382 NUMBER OF DOGS REQUIRED. 



of this class can be got in England for a few sovereigns. Sliow-dogs are not 

 required. Sometimes suitable dogs may be bought from European soldiers in 

 India, but the general run of their bull-terriers are not heavy enough, nor 

 are they always reliable as to courage. Perhaps the best plan in starting a 

 pack is to get a couple of heavy, well-bred country bitches (bull-terriers), 

 and to import a dog for them. The progeny live better in India tlian 

 imported dogs. They can be used when nine months old, and should be 

 trained to worry raw skins, jackals, &c., as soon as they get their permanent 

 teetli. I have amused myself in an evening by having a rope thrown over 

 a branch of a tree under which I happened to be encamped, with a skin 

 fastened to one end, whilst a whole litter of bull-puppies would fix on to 

 tlie skin, and might be hauled up thirty feet and kept there some time 

 Avithout danger of their letting go. One of these surprised some friends 

 with whom I left him on one occasion, when full grown, by springing up 

 and hanging to the punkah as it waved over the dinner-table. He had not 

 been accustomed to see such things in his master's jungle-bungalow, and it 

 reminded him of the skin exercise of his puppyhood ! 



It is worse than useless to have a pack of dogs in which there are but 

 one or two good ones. The others urge these on, and they will be sacrificed 

 through not being supported. It is cruel to set an insufficient number of 

 dogs to attack an animal. Six will be as many as are required for any bear, 

 bison, or panther, and indeed four will generally suffice, or even two with most 

 bears. Anything like a running hunt is to be avoided, as the dogs may 

 be disposed of in detail as they come up. They should be slipped well 

 together, and not before they all see clearly what they have to do. Unless 

 they understand that there is a common enemy, such excitable and pugna- 

 cious dogs are liable to fall upon each other. It is necessary to keep tliem 

 all on as friendly terms as possible, but tliis can sometimes only be managed 

 by keeping them apart, as rivals will iiglit whenever they get a cliance. 



I shall best convey an idea of how the sport of tackling large game is 

 to be conducted by descril)ing a few hunts in whicli the etforts of myself 

 and pack liavc met with success. 



The first animals I introduced my pack to were a couple of bears. I 

 had the following six seizers tlien : — 



Marquis. An imported bull-mastilf, weighing 40 lb. 

 Lady. A country-bred bull-terrier bitch, 35 lb. 



,* ' ^" I rui)S of the above, weii;hin«i- about cU) lb. each, 



Vil'ER. S '. n 11 ' 



,, i nnie months old. 



luMtv. ) 



Tlii:k. a eouulry-bred biill-lenicr, wei!;liiiig -10 11). 



