THE SCENT OF DANGER. I I I 



59th and 6oth mile posts on the same road. The Tappal 

 runners have- seen them, and are much frightened" ' 



and the paragraph concludes by advising some local 

 hunters, known to be shooting in the neighbourhood, 

 to "hurry up," in which case they will probably 

 see sport. 



Here it may perhaps not be out of place to give 

 a short account of how far the fear of man exercises 

 its effect upon the animal creation. What is it that 

 is so terrible, even to the fiercest and most formidable 

 beasts, in the mere presence of man in their vicinity? 

 Upon this point there is very little difference of opinion 

 among competent sportsmen. 



It is the scent of the human animal, and not his 

 appearance, which is so terrifying: for as we know, 

 deer, antelopes, and other wild and timid game will 

 often stand upon an open space of ground, and calmly 

 watch a man or even a number of persons passing 

 in the distance, when they are quite aware of what 

 they are, without appearing alarmed. Upon the plains 

 of Hindustan it is quite common to see black buck 

 (Antelopa Bezoartica] do this, though these beautiful 

 antelopes are by nature exceedingly shy and wary. 



So also upon the American plains; in the grand 

 old buffalo days when the prairies of the Far West 

 swarmed with myriads of these noble animals, we 

 have ourselves seen them on many occasions, watching 

 us passing to leeward, for when meat was plentiful 

 we never sanctioned a useless slaughter, but thoroughly 

 enjoyed the sight of these magnificent herds feeding 

 in all the glory of their pristine liberty, lords of all 



* The Overland Times of Ceylon, weekly summary, publ. at Colombo, 

 Nov. 21, 1894, P- r 54 r (record for Nov. 15). 



