The National tribune., 1899-07-13

and one morning we were considering Khu-
decks proposal to get some more exciting
sport than Notwithstanding affords by
constructing a SEarm. The Skarm is re-
alIya trench, though he merely Intended 10
build something in the way Of cover on one
of those little islands situated IN certain
lakelats near. Tracks would Show which
10 choose, and then if a tiger should be
wounded while drinking, he would IN
eyitably try an attack by swimming over.
TAiS was one OF khudeck'S eXaggerations.
No such behavior could be calculated upon
with any certainty, though experience has
shown it might very likely happen SO.
These deliberations were broken off, how
ever when a party of trackerS arrived from
he, forest and reported wild dogs. such
creatures may seem contenptlble II CON
trastei with those we ha1'been discussing;
nevertheless there is something to he sad
on this subject. Nobody disparages a wild
dog in India. Not only do packs of these
animals riIn down all species of anteiopes
or deer but they are believed to kill the bison,
buffalo and bear.
A cloud of traditional opinions, false or
true, envelopS that mysterious animal
Cuol rutilanS. 1t comes and goes no man
knows whence or where. There Is little
doubt of their hostility to tigers, or that the
latter fear them sufficiently TO vacate any
locality where they appear. All natives OF
uncutivatei and remote districts are con-
l.ldI DslNtcIl lLtSS DIdobo
constantly occur, in which engagements
the larger is often worsted.
In this connection Baldwin remarks that
personal observation has made him far less
{ncredulous tina he once was; while other
authorities Moray Brown for example
have found direct evidence that tigers were
thus destroyed. We saw something to this
effect ourselves; yet it might be well if some
description Of so interesting species were
prsfixed to an account which deals only
with a single and possibly exceptional
event :
The wild dog of the Himalayas," says
Col Markham, represents an original
stock" as yet unaltered by those conditions
which have produced varieties in other
parts of India or Burma. This form
undoubtedly the true wild dog-iS little
known; its habits rendering it difficult,
indeed almost impossible, to make close OBJ
seryationS.
These creatures live in burrows among
rocks, so that it is impracticable to dig them
out. He himself tried and failed; but his
attendants SHARED two or three young ones,
that in time became quite tame. The
eldor.5 wander about in packs, and often
hunt large game Markham asserts that
"SeToT5 are among the few animals which
soaetines escape from such an attack.
Ba2-5 always get killed, and Baldwin came
up OF 0 le occasion Just in time 10 rescue n
de5pcrItely-w0 brute of this kind
fro n the pack By which it was surrounded.
sSa ller5Ol ;.li BeVdn also describe full
grown wild dog in Central India as being
rather larger than mature jackals; cabout
the size Of a InidIling foX-hound," saws the
later. This variety will measure perhaps
20 inches at the shoulder. Its
color IS bright rufous (chestnut-red), darker
dOga tie face and center Of the head,
lighter below CuOl rutilans has a long.
Stta.Int DO Il, black. T1I1i-i cas-, short
linb5, and tai slim ~ i root. Hit expand
ing suddenly iatJ 2 Tia .I.aI brush.
Tuis form resembles TIE rs3 f.. If america:
Though il is Cas IN Bur AIT the Bombay
Presidency inclined 10 wary g 5iderabIy
Wherever met with tie sg-c.es confines
Itself 10 woodlands.
Wild dogs range through both heavy
and light forests, bat are Ecvcr found il
opca clJmtrv." continues s;aId.rsO! ano
the SANE distinguished authority goes o.
10 say that their packs consist Uf from
three 10 20 members; but raTv!y more
They hunt as much by scent rs by S:gnt
and generally mute, except ior 4 curious
whimpa-inB noise which keeps up CON
inunca-lOl between them in dense cO"er.
DawSoG. however heard "a short. shril
bark given 10y the leader Of an unusually
large baGd stationed 80 as 20 run down
sam5ur stag by relays. Haveiock state.
that talS kind of game, like the SerOT,
sometimes succeeds in repeIiing their AT
tacLlS; there is 10 doubt, on the other hand
that they are generally successful.
Our superstitous shikarics were hal
afraid Of wild dogs, besides chcriShin9 a.
anmosity toward them as being dctri
mental 10 tiger hunting. Ghous Khan
likewise. one OF those truckers who cam
from Bengal, tod them fantastic tales 0
the Jungiee kuta, as this beast is Gale,
there-ltS entertainments. malice. an,
genera! dcvilishneSs Ss-whic,i bat for tloS
powers Of protection against w.tchcraft an,
magic We We're known 10 possess. mjgh
have caused a stampede. Lester went s.
far III this emergency as TO make charm
which would unfailingly bring the machi
nations of these evil creatures TO naught
while the rest Of us offered sheep and rupee
for their skins. Hence it befell that on
trackers kept bright lookout. and has
tened TO camp with the first intelligence
No time was lost We plunged into tn
forest, forming long skirmish-line b,