xxvi THE SPOTTED DEER 437 



It is curious to observe the difference in the sporting arrange- 

 ments of various countries. I never can remember any instance 

 of driving jungles with beaters in Ceylon ; this was quite unheard 

 of, excepting upon rare occasions for elephants, when a herd of 

 these animals had taken up a position in such thick jungle that it 

 was impossible to approach them. There can be no doubt that 

 game is far more abundant in Ceylon, therefore the chances are in 

 favour of seeing the animals upon the open. The population of 

 the island is exceedingly small ; large tracts of country are more 

 or less unoccupied, and are undisturbed ; this is naturally an advan- 

 tage to the shooter. I have often looked back to bygone days, 

 and regretted that we did not drive jungle, as I am of opinion 

 that we should have seen many more bears and leopards, which 

 are seldom met with when simply walking through the forest 

 glades, and the open spaces of the jungles. 



I believe that the spotted deer have decreased in Ceylon, 

 although there is a special close time, and stringent game-laws are 

 enforced by the authorities. British action is generally "too 

 late " ; had these laws been made forty years ago, Ceylon would 

 have been now a sportsman's paradise. Even at the present 

 time, from the accounts which residents have given me, it far 

 exceeds most countries in the exhibition of game ; but it is a 

 young man's shooting-ground ; it is all hard work, and the luxury 

 of Indian travelling and shikar is quite unknown. In India you 

 may shoot when you are the age of Methuselah ; the character of 

 every sport is luxurious ; you also have during the winter season 

 the charm not only of climate, but the peaceful repose in the total 

 absence of insects. Ceylon is the insect's paradise, and, if the 

 sportsman resides in the same heaven for only a short period, he 

 will enjoy a change. 



I tried every kind of sport during a residence of eight years in 

 Ceylon, among others that of coursing the axis (spotted deer) with 

 greyhounds. My dogs Were carried in a palanquin for 100 miles 

 from Newera Ellia to the Park country. This was a beautiful 

 portion of the island, where most kinds of game were plentiful. 

 The name given explains the appearance of the locality : it was 

 like a park, diversified with rocky hills of great height, jungles, 

 rivers, and open plains. 



The climate was exceedingly hot, as it is throughout the low 

 country of Ceylon ; it was therefore impossible to hunt with dogs, 

 except in the earliest hours of sunrise. 



I then rode out with about a dozen of my men, and a couple of 

 greyhounds in slips. There was plenty of game, therefore we were 



