ANIMAL COURAGE 61 



small woods, and the packs, which varied from 

 five or six to much larger numbers, used to drive 

 the deer from the woods, and work them into the 

 open ground. The deer were then pressed until 

 they 'took soil/ like a hunted Exmoor stag, and 

 were soon pulled down. In the low country the 

 wild dogs were even more plentiful ; and it was 

 noticed that they always attacked a large deer on 

 the flank, and endeavoured to disembowel it. The 

 big sambur deer were almost as terrified by the 

 pursuit of the 'dhole/ as a rabbit when chased by 

 a stoat. They rushed past the human hunter with 

 their coats standing on end in an extremity of fear ; 

 and their sole chance of throwing off the pack 

 was by reaching the thick woods, where the wild 

 hounds were compelled to hunt by scent, while 

 the strong stags rushed on and gained on them. 

 There is a persistent tradition that the ' dhole ' 

 hunt and kill the tiger. Mr Kipling is evidently 

 not convinced that this is true. But he notes that 

 the tiger ' will surrender a new kill to the " dhole." 

 Such a scene was once witnessed by a friend of 

 General Hamilton's. He was going round his coffee 

 plantation when he heard a noise in the forest 

 bordering on the clearing, and went into the wood 

 to ascertain the cause. ' On going round the corner 

 of a thick bush he almost trod upon the tail of 



