SOME PAGES FROM A BROTHER’S DIARY
During his eighteen years’ residence in Ceylon, until his death, October
6, 1865, John Randolph Gordon Cumming kept regular diaries full of most
interesting notes on natural history and sport, as were also his
numerous letters to the old home. By some lamentable accident, the whole
of these have been lost or destroyed, with the exception of a few pages
of an early journal and half-a-dozen letters—by no means the most
interesting, being chiefly on business. Nevertheless, as no word from
his pen has ever been published, I here quote a few passages from these,
to show how worthily he filled his place as one of the race of Nimrods—
the brothers who were all born sportsmen.
‘_July 6th, 1848._—_Batticaloa._—On the 4th inst. I slept at
Terricoil, where there is a large temple. On the following morning I
met five Moormen, one of whom told me that a leopard had entered their
village the night before, and had so alarmed his bullocks, which were
confined in a kraal close to his house, that they broke loose and ran
away in all directions. Next morning he found one of the finest killed
and partly devoured in the centre of a large plain across which I
would have to pass. I rode on, and found his words verified. On
examining the ground, I saw that there had evidently been a desperate
struggle, the chetah[141] having twice thrown the bullock ere he
killed him.
-----
Footnote 141:
_Felis jubata._
-----
‘My first consideration was how best to conceal myself for a shot at
the spoiler, in case he should return to feast on his prey. This was
no easy matter, on account of the nature of the ground. Fortunately
there was one small bush within thirty yards of the spot; this I
enlarged with the help of some fresh branches from the neighbouring
jungle, forming a very natural-looking crescent, which would
effectually conceal several men when once fairly settled down in it.
‘I then sent for some villagers to drag the bullock within range of my
ambuscade. The moon being in her first quarter and very hazy, I was
obliged to take a very near shot, and, to the horror of the Moormen,
made them place it within nine yards of the bush, exactly between me
and the nearest point of the jungle.
‘A few minutes before sunset I took my seat, in company with three
other men who were anxious to see the sport. We expected that,
according to custom, the chetah would make his appearance immediately
after dark, and we were not disappointed. Half-an-hour after we were
fairly settled, the sudden retreat of a number of wild hogs and
jackals warned us of his approach, and a few minutes after I could
just discern him through the darkness, crawling up stealthily with his
belly to the earth, like an enormous cat.
‘The light was so bad that I did not dare to fire. After licking the
flesh two or three times, he retreated out of sight in the darkness;
presently he returned, but unfortunately got the wind of us, and after
growling most savagely for ten minutes, vanished for the night—so at
least I was told by one of the men, an old hand, who added that if he
did return, he would examine our hiding-place carefully. So there was
nothing for it but to depart in disgust. Returning to the spot the
following morning, I found that the chetah had returned, and polished
off the best part of the carcase, not, however, before making a
careful survey of the bush, as the tracks proved.
‘As there was still a chance of his coming back the following night, I
determined to take it and fire on him at any risk, whether the light
were good or bad. I had, however, a long day before me, and spent it
examining different holes and dens of bears and chetahs in the forest,
without success, although several of them bore marks of very recent
visits from both parties. Came on a small herd of elephants, and shot
two, right and left.
‘At sunset I again retreated to my hiding-place in company with my
former attendants, my hunter and two Moormen. On our arrival at the
ground, we found it already occupied by upwards of thirty pariah or
village dogs, and as they set us completely at defiance, we allowed
them to feast at their leisure. They went on very quietly for some
time, till a herd of wild hog, including three large boars, came
forward, determined to dispute the field with them. A most exciting
scene followed, the dogs ranged on one side of the carcase and the
pigs on the other, neither party daring to put a nose on the meat.
Every now and then a boar made a rush forward, only to be driven back
in double-quick time by the dogs.
