HUNTING & SHOOTING IN CEYLON 



little dog. A quick lunge of my n-inch blade probably 

 saved the dog's life, but, alas, for only about a year more, 

 as he perished when gallantly swimming out in a weedy 

 pool to attack an elk at bay, which struck him down with 

 his fore-feet. 



Let no one fare forth to hunt pig otherwise than 

 properly armed with a serviceable knife my own has been 

 my constant companion for thirty years, and is a heavy 

 blade measuring 1 1 inches long by |- inch wide, equally 

 useful for cut or thrust. The upper 3 inches is finished 

 off sword-fashion, and the point and edge are kept as keen 

 as possible, ready for any use it may be put to. 



Natives, who seldom or never carry a serviceable knife, 

 occasionally get severely wounded, or even killed, by pig, 

 and I could mention two deaths and several minor casual- 

 ties in my neighbourhood during the last seven or eight 

 years, some of which could have certainly been avoided 

 by the possession of a good knife and the knowledge of 

 using it. 



A short-hafted and heavy-bladed spear or assegai is also 

 a very useful weapon, but if any mishap occurs by which 

 one gets inextricably entangled in a hand-to-hand en- 

 counter, there is nothing like a companionable knife I 

 say companionable because constant carrying and use will 

 make the knife " come " to the hand much more readily 

 than if only occasionally handled, and enable it to be much 

 more effectively used. 



One may be suddenly landed in a very awkward 

 situation, as witness a case which once happened to myself. 

 We were approaching a "bay," the dog boy, a big, hefty 

 Tamil, behind me, almost treading on my heels, when, just 

 as we came close up to the scene of action, he stumbled, 

 fell against me and threw me right on top of the boar. 



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