THE INDIAN HUNTER. 79 



lated with the same charms as their masters. 

 Poor creatures ! They suffer a great deal before 

 they are considered good hunters. The hunting 

 dog is almost certainly an importation from the 

 old world and therefore the training must be a 

 recent development on the same lines as have 

 been followed by the man for ages, but naturally 

 with modifications. 



The puppy is sometimes suckled by the woman, 

 and when old enough is carried into the forest, 

 shown tracks of game, allowed to smell them and 

 also to put its nose into the game when caught 

 Later it is permitted to run with the other dogs, 

 and when any meat is given either the flesh or 

 the dog's muzzle is rubbed with capsicum. If 

 it should fail to catch game the muzzle is 

 scratched and more capsicum applied together 

 with stinging ants. 



While training the dog is practically starved. 

 A visitor is not supposed to feed it, however 

 hungry it may appear. We once gave offence 

 to our host by feeding a skin-and-bone puppy on 

 the remnants of our dinner. The little thing 

 looked so pitiful, with its abdomen in folds like 

 an empty sack, that we broke the rule. The 

 master said nothing, for it is not his nature to 

 find fault ; he only watched while the folds gave 