‘Suddenly the scene changed; the dogs beating a hasty retreat and the
pigs moving off to a respectful distance, again warned me of the
approach of my game. A few minutes afterwards I discovered him
crawling up in the darkness. The moon was cloudy, but I had determined
to fire upon him at any risk; so the moment his nose touched the
carcase, I did so. The report was followed by most fearful roars and
growling, but the smoke coming back in my face prevented me from
seeing the actual result. On turning round to spring out of the bush
to take a second shot, I found that my attendants had fled, taking
with them my spare gun and pistol!
‘The smoke having dispersed, I saw that the chetah was gone, but my
followers coming up a few minutes afterwards, consoled me by telling
me that he was mortally wounded, otherwise he would have sprung
forward, and that we would find him the following morning within a
short distance of the place. This proved to be the case. Returning at
dawn, we found him stiff and cold within two hundred yards of the
spot. He turned out to be a full-grown male; the ball, entering the
neck a little behind the ear, had passed through the whole length of
the body.
‘Returning home, I found that a bullock had been killed by two chetahs
the night before. I tracked and shot one of them, a fine male.’
‘_October 10th, 1848._—Crossed the lake to Nathany. Proceeded to
Narvalgennie, and went out bear-shooting with hunting-buffaloes. Shot
one bear mortally, but did not bag him owing to the darkness. I found
him sitting at the side of a small tank in the middle of an old chena
farm; we immediately tacked up towards him with the buffaloes, but
owing to the nature of the ground we could not get within thirty
yards, so at that distance we lay down to watch his actions.
‘The bear, apparently wondering what we were about, approached to
within twenty yards of us, and then sat down. The buffaloes began to
snort and toss up their heads. I took a hasty shot at his head and
missed, the light being bad. As he continued to advance sideways, I
fired my second barrel, aiming behind his shoulder. The ball told
well, as he rolled heels over head, roaring and groaning. (Poor
brute!)
‘Before a second gun could be put into my hands, he had disappeared in
the darkness, and I saw him no more. On the bear’s giving vent to his
feelings, the men lost all restraint over the buffaloes; they tore up
to the spot, apparently bent upon annihilating the unfortunate brute,
and were as much disgusted at his escape as I was myself.’
‘_October 14th, 1848.—Charvelacaddi, near Batticaloa._—Two nights ago,
just before sunset, a leopard knocked over a buffalo beside the
jungle, in an old chena close to the village above named. The herd, on
hearing the noise made by their unfortunate companion, dashed up to
the spot in a body, doubtless hoping to polish off the cat by goring
him with their horns. He finding himself hard pressed, first sprang up
into a tree, but as the buffaloes continued to butt it and plough up
the ground around it, he made a bound over their heads and dashed into
the jungle.
‘The chetah had broken the neck of the buffalo, but apparently had not
tasted blood, for he did not return that night to his feast. Next
evening, however, passing that way on his rounds, he carried the
carcase into the thick jungle and devoured about one-half. I lay in
wait for him next day, but he did not return. The meat was evidently
too gamey for his taste, as, instead of eating it limb by limb,
according to custom, he had only selected the daintiest bits. This, I
find, is a sure sign that a leopard will not return to his quarry.’
‘_November 29th, 1848._—A farmer in this neighbourhood sent a herd of
goats to feed on a small peninsula. A chetah getting wind of them,
swam over from the mainland, and laid himself up for the day in a
small patch of jungle. The herdsman having discovered him, reported
the matter to his master, who immediately collected a party with guns
and spears in order to dislodge the enemy. They hastened to the spot,
taking the herdsman as their guide.
‘The poor fellow, being more bold than prudent, went up to the
chetah’s place of ambush, and while he was in the act of pointing out
the direction of its head, the brute sprang upon his shoulder, sending
him heels over head into the shallow water. The man regained his legs,
and staggered forward a few paces, the chetah still holding on, and
then both rolled over into the deep water.
‘The cat not relishing the cold bath, let go his hold and bolted back
into the jungle. The other men, on going up to their companion, found
his back much cut and torn, and in their anxiety to convey him home
and have his wounds dressed, they forgot all about the leopard, who
took advantage of their absence to leave the peninsula.
