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But what's the use of indulging in fancies that never will be realized? I should just as soon, for the next century to come, expect to see at Panwell the great "Leviathan" crying out God! God! till he vanished, as get a sight of a kennel of foxhounds in Bombay or Salsette either.

Who the deuce, then, will bring out a large number of foxhounds for a continuance, without the certainty of a ready sale? No one, of course, and as long as no regular hunt exists, either at Bombay or Poonah, no pack of thoroughbred hounds will be seen. But luckily there is a remedy half-bred hounds are quite good enough for jackals, or the foxes of this country: and, besides being as hardy again, can be obtained at one hundredth the expense.

The "breed," then, from thoroughbred hounds is the thing for the Deccan, and it is almost needless to remark that with even a very small supply of "coin" and a little arrangement, a stallion dog might be ensured by at least every other ship that may arrive. Rome was not built in a day, nor can a pack be bred in the "twinkling of an eye," but we are not to suppose half-bred hounds are the only dogs that can hunt. With a few of the right sort to set them going, packs composed of "cross breeds" from the setter, pointer, and terrier are much more than a match for their game, as has already been proved, and, though not pictures to look at, may for all that be "devils to hunt;" ay, and right well too.

I don't speak from mere guess. Like most others, I have my eyes about me, and use them, and I say (and am supported, too, by many a sportsman) that the last season showed as fine runs, good foxes, and right well hunted,

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with the pack I am speaking of, as a man in India can reasonably desire; the only fault was a little want of music, but that is gradually remedying, and in another year or two, provided there is no want of stallion hounds, will not exist.

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I have been several times asked, not only by friends on this side, but at Madras also, whether I had hit on a method of keeping thoroughbred hounds alive. Would, indeed, that I could answer in the affirmative! But as far as my experience goes, I don't think the thing possible. There is not, I believe, at this moment a thoroughbred foxhound alive on this side, and those that did hold out for any time had lost much of their powers. The degeneracy hounds taken out of England to hot countries is, I believe, unquestioned; those that I have seen tried could neither go the pace of any, or touch as cold a scent as several other dogs in the Nuggur pack: they were not, to be sure, from a fast "kennel," but I recollect pretty well the pace of the Hatfield, and can answer for its being very different to what poor old Royalist, Jumper, Jerker, Fairmaid, and Vocal could manage here.

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a mint of money, soon become degenerate and unfit for long and hard runs, whilst a source of mortifying disappointment when dead. I know nothing so cruelly tormenting as seeing fine, beautiful hounds, on which you have set your heart, dying off one after another, without the smallest hope of effectual assistance; one morning in the highest possible spirits, the same evening dead! A man, then, who really wishes to have fox-hunting in the Deccan must give up all ideas of thoroughbred hounds for any other purpose than breeding: if he still insists on what some young hands attempt to stuff one with, "the only sporting style of hunting," in other words, having none but thoroughbred hounds, he will have the satisfaction of seeing his funds expended, his dogs underground, and himself disgusted! A man that expects even to get up a pack of any kind without infinite trouble, attention, and patience without end, reckons without his host no one should attempt it who cannot especially command patience in the highest degree. The mortification of seeing a favourite hound, the leader perhaps of the pack, on the point of death, in a country where his place cannot be supplied, is enough, God knows, for mortal man; but imagine five and six couples of half-breds, raised with all the care and anxiety a man can bestow, within a few weeks of being fit to "enter" suddenly swept off by twos and threes at a time, as if the plague had got amongst them! If he can bear this patiently; command his temper in the field, stand the gibes, jests, sneers, and, what's worse than all, the gratuitous opinions of every man that sets up for a sportsman because he knows a dog from a cow, though he never

saw a pack of hounds in his life; if he can put up with the riding slap over two or three of his favourite and best dogs, and the dispersal of the rest like worried sheep, the determined disposition that some men are blessed to ride over the scent and hunt the fox themselves the instant he's viewed -thus saving the pack the trouble of further exertion; I say, if he's sure he can stand all this without being downright disgusted, why, let him try his hand. Patience and perseverance conquer a multitude of things, and with tolerable luck will produce, not a pack to look at, but one which will afford as good sport as a man out of England-the "Melton of the world -can ever expect to ride to.

