320 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA 



scarcely half-way from where they had started. Bell was 

 very near the hind, when I saw her disappear bodily into 

 a hole. But the deer was now faihng fast; and, seeing 

 no chance of making the forest, turned round and came 

 back towards the river. The pups and Tinker now made 

 up considerably by cutting ofE the corner, and very soon 

 the brindled one, " Sheroo," who was rather the faster, 

 was racing alongside of her, making uncertain snatches at 

 the shoulder. The yellow dog soon joined him, and 

 together they managed to throw over the deer just as she 

 reached the bank of the river. They all three rolled down 

 the bank together; and before the deer could recover 

 herself Tinker was up and pinned her by the throat. The 

 bitch was not far behind, and among them they nearly 

 tore the poor animal Hmb from limb. Fearing a row 

 between Tinker and the young dogs I ran up as fast as 

 possible; but a Byga with his axe was before me, and 

 attempted to get the quarry from the dogs. He didn't 

 know Tinker, however, who loosed his hold on the deer's 

 throat only to fly at the Byga.- The latter defended 

 himself as well as he could with his axe-handle, very 

 thoughtfully for such a savage, not attempting to use the 

 head ; but he had several pretty severe bites in the arms 

 and legs before I could arrive to his rescue. As a rule 

 Tinker was as quiet as a lamb with men ; but when roused 

 by blood he was a perfect devil ; and as his size and weight 

 were immense I was often rather afraid of him myself. 

 Poor fellow, his formidable aspect and a few outbursts 

 of this sort were the death of him, being poisoned by a 

 dog boy a few months afterwards. BeU broke her neck 

 by chasing an antelope down a blind well, a few marches 

 after the hunt I have related; the best of the two pups 

 was carried off by a leopard or hyeena ; and altogether I 

 was so disgusted with the bad luck I had always had in 

 keeping large dogs in India that I gave it up altogether ; 

 and I cannot say that I found very much loss accrue to 

 my sport in consequence. I beheve they lose more 

 wounded animals, by driving them out of reach, than 

 they recover. 



On the way back I shot another hind, who stood too 



