232 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



smaller ones run at right angles, gridiron fashion. 

 These do not form a formidable leap, but are the 

 frequent cause of falls, as they are often overgrown 

 with ferns and quite invisible. 



I found the hounds in good working order, and 

 showing capital sport. At first they suffered a good 

 deal from too many hares, but later on things became 

 better. The meets took place at five-fifty a.m. As 

 the kennels were some four miles out of town, this 

 meant an early start for the whips. When the meet 

 was some miles from the kennels I was frequently in 

 the saddle at four-twenty a.m. Besides this, the 

 cinnamon scrub was often soaking wet, and as we 

 whips had to go into it, we were often wet through 

 nearly to the waist before the hounds found. In 

 addition to this, the cinnamon abounded with a 

 peculiarly vicious species of red ant, whose bite is 

 exactly like having a red-hot needle run into one, and 

 which frequently got down our necks and up our 

 sleeves. I do not recall any incidents particularly 

 calling for record with these hounds, except that we 

 once found a curious species of game. Hearing the 

 hounds barking furiously we rode into the scrub, and 

 found them facing two enormous pythons. These 

 were secured and carried home by coolies, when they 

 were found to measure eighteen feet each. 



I must now leave the Colombo Hounds, and come 

 to the form of hunting which is far and away the most 

 exciting and interesting that is followed in Ceylon. 