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About two years ago there were a couple of "Southern hounds," commissioned by a gentleman at Poonah, whose merits as a sportsman I have already slightly alluded to in my first letter on "Hog-hunting." What induced

him to purchase dogs of this kind I did not at first see, the breed being notoriously very slow, and consequently not adapted for a country so flat and clear of fences as that in which foxes abound in the Deccan. I had never before met with hounds of this breed, and I am free to confess I was not in love with their appearance; my friend had shown judgment that none but a practised hand could have shown; they are the fathers of the finest half breed I ever saw, and had I the choice of the finest hound in the world of any other breed, he should give place to the "Southern." Crossed with fast bitches, ample speed is obtained-every fault in the father seems smoothed off, and as for music and bottom, they carry the day hollow!

Every one of them that I have yet seen takes after the father;

and if all were alive, I am within bounds when I assert at least 25 couples could be brought into the field! No such luck, however, attends the "breeder": if four out of ten ever live to be "entered" he is lucky. It is slow work, there is no doubt of it, but if a man does at last succeed, he not only has laid in a store of joys

SIR,

and pleasure that I wouldn't barter for thousands, but, in the mean time, has preserved, what more steady, quiet sober men than myself would give millions to obtain, undiminished health whilst in India, with every chance of a happy old age in good Britain. NIMROD.

HOG HUNTING.

If you conceive the following brief journal of a hunting trip worth insertion, you are welcome to publish it in your Sporting Magazine.

Our party from Deesa, consisting of six, met at Roopaul, fiveand-thirty miles distant from Camp, to the north-eastward of Seedpore, on the morning of the 11th March. Before we gave the word "off," you must know that we had the Hooley festival before us; in a country quite unknown to any of the party; and moreover, throwing was the order of the day. After breakfast we sallied forth, and beat wheat fields and high grass; came in late in the afternoon, having bagged two boars (one a very fine one) and two sows.

12th, Thursday. This morning turned into some stiff nullahs, covered with high jungle; hog were seen, but none would take out-consequently a blank.

13th, Friday. Moved this morning three coss, to Nagwassun; beat some high rushes, on the river; several took away, but chiefly small ones. Returned to our tents, with only one sow.

14th, Saturday.-Going across country this morning to Loonwar, three coss, we fell in with three hogs, two of which fell; only three of the party were lucky

enough to have spears and horses. About 11 out we went, and had a thick, low, bauble jungle, of immense extent, to hunt in. We considered ourselves fortunate in bringing home two good-sized boars, and a rattling sow: total to-day, five hog.

15th, Sunday.-This morning we pitched at Meywarra, 1 coss, and as the nags had had some pretty stiff work, it was voted a day of rest for both man and beast.

16th, Monday.-Went on this morning to Darsud, two COSS. After breakfast, commenced beating a large extent of grass, every here and there thickly studded with bauble jungle; killed fine boar, and a sow escaped with a sore rump.

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17th, Tuesday.-Moved three coss, to Bominwarra. About ten we were off to a large bier, five coss long, and two broad; after particular enquiry from the villagers, whether we could destroy part of it, without injuring the country, we made up our minds to burn a small portion. Only one hog took away; was bagged in the evening: we wound up with two fine cheetas, a goodsized boar, and one deer.

18th, Wednesday.-Breakfasted at Madra, three coss, on the Suruswattee; only succeeded in getting two hog out of the rushes,

which were very high, thick, extensive. Both were bagged.

19th, Thursday.-Inclined this morning with heavy hearts towards home, and encamped at Oombra, two coss. At the usual

hour we went out, and put the beaters into a bier, and bagged two boars, one a whacker, and a Nielghy calf; all that were seen.

20th, Friday. Our party was this morning increased by two volunteers from Camp; beat a grassy nullah running close to the tents; killed to-day three hogs.

21st, Saturday.-Three of our circle deserted us at daybreak; this our last day, and as it proved, a good one: two boars, one a splendid fellow, a sow, one deer and bustard, was our bag. In the

SIR,

afternoon we returned to Camp, eight-and-twenty miles next morning, and killed a deer on the road.

But of all the hog killed, five were very fine ones, all prodding, between seven and eight inches. The larger cheeta measured four feet and upwards from the nose to the stump of the tail. Out of the six who started with us from Camp, one did not join us in the hunting. Total killed: 22 hog, three deer, two cheetas, Neilghy, and one Bustard, beside hares, foxes, with the long-tailed dogs, cats and other varment with the short-tailed ones.

