IS 
THE TROPICAL 
AGKICULTURIST. [July 1, 1901. 
S^imuel Baker has described the sport in two 
most readable hooks ; but beyond this I have 
seldom come across an accurate account of it as it 
ought to be and generally is, I have once or 
twice read descriptions which were ludicrous from 
their inaccuracy, and the sport seemed to have 
degenerated into a scurry with a nondescript pack 
of tykes, attended by a crovd of people armed 
with guns and spears. 
Then coraes a very good portrait of 
THE AUTHOR, MR. THOMAS FAKR, FOR TWENTY- 
YKARS THE LEADING ELK-HUNTER OF 
CEYLON. 
(From a photo by F and K Speight, 178, Regent 
Street, VV.) 
"Elk" hunting, as it has always been cairied 
on by some two or three recognised packs in 
Ceylon, is almost entirely on foot, and the only 
weapon used is the hunting-knife with a ten-inch 
blade. A horse is occasionally useful to take one 
from point to point in a hard run, where some 
game track, native path, or road lends its assis- 
tance ; but in nine cases out of ten you would 
find your horse up to his girths in a swamp before 
you had followed a pack of " elk" hounds acrbss 
country for a quarter of a mile. 
The country is a very stiff one, lying at the 
summit, more or less, of the mountain zone of the 
island, and falling down from this undulating 
plateau of some 8,000 ft. to elevations of 4,000 ft. 
and 5,000 ft. Vast tracts of forest are here inter- 
spersed with open downs of short, coarse grass 
called patanas, and at the bottoms of the valleys 
are streams of some volume and size. These will 
be found widening out into grand pools, narrosving 
to shallow rapids over rocky beds and impassable 
in floods, or plunging down deep gorges and 
chasms and falling over bare precipices and crags. 
^Waterfalls of 50 ft. and 100 ft. are necessarily 
common in such a country, and one 1 know of is 
some 2,000 ft. At the very lip of this " Banjy " I 
once killed a magnificent stag. It is a big country, 
too, where I have chiefly hunted during the past 
twenty odd years, and where the hunt I shall en- 
deavour to describe took place. It is known as 
the Horton Plains Country, and may be described 
as the " Roof of the Island." Through its open 
grassy downs meanders the most perfect trout 
stream it is possible to imagine. For some ten 
years ova have been imported from England, and 
the stream has been well stocked, affording 
splendid sport to the members of our fishing club. 
As for climate it would be hard to beat any- 
where, and at this high elevation, over 7,000 ft., 
it is easy to iniagine that hard exercise, even in 
the tropics though it be, is not only possible but 
enjoyable. Often during December, January, and 
February the patanas are white with hoar-frost up 
to 6-30 a.m., whilst the shade temperature during 
the day varies from 55 deg. to 65 deg. Fahr. 
" HOUNDS ARE UNKENNELLED BY 5 A.M. ON A 
UUNTINC; MORNING." 
[Picture F'rom a Photo.] 
Hounds are unkennelled by 5 a.m. on a hunt- 
ing morning, and with luck are back on their 
benches by twelve noon. The pack consists of 
foxhounds, deerliounds, and kangaroo hounds. 
The following \v'onld be a very "killing" lot: 
eight to nine coujjle of 23 in. English foxhounds, 
three to four coujde of deer arid kangaroo hounds, 
and three or four goof', hardy Norfolk lurchers to 
run with the finders. Foxhounds are too apt to 
coniine tlieniselveBto baying the hunted stag, which 
will often stand and defy them in the jungle, while 
he gets his wind, whereas a lurcher will give him 
a nip somewhere as a hint to move on. 
As a rule the quarry carries a fine scent, and 
you may often see your lurchers ahead of the fox- 
hounds, driving him for all lie is worth. At this 
pace, especially if it is a matter of a mile up-hill 
or a quarter of a mile up a steep patana blutt', the 
stag gets blown, and comes down to the pool below 
to make his stand. There the deer and kangaroo 
hounds play their part. These are known as 
"long dogs" or "seizers," and they are distrib- 
uted by one knowing the country and the run 
of the deer. Dog-boys are told oft' for this work, 
generally assisted by one or two of ihe field. 
On more than one occasion I have seen the 
hunted stag or hind lie down in a pool close in 
front of hounds, all hut the nostrils hidden 
beneath the surface of the water, and I have ac- 
tually seen half a pack pass within a few teet of a 
stag's head just above the water without winding 
or seeing it. When, sooner or leter. he stands to 
fight it is generally in shallow water to begin 
with. On some narrow ridge of rock in mid- 
stream, with deeper water around him, he awaits 
the leading hounds — one or two couple probably, 
which have to approach him s>vimming. He 
shows no sign of fear, but an impatient stamping 
of the water with hia fore-feet betrays his rage. 
As more and more come on, and the more formi- 
dable-looking " seizers" arrive on the scene, the 
situation changes. 
Instead of attacking his pursuers in fierce 
rushes, he breaks his " bay" and seeks deeper 
water where even the big kangaroo hounds must 
swim to reach him. Here he will stand up to his 
chest in water, rearing up occasionally to pound 
huntsmen and hounds as they approach him. The 
knife being the only weapon used, a near approach 
is necessary to give the fatal thrust behind the 
shoulder. 
The stag, too, takes good care to keep his head 
towards you, so that the vulnerable point in his 
side seems unattainable. Then, when still harder 
pressed, he takes to deeper water, and swims at 
such a pace that, unless hampered with hounds 
at his ears, no human being in his clothes can 
hope to keep near him. As he crosses the shal- 
lows at the head of the pool or passes some con- 
venient rock the sportsman takes his opportunity 
and a skilful thrust is often as eflectual as a well- 
directed bullet would be. 
If the stag takes to deep water, unless a man 
be a good swimmer it were wiser for him to 
remain on the bank and watch the fight until he 
can see his way to a dash at his quarry on the 
shallows. The stag uses his fore-feet with 
terrific force, and I have seen strong seizers 
[" "WHEN, SOONER OR LATER, HE STANDS TO FIGHT 
IT IS GENERALLY IN SHALLOW WATER 
TO BEGIN AVITH.— Picture.] 
almost cut in two by them ; while with his hind- 
feet he is as quick and handy as a pony. Now for 
the story of the fighting stag. 
It was on the 11th of June that four of us met 
on the Horton Plains : Maitland (the Master), 
Ross, Wilson, and myself. The morning was fine, 
and we left the kennels at 5*45 a.m., but it was 
too windy to be called a good hunting morning, as 
it was almost impossible to locate sound accurately. 
Seizers having been placed, Maitland with a 
short pack of about eight couple drew in along a 
low ridge of thick forest running parallel with the 
