26 ATTACKS ON THE SAMBUR. 



Another time when out looking for deer I saw some 

 animals come tearing over the opposite hill above a small 

 detached wood ; with my glass I saw a three parts grown 

 sambur being chased by five wild dogs; they were spread out 

 like a fan so that the outer dogs could cut off the deer in case 

 it turned, but it got into the shola ; and some time after when 

 it broke on the other side, only three dogs came out after it, 

 the deer having gained a considerable start, got clean away. 

 I went down to some rocks below in hopes of falling in with 

 these poachers, but failed to find them. 



Hawkeye, in writing about these animals, says that in 

 former days they were met with in formidable numbers, and 

 he remembers seeing a very large pack headed by two dogs 

 apparently much larger than the others, sweeping across near 

 the end of the Ootacamund lake where Col. Wood's house 

 now stands, evidently in pursuit of game. Their mode of 

 hunting has been observed on several occasions. Ever on 

 the move and prowling about the woods and ravines where 

 sambur are usually found they start their game ; their first 

 object being to drive it away from the sholahs (small woods) 

 in rushing through which the deer have the advantage as 

 the pack cannot act in concert, and are unable to press their 

 quarry to full speed. But once in the open they exert their 

 wonderful powers of speed, perseverance, and endurance, 

 driving the sambur headlong down the steeps over the hills, 

 and generally forcing the animal to take soil when it falls an 

 easy prey, unless a deep pool is available in which the deer is 

 often able to keep the pack at bay. 



" When at the Avalanche a few months back, I was one 

 morning panting up that terribly steep hill behind the 

 bungalow, I met a hind and fawn bustling down the side of 



