In this wild and rough kind of sport, the best dogs are constantly most seriously wounded, and after a fight of this kind, needles and thread and bandages are in frequent requisition.It is wonderful to see the rapid recovery of dogs from wounds which at first sight appear incurable.An instance occurred a short time ago, when I certainly gave up one of the best dogs for lost.We had found a buck, who after a sharp run, came to bay in a deep part of the river known by the name of Black Pool.My youngest brother { James Baker, late Lieut.-Colonel of Cambridge University Volunteers.} (who is always my companion in hunting) and I were at some distance, but feeling certain of the locality of the bay, we started off at full speed towards the supposed spot.A run of a mile, partly through jungle leading into a deep wooded ravine, brought us to the river, which flowed through the hollow, and upon approaching the water, we distinctly heard the pack at bay at some distance down the stream.Before we could get up, the buck dashed down the river, and turning sharp up the bank, he took up the hill through a dense jungle.Every hound was at fault, except two, who were close at his heels, and being very fast they never lost sight of him.These two dogs were Merriman and Tiptoe; and having followed the whole pack to their track, we soon heard them in full cry on the top of the high hills which overlook the river; they were coming down the hill-side at full speed towards the Black Pool.Hiding behind the trees lest we should head the buck, who we now heard crashing towards us through the jungle, we suddenly caught a glimpse of his dun hide as he bounded past us, and splashed into the river.A few seconds after, and Tiptoe, the leading hound, came rushing on his track, but to our horror HE WAS DRAGGING HISENTRAILS AFTER HIM.The excitement of the chase recognised no pain, and the plucky animal actually plunged into the river, and in spite of his mangled state, he swam across, and disappeared in the jungle on the opposite side, upon the track which the elk had taken.The pack now closed up; swimming the river, they opened upon a hot scent on the opposite bank, and running parallel to the stream, they drove the buck out of the jungle, and he came to bay on a rocky part of the river, where the velocity of the torrent swept every dog past him and rendered his position secure.The whole pack was there with the exception of Tiptoe; we looked for him among the baying hounds in vain.For about twenty minutes the buck kept his impregnable position, when in a foolish moment he forsook it, and dashing along the torrent, he took to deep water.The whole pack was after him; once Merriman got a hold, but was immediately beaten off.Valiant, who was behaving nobly, and made repeated attempts to seize, was struck beneath the water as often as he advanced.The old veteran Smut was well to the point, and his deep voice was heard loud above the din of the bay; but he could do nothing.The buck had a firm footing, and was standing shoulder-deep; rearing to his full height, and springing at the dogs as they swam towards him, he struck them beneath the water with his fore feet.The bay lasted for half an hour; at the expiration of this time, a sudden thought appeared to strike old Smut; instead of continuing the attack, he swam direct for the shore, leaving the buck still occupied with the baying pack.The elk was standing about fourteen feet from the bank, which was covered with jungle.Presently we saw the cunning old hero Smut creeping like a leopard along the edge of the bank till opposite the elk; he slowly retreated for a few paces, and the next moment he was seen flying through the air, having made a tremendous spring at the elk's ear.Acloud of spray for an instant concealed the effect.Both dog and buck were for a few moments beneath the water; when they reappeared, the old dog was hanging on his ear! Merriman at once had him by the other ear;and one after another the seizers held him.In vain he tried to drown them off by diving; as his head again rose above the surface, the dogs were at their places: his struggles were useless, and the knife finished him.
We now searched the jungle for Tiptoe's body, expecting to find him dead where we had last seen him enter the jungle.Upon searching the spot, we found him lying down, with his bowels in a heap by his side; the quantity would have filled a cap.The hole in his side was made-by a blow from the buck's hoof, and not being more than two inches in length, strangulation had taken place, and I could not return the bowels.The dog was still alive, though very faint.Fortunately we had a small-bladed knife, with which I carefully enlarged the aperture, and, having cleaned the bowels from the dirt and dead leaves which had adhered to them, I succeeded in returning them; although I expected the dog's death every instant.Taking off my neck tie, I made a pad, with which I secured the aperture, and bound him tightly round with a handkerchief.Making a sling with a couple of jackets upon a pole, we placed the dog carefully, within it, and carried him home.By dressing the wound every day with margosse oil, and keeping the pad and bandage in the place, to my astonishment the dog recovered, and he is now as well as ever he was, with the exception of the loss of one eye, which was knocked out by the horn of an elk on another.occasion.
The margosse oil that I have mentioned is a most valuable balsam for wounds, having a peculiar smell, which prevents the attacks of flies, who would otherwise blow the sore and occasion a nest of maggots in a few hours.This oil is very healing, and soon creates a healthy appearance in a bad cut.It is manufactured from the fruit of a plant in Ceylon, but I have never met with it in the possession of an English medical man.The smell of this oil is very offensive, even worse than assafoetida, which it in some degree resembles.There are many medicinal plants in Ceylon of great value, which, although made use of by the natives, are either neglected or unknown to the profession in our own country.One of the wild fruits of the jungle, the wood-apple or wild quince, is very generally used by the natives in attacks of diarrhoea and dysentery in the early stages of the disease; this has been used for some years by English medical men in this island, but with no very satisfactory effect.