‘That same evening a chetah having killed a bullock at Kalarr, two men
tied a seat in a tree and lay in wait to shoot him. On the enemy
making his appearance a little after nightfall, they fired at him,
whereupon he bolted into the jungle. The following morning, on
examining the place, they found drops of blood, and followed up the
trail, which led them into the middle of a thick rattan jungle. While
they were busily engaged in examining the ground, the chetah sprang
upon one man, and with one stroke of his paw knocked out his left eye,
at the same time taking off one half of his nose. He then disappeared.
‘This morning the coolies killed a rock-snake fifteen feet long. His
body was all scarred by the protrusion of the horns and bones of
different animals which the reptile had swallowed in the course of his
lifetime. These snakes are rarely seen by day, but come out at night
in search of prey, and seize any animal they can, even a deer. Coiling
round him, they crush him, lick him into a shape convenient for
swallowing whole, and eventually disgorge his bones.’
‘_December 10th._—Rather a curious thing happened the other day. A
leopard struck down a young buffalo,[142] and while dragging it off to
thick jungle was attacked by the mother. The poor beast, in her zeal
to defend her calf, missed the cat and stuck her horns several times
through her own calf, the leopard meanwhile disappearing into the
jungle, doubtless with the intention of returning to feast at leisure
after dark.
-----
Footnote 142:
The Ceylon buffalo is a large, clumsily-built, very strong animal,
with black, shining, leathery skin, and scarcely any hair. It
carries its head horizontally, nose forward, so that its large,
ribbed, heavy horns bend backwards, resting on the shoulders, and it
makes good use of them both for defence and to attack man or beast,
so it is by no means an enemy to be despised by man or leopard.
-----
‘Another chetah having struck down a buffalo, the herd, hearing the
noise, dashed up to the spot. The cat finding himself hard pressed,
bolted up a tree. Some labourers who were at work in a neighbouring
paddy-field saw the commotion among the cattle and ran to the spot. As
soon as the chetah found their eyes fixed upon him, he bounded over
their heads and bolted into the thicket.’
‘_December 15th, 1848._—I went last week to Karativoe, and the headman
of Pantroup, a neighbouring village, sent me word that a chetah had
killed a buffalo there the previous night. I ordered my horse and rode
off post-haste, but did not reach the spot till an hour before sunset.
I found the carcase, which was that of an old bull, half-way between
the village and the sea.
‘The soil being light and sandy, and rain having fallen on the
previous night, I had a famous opportunity of observing the manner in
which the leopard had waylaid and secured his prey. So distinct indeed
were the tracks, that I could almost fancy I saw the monster taking
the spring. They had met on a jungle path; the buffalo, of course
unconscious of danger, had approached at a steady pace, stopping
occasionally to crop the herbage. The chetah, on the other hand,
having winded his game from a distance, had crawled along,
_ventre-à-terre_, trying the stunted bushes on either side of the
path, till at length he got himself comfortably lodged in the middle
of a low thick bush commanding an angle of the path.
‘Thence he had sprung, and I could actually see the marks of his tail
lashing the sand preparatory to so doing. The buffalo on receiving the
shock had staggered forward a few paces and then fallen heavily to the
ground. He was unable to regain his feet, and the struggle had
evidently been a desperate one, the ground being literally ploughed up
and branches of a large size broken.
‘The chetah having only sucked the blood of his victim, I knew from
former experience that he would return early in the night to make a
meal, and as the day was so far advanced, I had little time to form
plans or take precautions in self-defence, and the jungle was so low
that I could only fire at him from the ground. Hastily shaping out a
seat in the middle of a bush within twelve yards of the carcase, I
made a screen all round with live branches, which would effectually
conceal me and at the same time look quite natural to the eye. I then
loaded my guns, and ensconced myself with my attendant in the bush.
