arrival he finds the scent of a monkey or a cat instead of his
legitimate game. An old hound soon marks the inexperienced voice of
the babbler, and after the cry of "wolf" has been again repeated,
nothing will induce him to join the false finder.

Again, it is exceedingly interesting to observe the quickness of all
hounds in acknowledging their leader. Only let them catch the sound of
old "Bluebeard's" voice, and see the dash with which they rush through
the jungle to join him. They know the old fellows note is true to an
elk or hog, and, with implicit confidence in his "find," they never
hesitate to join.

There are numerous obstacles to the breaking and training of dogs of
all kinds in such a country. A hound when once in the jungle is his
own master. He obeys the sound of the halloo or the born, or not, as
he thinks proper. It is impossible to correct him, as he is out of
sight.

Now, the very fact of having one or two first-rate finders in a pack,
will very likely be the cause of spoiling the other hounds. After
repeated experience their instinct soon shows them that, no matter how
the whole pack may individually hunt, the "find" will be achieved by
one of the first-rate hounds, and gradually they give up hunting and
take to listening for the opening note of the favorite. Of course in
an open country they would be kept to their work by the whip, but at
Newera Ellia this is impossible. This accounts for the extreme paucity
of first-rate "finders."

Hunting in a wild country is a far more difficult task for hounds than
the ordinary chase at home. Wherever a country is cultivated it must be
enclosed. Thus, should a flock of sheep have thrown the hounds out by
crossing the scent, a cast round the fences must soon hit it off again
if the fox has left the field. But in elk-hunting it is scarcely
possible to assist the hounds; a dozen different animals, or even a
disturbed elk, may cross the scent in parts of the jungle where the cry
of the hounds is even out of hearing. Again, an elk has a constant
habit of running or swimming down a river, his instinct prompting him
to drown his own scent, and thus throw off his pursuers. Here is a
trial for the hounds!--the elk has waded or swum down the stream, and
the baffled pack arrive upon the bank; their cheering music has ceased;
the elk has kept the water for perhaps a quarter of a mile, or he may
have landed several times during that distance and again have taken