3S0 VIEIVS REGARDING CRUELTY. 



hold it uutil it can be speared, or killed with a knife. The latter sport is 

 naturally much more exciting than merely shooting an animal found by dogs ; 

 and -whilst the former method is useful for tigers, especially wounded ones, 

 almost all other smaller animals may be killed with dogs and the knife 

 alone. It is of this latter class of sport that I propose to treat. 



I first took the idea of liuntin<i; lartj-e animals with nothinu; but dou;s and 

 a knife from Sir Samuel Baker's Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. Every one 

 interested in tlie subject should read that book. In Ceylon the game 

 hunted is the sambur deer (Busa Aristotelis), and occasionally the wild hog. 

 But there not being a sufficient number of samljur in accessible localities in 

 Mysore to make tliem an ol)ject of pursuit, I determined to make a trial 

 with bears, bison, panthers, and wild hogs. Since commencing I have killed 

 several bears, panthers, and bison, and also captured a young wild elephant 

 which the pack seized without hesitation. 



In recommending a pack of dogs for seizing big game, I would do so 

 only to men who are able to find bears, bison, or bull'aloes. These animals 

 will nut give much of a run, which is a necessary condition, as the heavy 

 dogs for seizing are not good at chasing. A bull-dog that is invaluable if 

 the game can be fouglit with but little running, is useless in a chase of any 

 duration ; therefore he can only be employed where animals can be brought 

 to bay at once. The excitement of the sport consists in seeing the valour 

 of tlie dogs, and in killing the animal with nothinsf but a knife. NothiniJ- 

 can be finer than to see the headlong attack of dogs that know not what fear 

 is. Some persons may take exception to the sport on the ground of cruelty 

 to the dogs, but I do not think sportsmen will — not that they are less tender- 

 hearted than other people, Imt because tliey understand better what the 

 dogs' feelings are. ]\Iany people speak of cruelty and pain in tlie abstract, 

 without reference to the circumstances of the cases to which they ajiply 

 the terms. Some would think nothing of keeping a bull-dog chained up 

 for months, but would decry exposing it to the chance of being knocked 

 aljout by a wild animal. Any one who understands the nature of such 

 d(jgs knows that in excitement they do not feel pain, whilst dei)riving them 

 ol" liberty and exercise is a real inlliction to them. TJieir natural instincts 

 find the greatest pleasure in lighting and bloodshed. Can any one doubt 

 which of the two the dogs themselves would choose, — to be loosed at a 

 beast, or be tied up in a kennel ? If st), he knows nothing about the 

 disposition of bull-dogs. 



Ft is remarkable how little injury the dogs sustain in (his rough style 

 of hunting. The siniultaneousness (jf their attack overpowers a bear or 

 liantlier, aad prevents its paying attention to any dog in particular, 'j'he 