‘Just as the sun was setting, we heard a distant snorting like that of
a horse, only rougher. The sound approached nearer and nearer, and a
minute afterwards the head and shoulders of the magnificent brute
appeared through an opening in the jungle, within thirty yards of us.
Although I had judged from his track and the strength of the buffalo
he had laid low that he was one of unusual size, I was quite
unprepared for such a grand sight; in truth, he reminded me of a
diminutive prize-ox at a cattle-show—such a breadth of chest and
shoulder.
‘I took aim several times, but judging from the immense size of his
limbs and muscles how little effect a ball could have unless it struck
a vital part, I reserved my fire for a more convenient season. He
continued sitting in sight, snorting for more than five minutes, and
then turned round, and with a growl disappeared in the jungle.
‘The sun had by this time gone down, and we lay for fully two hours
without either hearing or seeing anything of the enemy. We watched the
rise of the lovely full moon and the proceedings of a pack of jackals
which had been prowling about when we first came to the ground. These
became emboldened by the long absence of the chetah, and began to
approach the carcase, keeping a good lookout, however, in the
direction from which they expected he would come. Every now and then
one of them would summon up pluck to give a tug at the buffalo,
letting go his hold again as quickly as if it were hot iron, and then
running off to a distance, would sit down nervously.
‘At length we heard distant growling, which, of course, put us on the
alert. As for the jackals, they disappeared in a twinkling. The
growling grew louder and louder, till at length the very air seemed to
shake, and presently the head and shoulders reappeared at the same
place as before. Then the beautiful beast sat in silence for more than
half an hour in all the dignity of leisure, as if wishing to make sure
that the coast was clear. Then, apparently suspecting danger, though
he could not possibly have winded us, he rose and recommenced growling
as if in defiance. After standing thus for several minutes, he turned
round and disappeared.
‘We listened to his growling till at length the sound was fairly lost
in the distance. The mosquitos had feasted upon me so long and
earnestly that I had grown callous to their attentions, and I was so
weary that I was just dropping off to sleep, when my attendant
silently touched my shoulder. Listening intently, I again heard the
sweet melody, although at a great distance and in an opposite
direction from that in which we had last heard it.
‘This time he appeared to have made up his mind, as immediately on
arriving at the opening he walked up to within a few paces of the
carcase and sat down. All on a sudden it apparently occurred to him
that it would be as well to reconnoitre the neighbourhood once more
before commencing supper, for he rose and walked forward a few paces
in the direction of our hiding-place.
‘I saw that there was no time to be lost, so, quickly screwing up my
nerves for a steady shot, I allowed him to advance within nine yards
or so. As good luck would have it, he swerved a little to the right,
thus affording me the opportunity of giving him a very favourite ball.
I fired. With one terrific roar he bounded into the jungle to the
right of us.
‘His voice had such an effect on my attendant that he made a desperate
attempt to bolt past me out of the bush. I, however, seized him by the
wrist and held him fast, apparently much to his horror and disgust. I
find that remaining quiet at such a moment is of the utmost
importance, as in the event of the cat discovering his enemy, he will
spring upon him to a certainty.
‘After remaining quiet for ten minutes listening, so as to be sure
that he was either dead or had crawled away into the jungle, we got
out and walked home. At daybreak we returned in company with a
numerous retinue, and were at no loss to find the trail, as,
independent of the tracks upon the light soil, blood-stains were not
wanting. These continued for about thirty yards and then ceased. That
was easily accounted for, as he had then evidently sat down and licked
his wounds.
‘After following the trail a little further, we lost it in thick
jungle. There the natives drew back, and no offer could tempt them to
proceed. I made a long and vain search single-handed, but was obliged
to give it up for the moment as a bad job. Feeling certain, however,
from various circumstances, that he could not have crawled far, I
offered a reward of two rupees to any one who would bring me his head.
This step had the desired effect, as, on the third morning after, a
man came to my bungalow and demanded payment, as he had found the cat.
