xxv THE SAMBUR 419 



soles not more than a quarter of an inch thick, with about a dozen 

 large nails in each, and the same around the heel. A rather broad 

 leather belt, with a very large and strong buckle, and my hunting- 

 knife, completed the outfit. A small helmet cap protected the 

 head. A cup of hot coffee before the sun rose, fortified me for 

 any number of hours that we might be employed. I never ate 

 anything, but according to my own feelings I could work more 

 satisfactorily upon simple coffee, with my belt tightly drawn and 

 buckled. I never by any chance took anything for lunch, and I 

 made a point of never drinking until I returned home ; this was 

 sometimes, but rarely, after dark. This system was excellent 

 training for the work required. Upon ordinary occasions I was 

 either alone, excepting my huntsman (a discharged soldier, 15th 

 Regiment, Benson), or I was accompanied by my brother, or some 

 other friend. During the fine season, when Newera Ellia was full 

 of visitors, we had large parties, including many ladies. On those 

 occasions every one was mounted, and I invariably reserved certain 

 localities where horses would be of service, and the sambur would 

 most probably break across the open. 



It was a delightful feeling in those days of activity, when 

 starting in early morning I opened the kennel-door. A charming 

 pack was created after several years of crossing special breeds to 

 produce all that was required. 



For hunting sambur in such a country as described, the pack 

 must be mixed. We commenced by a mistake, in taking a small 

 pack of foxhounds from England. They were fine young hounds ; 

 some from Lord FitzHardinge's pack, others from the Duke of 

 Beaufort's. 



I discovered immediately that a pack of thoroughbred foxhounds 

 was a fiasco in a wild extent of jungle, where it was impossible to 

 ride. They ran riot upon high-flavoured musky vermin of every 

 description cats, and genets, and little red -deer; ia 'fact, any- 

 thing except the game required. 



By degrees I produced a pack of about fourteen couple, com- 

 posed of various breeds. Some were pure foxhound, others a cross 

 between foxhound and pointer, blood-hound and pointer, foxhound 

 and blood-hound, mastiff and blood-hound, mastiff and blood-hound 

 crossed with kangaroo-hound from Australia, English greyhound 

 and kangaroo-hound ; in fact, every conceivable mixture, to produce 

 three classes of dogs (1) finders, (2) finders and seizers combined, 

 (3) long-legged powerful hounds for coursing. 



The mixture was necessary for these reasons. The habits of 

 the sambur were nocturnal. During the night it enjoyed the open 



