n d k e r c h i e f , or wh a t e v e r ma y p r e s e n t i t sel f for tha t p u r p o s e . In thi s ma n n e r
i h e y a r e f r e q u e n t l y t aken h ome a l ive . Wh e t h e r f r om the a n x i e t y and he a t
o c c a s i o n c d b y lhe cha s c , or tha t t imidi ty and love o f l i b e r t y wh i c h p a r t i c u l a r l y
cha r a c t e r i z e s thi s a n ima l , I ne v e r k n ew one to sur v i v e on s u ch o c c a s i ons : no r
d o I r e c o l l e c t a s ing l e ins l anc e , amo n g Lhe imme n s e ni unbe r s l a k en b y PAUL, in
ne t s , o f a s i n g l e h o g - d e e r l i v ing mo r e than f o u r or five d a y s . H e t r ied e v e ry
me a n s to r e c onc i l e ihem, b u t a lwa y s wi t h o u t suc c e s s . T h e d e e r ne v e r g n i z e d ,
even in a v e r y ni ce p a d d o c k ma d e for the p u r p o s e ; b u t e i lhc r p ine d awa y , or
ki l l ed thems e l v e s b y b u l l i n g wi t h the u tmo s t v i o l enc e a g a i n s l the p a l i s a d e s !
S ome aiTcct lo h o l d d e e r - h u n t i n g in s u ch inf e r ior e s t i ina l ion a s to di s da in c a r r y -
i n g a s p e a r on the o c c a s i on. S ome t ime s , h owe v e r , the s e f a s t i di o u s r e f inement s
a r e t r e a t ed a s the y de s e r v e . I ha d onc e the i ) l e a sur c , for i l r e a l l y wa s one , to
s t and l)y, wh i l e a s u p e r l a t i v e c o x c omb wa s u nho r s e d b y a s t u r d y b u c k , wh i c h
wo u l d l iave ma d e the g e n t l ema n ' s r i bs tell thei r s t o ry to the Do c t o r , h a d he not
b y g o o d l u c k s u c c e e d e d in c a t c h i n g hold of one o f t h e a n ima l ' s ho rns . F e w c an
h a v e p a r t a k e n o f ihi s di v e r s i on f o r a n y l e o g l h o f l ime , wi t h o u t e x p e r i e n c i n g