‘I rode off with him to the spot, being anxious to see the noble
brute, and also how the ball had taken effect. To my surprise, he had
hardly gone 250 yards from the scene of action, and was lying in an
old chena by the side of a dense jungle. The poor animal had evidently
survived the shot some time, as he lay in a crouching attitude, as if
preparatory to making a spring. He was a full-grown male, and measured
upwards of eight feet seven inches from nose to tail. The ball had
entered the left shoulder and passed out below the ribs on the left
side.
‘The headman of the village told me that 200l. would not cover the
damage this leopard had done by the slaughter of cattle in that and
the neighbouring villages.’
Here ends the only fragment I possess of my brother’s diary.
From a small packet of letters I give the following extracts:—
‘_July 27th, 1852.—Kandy._—I came up to the Kandyan country ten days
ago upon business. It is a great relief to have one’s nerves braced up
after the fearful heat of the low country. I have had a few day’s
elk-hunting with a friend, and enjoyed myself very much. It is one of
the noblest and at the same time the hardest sport I know. We run down
the deer with fox-hounds, which gives us a run on foot of eight or ten
miles over mountains and rocks, through rugged glens and along
precipices. Deer-stalking in Scotland is comparatively tame work.’
‘1857.—_Batticaloa._—Christmas alone in the backwoods is not a
cheerful season, so I was glad to seek a little excitement in the
jungle. Had I chosen to stick to elephants, I could easily have made a
large bag (of their tails), but I prefer variety, and to get that, one
has to go to work quietly. As it was, I killed four elephants, eight
buffaloes, two elk, six leopards, and a considerable number of deer
and pigs; of these I only kill what I require for feeding my men.
‘While out, two of my friends from Kandy joined me. They stuck to
elephants, and killed four, one of which was a small tusker. Shipton
nearly came to grief; he was knocked over by an elephant, which
afterwards walked over his body, but got confused, and fortunately
left him. Two months ago, a native, under almost similar
circumstances, was taken up by the elephant in his trunk, and
deliberately pounded to death between the brute’s knees.
‘I was very sorry to hear of poor Bill being hugged by a bear and
getting his wrist chawed up;[143] but it is well it was not worse, as
these horrid creatures invariably try to get at your face. In my night
excursions, generally in the early morning, when they are on the prowl
in search of prey, I have had some extraordinary escapes, especially
on one occasion, when, just as the brute flew at me open-mouthed, I
sent a ball down its throat. The Ceylon bears are enormously strong
and very savage, often attacking men without provocation. Sometimes
they drop on natives from trees and lacerate them frightfully.
-----
Footnote 143:
See ‘Wild Men and Wild Beasts.’ By Colonel William Gordon Cumming.
Published by David Douglas, Edinburgh.
-----
‘They are omnivorous, eating fruit, roots, and honey, supplemented by
ants, which give a formic acid relish, but they are always ready for
raw meat if they can get it.
‘They are very jealous of human poachers on their preserves of wild
honey, and often attack natives while honey-hunting in the forests.
‘Several accidents happened while I was out last. One poor fellow,
whom I saw on my way out, was killed before my return by a bear, which
literally tore him to pieces, and yet the poor wretch lived for ten
days afterwards. He was in a fearful condition: his right eye was
gouged out, and the side-bone of the face torn away—features could
scarcely be distinguished; his arms and legs were also frightfully
mangled.
‘Another man had his stomach torn out by a buffalo, and died
immediately. Another was killed by a crocodile, which caught him while
fishing in a tank. He was rescued, but died in the course of the
night. During the same time I heard of four deaths from snakebite. So,
you see, a sportsman in this country has to keep a good look-out; but
I find endless delight in watching beasts, birds, reptiles, and nature
in general.
‘It was the season for birds’ nests, and my men feasted freely on the
eggs of pea-fowl and many sorts of water-fowl. I myself robbed a lot
of pelicans’ nests, just for the fun of the thing, but the eggs were
rather strong for my taste. It is so absurd of these large birds to
build their nests in trees, and their nests are small in proportion to
the size of the bird.