Yours, &c., &c.,

A CONSTANT READER. Camp Deesa, 28th March, 1829.

BARODA RACES.

I am induced to offer a few

remarks upon "A Tyke's "letter regarding the last Baroda Races, from the evident feeling he has shown in favour of the Mhow cattle; at the same time I beg to state that I am totally unconnected with, and but little known to, the Proprietors of the horses that started. "A Tyke" states that "for the Baroda plate, the first heat was won very cleverly by Paul Pry, time 4m. 41s.; the second, Boxkeeper, got three lengths at starting, and Paul could never get to his head; time, 3m. 59s. The last heat was beautiful; Boxkeeper led by half a length for a mile and a half when Paul came up. At the distance it was either's race; but through superior jockeyship Paul won by a length, time 4m. 4s.

"It will be seen that the two heats won by Paul Pry were much slower run than the one won by Boxkeeper! the slow

running exactly suited Paul Pry. It was the general opinion that had Boxkeeper gone off at score for the last heat and made running all the way round he could not have lost the race."

Now, Sir, it was the opinion of nearly all who saw this race that Boxkeeper could not have won the second heat had he not gained

start of several lengths; in proof of which I need only state that the heat was won by about half a length, both horses being punished; and many competent judges declared that even if Boxkeeper had gone off from the post. the last heat, the result would have been the same.

"A Tyke" further says, "Wildrake is too violent for two miles, but for a mile or a mile and a half it will take a very capital horse to beat him."

"A Tyke" appears to forget that for both these distances he was beat, during the meeting, in very indifferent time.

I shall make no comment upon the following-"with the exception of Boxkeeper, perhaps, he (Wildrake) is the most blood-looking animal on the course."

The admirers of Boxkeeper need not detract from the hard

SIR,

earned honours of his antagonists; his splendid running, for so many seasons, will always entitle him to a place among the first-raters. Yours,

STIRRUP.
Camp Deesa, 1st June, 1829.

NEILGHERRIES-SPORT.

Let it be known to the sporting world that upwards of 70 couple of Woodcocks have been killed on these Blue mountains of the East during the last season, i.e., from October to March-of these 33 couple have fallen by the gun of one gentleman.

It may be as well to take this opportunity of conveying some idea to your readers of this extraordinary country, and the game to be found on it. Topographical descriptions of the Neilgherries are already published, but from

what I had read and heard I did not expect to find anything like what they are either in feature or climate. I arrived here in January, and ascended the mountains at Goodloon, whence the road here is 20 miles, unlike anything in India-undulating downs all the way, copses and woods scattered beautifully on the sides of the hills.

At that time there was a hard white frost every night, and the sensation of the crisp frozen grass under your feet in the morning was enough to drive fever, &c., &c., from any man. We had frost till the beginning of March. At this place there is a lake more than six miles in circumference, and about 30 houses -more being now in course of erection-many of them situated at the sides of woods, which bear the appearance of those planted for effect in parks in England, but being evergreens, they have

the advantage. In all of these woods are to be found "Sambre -Black Deer-(to judge of the size of which it is enough to say that a buck weighed 39 stone) jungle sheep, the ibex, tigers, bears, hog, wild dogs, jackals, peafowl, jungle-fowl. There are also hares, snipe, and quail.

Before I came here I had been led to suppose that horses were useless, and did not thrive. All I can say is that if I had four I should have plenty of work for them, and with proper care as to clothing and stabling they thrive uncommonly well; as also dogs, so much so indeed that I am of opinion it would be worth while for any European settler to breed them for distribution all over India.

All gentlemen fond of aquatics should certainly bring boats up here from the coast, the size about that of the Deal gigs, being the best suited to the Lake. The dogs best adapted to the hills are strong spaniels and bustling terriers for wood shooting, and hard bitten greyhounds for jackals. But the man who should establish a pack of hounds would deserve well of his country and claim to have his memory perpetuated by a statue on the pinnacle of Do-Do-Bét (the highest point at the mountains). The country is too hilly for fast hounds-those best suited would be slow powerful fox, or perhaps the Southern, hound.

Yours truly,

A SUBSCRIBER.

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