ANECDOTES ABOUT DOGS 383 



rope by which he was held. The moment he arrived 

 on terra firma, he rushed up a steep bank and looked at- 

 tentively down into the water beneath. We now gave 

 him credit for his sagacity in refusing to cross the 

 dangerous passage. 



" The reeds bowed down to the right and left as 

 a huge crocodile of about eighteen feet in length 

 moved slowly from his shallow bed into a deep 

 hole. The dog turned to the right about and ran 

 off as fast as his legs would carry him. No calling 

 or whistling would induce him to return and I never 

 saw him again. How he knew that a large crocodile 

 lay concealed in the river I do not know, he probably 

 had a previous unpleasant experience of those crea- 

 tures, and seemed determined to profit by the lesson he 

 had learnt. Making use of the experience I had gained 

 in wild sports in the country, I came out well armed, 

 according to my ideas of weapons for the chase. I had 

 four double-barrelled rifles made specially to my order 

 and my own pattern, my hunting knives and boar spear 

 heads were also made to my own design and I arrived 

 in Ceylon with a fine pack of Foxhounds, and ' Bran,' 

 a favourite greyhound of wonderful speed and 

 strength. The usual drawbacks and discomforts at- 

 tending upon a new settlement having been overcome, 

 Newera Ellia formed a pleasant place of residence. I 

 soon, however, discovered that Foxhounds were not at 

 all adapted to a country so enclosed by forest, some of 

 the hounds were lost, others I parted with, and their 

 progeny, crossed with Pointers, Bloodhounds and other 



breeds, have proved a useful stamp for Elk hunting. 



25 



