26 
ATTACKS ON THE SAM BUR. 
Another time when out looking for deer 1 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. 
Haw key e, 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 
tjuarry 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, ! was one 
morning panting up that terribly steep hill behind the 
bungalow, I met a hind and faw^n bus ding down the side of 
