HUNTING IN THE INDIES 209 



where the selzers are slipped at him. Their speed 

 and size force him to the water, where he is speedily 

 despatched. 



There are, however, several crack packs, consisting 

 entirely of English fox-hounds, with whom the chase is 

 carried on exactly as it is on Exmoor, except that 

 ^^tufters" are not used, as the sportsmen being on 

 foot, they could not be stopped. It is hardly neces- 

 sary to say that such packs are only found in the 

 possession of wealthy planters. The cost of transport 

 of hounds from England is more than that of the 

 hounds themselves, say ten pounds a couple. Hounds 

 are not long-lived in Ceylon ; the wet jungle and the 

 hot sun soon bring on liver disease, and many fall 

 victims to the panther or wild boar, and even to the 

 elk himself. So, independent of feeding, the cost of 

 hounds is considerable. 



Again it is Christmas Day — a year previous to the 

 one I have before mentioned. I am a guest of a 

 sporting planter, well known on the Ceylon turf and 



in the Blackmore Vale. My host, F , arouses me 



while it is still dark, and I hastily dress myself. Tea 

 despatched, I go to the kennel with him. Six or 

 seven couple of fox-hounds are the occupants. One 

 is picked out as lame, and another as "seedy." These 

 are shut up, and the rest are let out and bound round 

 us. A rate and a crack of the whip reduces them to 

 order, and we start for an adjoining hill, meeting on 

 the way a couple of neighbouring planters. 



The covert to be drawn is situated on the shoulder 

 of a bare peak, the very name of which I have for- 

 gotten. The hounds dash into cover, F follows 



them, and I am left looking at the glorious scene. 

 The mist fills the hollows, and the peaks rise like 



o 



