The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-24
HAWK HUNT IN INDIA.
An Englishmen's Accounts of Noble
Sport-Ths Bird and Its Quarry.
From Tia Atnn,iccr,n E.tad


From the american Faeld.
Though hawking is not q common sport
OF India, yet in some parts of tie country it
is favorite amusement Of the mobiles.
Some Of the hawks in the east are especially
fine birds, one in Arabia being so large that
1t is used for taking gazelles and the smaller
anteloPes. Perching on the head of its
quarry, this hawk cOnfuses and worries the
animal until 1t falls exhausted, aud it is
even said that occasionally it will
stop the gazelle by holding on
to a horn with one claw while
grasping weeds or bushes with the other.
The hawks lent by Sir Salar Jung to US
were of two kinds, small hobby ma wk, that
gave US lots of fun in particular by hunt
ing screech owls from their trees in the day
time, and some noble falcons. These were
hoods and jesses, much OF the old English
style, and were tended with the greatest
care, the men looking after them being
quite high up in the ranks Of the servants.
Our system of hawking was simple enough.
The ladies were put on elephants while
we rode horseback, and the men in charge
looked out for birds worthy of being chased.
These were mostly to be found near
marshes. and were of the crane tribe. One,
the kallian, known in English as the beef
steak bird on account Of the fact that the
flesh on it's breast m axes a very good imita-
ton OF large beefsteak, was the best of
all for hawking. 1t is a bird that as soon
as the sun grows warm begins to tower,
continuing the process until it has
gone out of sight OF even the strongest
glasses. AS soon as one of these
was seen the falconers hurried along until
they were sure that the hawk to be used
would certainly catch a view of the crane,
and then they would unhood it. The kali
inn IfnfA id ale L.
would commence towering almost as soon
as the hawk was thrown off, and the ensu-
ing maneuvers for position and the upper
hand would be most interesting. Occasion
ally the crane would tire out the hawk and
make off, but generally the latter, foiled as
it might have besn in a dozen swoops, would
finally make a successful one.
Attack and defense were always the
same, the crane invariably turning on las
back as soon as it saw the hawks swoop
imminent. rapidly pointing its beak in a
way to allow the hawk to transfix itself
thereon. In attack the hawk sought to
strike the crane full tilt with It chest
catching the falling and then unresisting
body In its talOns before the pair reached
the ground. Occasionally a hawk was
killed by the bayonet- like bill of the crane,
but the eye OF the former was generally
sharp enough to avoid such an ending,
w bile the birds were thus busy up in the
air we riders had to follow under them, at
full gallop very often. in order to watch
the duel going on up above, and as the eyes
were all the time kept on the struggle it
often fell out that the horses would come
down nasty cropper through being unwit-
tingly steered into hole or bit Of a water
course.
On one occasion my wife and had rather
a narrow shave of a more dangerous acct
dent. We were out in camp with the bat
terry and had ordered one OF the commits
sartat elephants attached TO be prepared
for her to go out hawking. The amman be-
ing bit FESTIVE, made up my mind to
ride with her, ordering q groom to follow
with my horse. The elephant behaved well
until, when climbing the bank on the far
side OF a small stream, brother officer gal
Hoped up the incline from behind, when away
went the elephant. Instead Of having been
loaded with a howdah there was but thick
pad on the animals back, and it soon be-
came very difficult TO remain on board, the
gait OF on elephant at q run being enough
to shake one to pieces As soon as the
mahout found that he had lost all control
OF his charge he slso lost his head entirely
and confined his efforts to prayers to the
whole Hindoo pantheon In the direction of
providing him a soft falling place when be
made the jump he saw TO be inevitable.
AS we should have been utterly helpless IL
left alone on the back OF a strange elephant
there was nothing TO DO done but 70 beat,