U 4
T H E H O G - D E E R A T BAY.
c i l h o - ill ll.einsolves, or ihc prncllce of oLliovs, some very nnle encounters of
l l . i . nutm-e. A lu.ntMua., in ll.e service of Mr. D.V, at Dacca, who ccrUnnly
u u n l c i l neither spirit nor skill, uns to my k..owle.lge tvv.ce in j e o p a r d y : die
(ir^l lime he escaped .vilh only an adinonilion as to iho necessity of sticknig
closer Lo ihe saddl.": l.nl ll.e second adventure was more serious. He threw h,s
spear at a large l.nek, lhal, ihinking himself compelenl lo dispnte the pouil
u i l h a s i n M e luniler, Inrned smidenly round, and charged with nmazing-impetuo
s i i y The horse was alarmed at the rapidity of the deer's motions; and, ni
Ihe'endoavour lo save his shoulder from llie approaching danger, shrunk from
the charge ; hut in so i loing lost his balance, and fell on his side. The hnnls.nan,
%vho was'^inlent on hearing his steed round, fell over his shoulder, and received
. u c h a but from one of the (leer's horns, as pul him in mind of " thai hourne
f r o m w h i c i i no traveller returns." He was conveyed liome. and hied ; but many
weeks passed before he was able to wal k ^^ i thoul assistance. Hu.l not a brace
of erevhounds, which in running through ti heavy cover were left somewhat m
lho\-ear, made iheir appcarance, there is no saying u h a l farther testimony tlie
luinumai. might liave received of the buck's eonrage and vigour.
A s in hawking, one bird, wild by naluiT, is taught to pursue and destroy
another, so in hunting, recourse is had, by the native princes and others of rank,
to live seali-iToash, and to the cl.cedi/,, ibr the purpose of killing deer, and other
game. The scah'goash, literally implying " black-ears," is a small species of
the lynx: its form is beautiful, an.l from its body, which is of a fine dappled
mouse-grey, it becomes gradually blacker lowai-ds the extremities, which terminate
in°a deep chocolate colour. The lips of the ears are of an excpiisite finish,
b e i n g brought to as line a point as the best miniature pencil composed of sable
hairs. Their shape has something peculiarly graceful, and the expression ihey
g i v e at every turn lo a most keen and vigilant eye, adds much lo their beauty.
T h e cJ/cetaii is a small kind of leopanl, or it may perhaps, with more propriely
b e considered as a leopard-cat, as many terin the seah-gonsh the liger-cal. The
chectuh is ralber an ugly animal, and in lien of that quick apprehension and
animation charaeterislic in the scah-goash, seems either to view objects with a
vacant stare, or to regard them with the most malignant ferocity. One wouUl
conclude from its superior weight, and apparently greater power, that the
cheetah were of the two far s>i])crior. Experience, however, justifies the opinion
that ihe seah-gonsh is, in itsAvikl slate, infinitely more destructive. The Snllaun
T i p p o o had several chcetahs, Inil as far as I could learn, not one single aeahgoask
in his coUcction. Tf I am rightly informed, it is ver\^ di f f icul t l o roar them,
and more so to lis them in a domestic state; being a])l to disappear after
g l u l l i n g with ihe blood of their p r e y ; tloring which lime it is extremel y dangerous
to attempt securing them.
A s to hares and foxes, as also jackals, the cheetah and .leah-goaxh, though the
l a t t e r is scarcely larger than a full grown torn cat, soon overcome them. Deer
arc their principal object; but extreme caution is reciuisile in managing matters
so as to avoid accidents. 'These savage auimals are carried lo the hunt ing ground
in cages, conveyed by carls, and on the game being up, tlie door is opened,
w h e n the chcetah, or seah-goash, darts forth at speed after the animal in view.
T h e y are so extremely fleet, that if the ground be fair, they rarely fail lo overl
a k e williin four or five hundred yards, when the seah-goash, in particular,
springs upon the rump of the deer, occasioning it to look back, or lo hold up
ils head ; ihen with a second bound it seizes on the back of the head at the
s])ot where the vertebr« of the neck are inserted, and ibere fixing ils teeth,
often strikes the prey senseless.
I never was present but at one chase of this kind. Curiosity led me, as it did
many others, to see what I had never seen before : but I was not much diverted.
A deer was turned loose on the occasion, and a seah-goash sent after it. Two
mioules finished the hunt. 1 was not aware of the propensities of these aniiuuls
t o follow horsemen, or any other moving object, when the game might aecid
e n t l y escape out of sight, or else I certainl y should have been more diilident
on the occasion, and taken my ideas on the subject from some eye witness ; for
I am I'uther of the opinion of the clown who, being about lo enter as a recruil,
was favoured by the serjeanl wi t h a very Gue description of an engagement ; no
doubt intended as an incitement lo the peasant, who, however, did not allog
e l h e r relish the proposed line of life, and simply observed,
" Good master Serjeant, I Ijngcd to see a battle ;
" But you've 50 well describeti it, I'm contcnt."
M a n y of the Persian greyhounds are of a similar dispésition, consohug themselves
with hunting their own masters, or any one else, wlicn the game either
proves loo fleet or escapes into cover. A Captain commanding a native battalion,
but%vho indeed scarcly knew a dog from a gun, purchased a brace of
true Persians at the sale of a deceased geatleman's eflecls. Anxious to exhibit
his new acquisition, he went out lo course jackals. A johnny was soon in view,
and the dogs were slipped. Whether they were not in a humour lo fatigue
themselves, or that they really were unable to come up with the game, fame
has not thought worth her while lo record. The Captain with much regret
s aw his dogs give up, and rode up to lay them in afresh, and to encourage them
b y his presence. Judge what must have been his surprise at Hnding them
a t t a c k i n g his horse! The steed feeling their teeth applied to his heels, ])egan
t o kick furiously, and went oil al score with the gallant Captain, who was not
a b l e to keep his seat during the horse's eíTorts lo gel rid of the curs, c l inging to
his neck !
T h i s vicious disposition is not confined lo the Persian greyhound only. The
common Indian greyhound is sometimes known lo behave in a similar manner.
W e may, however, find on examination, thai all the greyhounds lo be seen in
India, of what is called the country breed, have descended from the Persian. Il
is singular that they are all of a reddish or mahogany colour, with very few, if
any marks of whi l e about them ; unless occasionally on the chest or toes ; in
the latter case, a cross with the European greyiiound, liowcver remote, may
a l w a y s ]>e suspected, and often be traced in the genealogy.