‘While passing through a low, swampy jungle I came on a crocodile’s
mound, and the proprietrix, a very large one, was lying quietly on
guard. I gave her an elephant ball, which blew her brains away, and
she never moved a muscle. With a good deal of trouble, we dug out the
eggs from the centre of the mound, and then smashed them. There were
fifty-eight in all. A crocodile lays from fifty to a hundred eggs,
very much resembling those of a common goose. Fancy all these horrors
coming to years of discretion!
‘Another day I passed two very fine specimens of rock-snake, from
fifteen to eighteen feet long. I could easily have secured them, but
left them undisturbed.
‘I kill a considerable number of crocodiles by the aid of a hook
baited with raw meat and attached to a strong rope made of a great
number of small cords so loosely twisted as to get between the teeth
of the brute, who is thus unable to bite them. A wooden float attached
to the line indicates the whereabouts of the too-confiding crocodile
who has swallowed the bait. I draw the float gently ashore, and with
it the head of the poor reptile, when a well-directed shot aimed at
the back of the neck breaks the spine and secures an easy victim.’
‘_January 1863._—_Batticaloa._—This is our monsoon or wet season.
Fancy that for nineteen days we have had no _tappal_—that is, post—
from Colombo on account of the low country being flooded, and at the
same time our port is closed, so we are effectually cut off from
communication with the world. Speaking of post, delightful as it is to
receive letters from home, you really must all remember to have your
letters weighed, as I have sometimes had to pay as much as six
shillings for a single letter, and that’s no joke in these hard
times.’
‘_April 1863._—The last two months have been, as usual, most
oppressive, owing to the reflection of the sun and drying up of the
waters after the monsoon. However, vegetation is at its fullest, and
all nature rejoices. Birds of all sorts are busy building and rearing
their young. It is commonly said that tropical songsters are inferior
to those of Europe. I find, on the contrary, that some of the birds
here are the most powerful and melodious I have ever heard. But as
regards human beings, the only time when a white man can have any
enjoyment of life, is the first hour of the morning and the last at
night, the glare and heat of the intervening hours being
insufferable.’
‘_July 1863._—I often wonder how you would relish a week of such
weather as we have at present. During May, June, and July our hot
winds prevail, the blasts of which are just such as you might imagine
coming from the lower regions. At this moment it is blowing in full
force, apparently, as one would think, carrying desolation and
destruction along with it. I can tell you that a man leading an almost
solitary life in such a sultry and exhausting climate has to “make an
effort” to keep body and soul together. I occasionally go out
shooting, but it is more for the sake of exercise and excitement than
real pleasure, such is the effect of an unnatural temperature upon the
constitution.
‘I went out about a fortnight ago and killed various troublesome
beasts, amongst others five very large elephants, all with single
shots. I also bagged a very large crocodile with baited hook and line.
‘Some people seem to imagine that the life of a cocoa-nut planter must
be a very easy one. That certainly is not the case if you happen to be
settled in a part of the country where wild animals abound, and where,
for want of sufficient timber to make fences, you are obliged to be
constantly on the alert to protect your property.
‘I generally rise at 4.30 A.M. and take a saunter in the jungle,
watching the habits of any animals or birds I may see. Returning to
coffee, I start my men at 6 A.M. to their various duties. Meanwhile a
watcher has gone all round the estates, and reports any damage done by
buffaloes, wild-hog, or porcupines. When he has anything to report I
go to inspect, and if buffaloes have broken in we summon a village
headman, who values the damage done and fines the owners accordingly.
Sometimes these buffaloes are savage and knock the men down right and
left. When the same animals return too often we shoot them.
‘Wild-hog are the worst enemies we have to contend with. Those which
enter the estates are generally the large single boars, and as they
are ferocious to a degree, especially when surrounded, we run
considerable risk in effecting their destruction. You can fancy what
their strength must be when one rip is sufficient to cut open a horse
or a bullock.
