LOSS OF MY DOG SNOB. 227 



than I anticipated, entering through the back part of the ear, 

 traversing the brain and passing through the opposite eye. 

 The black variety is scarce in Southern India. I only saw one 

 other during all the years I was on the hills. 



I had the misfortune to lose one of my best dogs from 

 the bite of a leopard. I was coming home after having been 

 all out the morning, a heavy mist had set in and I did not 

 know where I was till I found myself in Kereka Valley. I 

 put the dogs through a little shola just above; the mist was so 

 thick I could not see above a dozen yards, and no sooner were 

 the dogs in than I heard a half yelp, half scream, and the dog 

 boy called out " Sahib, there's a tiger." I hastened to the top 

 of the wood, where I found Bevis barking loudly, but disin- 

 clined to go in again ; presently I heard a noise as of a jungle 

 fowl flying up into a tree, which made me think that the 

 scream I had heard was made by a monkey and that Snob 

 was busy with the jungle fowl ; on calling and whistling I 

 heard a low sound — what I took to be pigeons. Alas ! on 

 listening attentively I found it was the moaning of poor Snob. 

 Taking the big Laing and telling the lascar to follow closely 

 with the other rifle, I forced my way through the tangled 

 jungle ; as I was making my way down the dog began yelling 

 as if the " Bhag" was on him again, so I fired off the rifle 

 and shouted lustily. I soon found the poor dog lying on his 

 back frightfully mauled about the head and his brain pro- 

 truding through one bite just above the ear ; he was also 

 bitten through the neck and shoulder, and from the bites I 

 saw at once that a leopard had been at him. Putting the 

 poor dog in a cumbly I hastened home, and as I came to 

 the little shola, close by the pool of water, I saw the fresh 

 track of a large sambur, and on ahead in the mist saw what I 



