It was bright moonlight, and we arrived at the village just at break of
day. The house was pointed out in which the fellows lived; we
immediately surrounded it, and upon entering we seized the offenders.
Upon searching the house we found a quantity of dried venison, a spear
and an axe, covered with blood, with which they had destroyed the
unfortunate dog.
Taking a fine gutta-percha whip, I flogged the culprits soundly; and we
forced them to lead the way and point out the very spot of the elk's
death. They would not confess the dog's murder, although it was proved
against them.
It was a frightful spot, about two hundred paces below the foot of the
great fall. The river, swollen by the late rain, boiled, and strove with
the opposite rocks, lashing itself into foam, and roaring down countless
cataracts, which, though well worthy of the name, sank into
insignificance before the mighty fall which fed them. High above our
heads reared the rocky precipice of a thousand feet in height, the
grassy mountains capped with forest, and I could distinguish the very
spot from which I had heard the shouts of men on the day of Merriman's
death. Had I only known what was taking place below, I might perhaps
have been in time to save the dog.
We found the blood and remains of the offal of the buck, but we, of
course, saw no remains of the dog, as the power of the torrent must soon
have dashed him to atoms against the rocks.
Thus ended poor Merriman: a better hound never lived. Unfortunately,
Ceylon laws are often administered by persons who have never received a
legal education, and the natives escaped without further punishment than
the thrashing they had received. Of this, however, they had a full dose,
which was a sweet sauce to their venison which they little anticipated.
The few descriptions that I have given of elk-hunting should introduce a
stranger thoroughly to the sport. No one, however, can enjoy it with as
much interest as the owner of the hounds; he knows the character of
every dog in the pack--every voice is familiar to his ear; he cheers
them to the attack; he caresses them for their courage; they depend upon
him for assistance in the struggle, and they mutually succour each
other. This renders the dog a more cherished companion than he is
considered in England, where his qualities are not of so important a
nature; and it makes the loss of a good hound more deeply felt by his
master.
Having thus described the general character of Ceylon sports in all
branches, I shall conclude by a detailed journal of one trip of a few
weeks in the low country, which will at once explain the whole minutiae
of the shooting in the island. This journal is taken from a small diary
which has frequently accompanied me on these excursions, containing
little memoranda which, by many, might be considered tedious. The daily
account of the various incidents of a trip will, at all events, give a
faithful picture of the jungle sports.
CHAPTER XII.
A JUNGLE TRIP.
ON November 16, 1851 I started from Kandy, accompanied by my brother,
Lieutenant V. Baker,* (*Now Colonel Valentine Baler, late 10th Hussars.)
then of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment. Having sent on our horses from Newera
Ellia some days previous, as far as Matille, sixteen miles from Kandy,
we drove there early in the morning, and breakfasted with F. Layard,
Esq., who was then assistant government agent. It had rained without
ceasing during twenty-four hours, and hoping that the weather might
change, we waited at Matille till two o'clock P.M. The rain still poured
in torrents, and giving up all ideas of fine weather, we started.
The horses were brought round, and old Jack knew as well as I did that
he was starting for a trip, as the tether rope was wound round his neck,
and the horse-cloth was under his saddle. The old horse was sleek and in
fine condition for a journey, and, without further loss of time, we
started for Dambool, a distance of thirty-one miles. Not wishing to be
benighted, we cantered the whole way, and completed the distance in
three hours and a half, as we arrived at Dambool at half-past five P.M.
I had started off Wallace and all the coolies from Newera Ellia about a
week beforehand; and, having instructed him to leave a small box with a
change of clothes at the Dambool rest-house, I now felt the benefit of
the arrangement. The horsekeepers could not possibly arrive that night.
We therefore cleaned and fed our own horses, and littered them down with
a good bed of paddy straw; and, that being completed, we turned our
attention to curry and rice.
The next morning at break of day we fed the horses. Old Jack was as
fresh as a daisy. The morning was delightfully cloudy, but free from
rain; and we cantered on to Innamalow, five miles from Dambool. Here we
procured a guide to Minneria; and turning off from the main road into a
narrow jungle path, we rode for twenty miles through dense jungle.
Passing the rock of Sigiri, which was formerly used as a fort by the
ancient inhabitants of the country, we gradually entered better jungle,
and at length we emerged upon the beautiful plains of Minneria. I had
ordered Wallace to pitch the encampment in the exact spot which I had
frequently occupied some years ago. I therefore knew the rendezvous, and
directed my course accordingly.
What a change had taken place!