‘I have had so many dogs cut to pieces that I have given up keeping
them, and in general I now shoot as many boars as I can. Some,
however, are such cunning old hands that they only come on dark
nights, and go away again before morning. For these we prepare
pitfalls filled with sharp stakes. This causes a very horrible death.
‘A curious thing happened lately. A large boar had been giving much
trouble. Two pitfalls were prepared at low parts of the fence where he
was in the habit of jumping over. A porcupine fell into one and got
staked, but he slipped in so quietly as not to disarrange the branches
and grass placed over the top. In the course of the night the boar
fell into the other trap, and although badly staked he managed to get
out; but while seeking for a hole in the fence by which to get out he
fell into the other pit on to the porcupine, and must have attacked it
furiously, for his mouth and nose were all transfixed with quills.
After all, he managed to get out of the pit, and in the morning we
found him at some distance lying in a bush, too weak to charge. The
poor creature’s tongue and throat were literally riddled with quills.
‘It was very horrible, and I much prefer shooting them when it is
possible. I lately shot five large ones in one morning. The natives
are always glad to get pig’s flesh, though Europeans generally object
to it, as the wild pigs are filthy feeders, and feast on putrid
carrion quite as readily as on young cocoa-palms (so that their
trespassing on the latter is inexcusable). They even gobble up the
enormous earth-worms, which are as large as small snakes.
‘As a matter of sport, pig-hunting in this island is a very different
thing from Indian pig-sticking, which is all done on horseback by men
carrying spears. Here the sportsmen follow on foot, and the only
weapon in use is a long, sharp hunting-knife. Young boars and sows go
about in large herds of perhaps a couple of hundred, but the old
patriarchs prefer wandering about independently.
‘Porcupines also do serious damage on a cocoa-palm plantation, as they
have a special weakness for the heart of young palms; and there is no
keeping them out, as they gnaw their way through fences or burrow
under walls in the most determined manner. They can be tamed, but are
troublesome and mischievous pets.
‘At 11 A.M. I return to breakfast, and the men do likewise, resuming
work at 1. If possible I remain indoors till 3 P.M., when I go out
again till sunset at about 6.30.
‘Then, unless there is any night shooting to be done, I am glad to get
to bed early, and so take refuge inside the nets to escape the
mosquitos and other playful insects. At the present moment I can
hardly see my paper for eye-flies.’
I think there are few sportsmen who will not share my regret that
these meagre notes are all that remain to record the experience and
observation of one who landed in the Isle while it was still a true
paradise for sportsmen—when the multitude of wild animals was as
described by Sir James Emerson Tennant—when there were no game-laws,
no need of licences, only a grateful people, not, like the villagers
of to-day, provided with rifles, powder, and shot, but ready to bless
the white man, who freed them from the incursions of dangerous foes
and provided them with abundant food, in the form of wild pigs and
sundry kinds of deer. For his own camp fare there was a most
appetising variety of birds, jungle and pea fowl, red-legged
partridges, plover, and pigeons, quails, parroquets, fine fat
wild-ducks, snipe, cranes—in short, ample materials for savoury stews
and roasts; and of these also we occasionally received amusing
notices, as, for instance, when one day he had shot a lovely
rose-tinted marabout stork that he might send me its feathers, and its
body had furnished an excellent stew. After dinner his servant
remarked that fish must surely be very scarce this season. On his
asking ‘Why?’ the reply came, ‘Because in cleaning that bird for
master’s dinner I found a large rat inside of it!’ Now, even in the
jungle, that was not a very pleasant suggestion!
Besides all the animals that can be classed as game, that quiet
observer of nature found a never-failing delight in studying the
habits of all manner of creatures which a mere hunter would pass
unnoticed, or probably destroy as vermin. My brother’s delight lay in
taming many such, and his rough-and-ready bungalow was not only
adorned with all manner of trophies of the chase, but also was the
home of a most singular variety of pets of all sorts—his companions in
many a lonely hour.