Lion-Hunt in Hurriana

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Lion-Hunt in Hurriana

 

 

“Lion And Lioness In Their Native Haunts”. Drawn by William Kuhnert. Harmsworth

Natural History: A complete Survey of the Animal Kingdom, Vol I, 1910

A good number of black partridge are still to be found in the preserved grass of

the stud department; the district is still famous for the stoutness of its

hares, and I should think the banks of the Cuggur and the Batty country must

still afford a good sporting tract, and where occasionally a lion may be met

with. There are abundance of wild hogs, and the country is particularly safe for

riding.

 

The first lion hunt I ever was present at was the most beautiful sight I have

witnessed. The party assembled at Hissar, where some of the sporting elephants

of the Marquis of Hasting’s retinue were stationed. A Duffadar’s party of

Skinner’s horse accompanied us . The presence of suwars in lion hunting is very

necessary; the plains being extensive, the animal is liable to be lost after the

first onset unless suwars are at hand to go out on the flanks or to push on

ahead to mark the jungle the lion retires into. In general when a lion is

pursued, he will either endeavour to get away by sneaking off or take to the

open country and there await the attack; the latter a tiger is never known to

do, and I consider it to form the only peculiar difference of the two kinds of

sports. A lion that takes to this open fighting gives by far the most exciting

sport of anything I have seen in tiger hunting and is the most trying for the

elephants.

 

Our party started form Hissar after an early breakfast, and although we had no

particular information, we soon came to a jungle in which it was pretty certain

the animal we were seeking was tenanted, as the whole population of neighbouring

village, large and small, of both sexes, had come out to see the sport, and

anxious to have a good view posted themselves on an open and high spot near the

jungle we were about to beat. Soon after entering the jungle the lion was put up

and fired at; the suwars, perfectly understanding their part, charged out from

both flanks to watch him. To our astonishment the lion made directly for the

villagers; it was impossible for us to give them the least assistance till our

tardy elephants came up when it would have been too late, but two of the

servants behaved nobly, and saved the crowd from the anticipated visit, for the

villagers had already taken to flight and were hard pressed, when the first

suwar rode close up to the lion, whose attention was

immediately attracted and turned round upon him taking fearful springs, and was

just about making a finale of the horse and rider, when the second suwar dashed

in directly between the two; the lion now pursued him, when he reined his horse

up, and waiting for the lion, cut him in the mouth with his sword, while at the

same instant, his horse bounded off at full speed and saved himself from the

return of the compliment.

 

The lion disappointed and foiled in his purpose, retired back to the jungle,

where we followed and killed him at the first volley. He was a young but nearly

full grown male, stood exactly three feet high and was nine feet long; his mane

was nine inches in length; the cut made by the suwar’s tulwar was about three

inches long and two inches deep on his upper lip. The women of the village were

exceedingly anxious to burn the lion’s whiskers, which they did in spite of

every remonstrance; in this part of the country it is done with a view to ensure

connubial happiness, and they also hold it sound doctrine that offerings made to

a male lion propitiates muhadeo in favour of barren women.

 

To the eastward, tigers’ whiskers are carefully burned because they are

considered very poisonous; if a person could contrive to bolt pieces of them cut

into lengths of a quarter of an inch they might irritate the stomach to that

degree so as to cause death, otherwise, there can be no reason to suppose they

are poisonous. The flesh of lions and tigers is esteemed by natives a good

medicine in certain diseases; for this purpose it is dried and made into a

powder, and the fat is very valuable for external applications.

 

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050904/spectrum/main3.htm

 

From Bengal Sporting Magazine

 

(Excerpted from Treasures Of Indian Wildlife)

 

 

 

Dr.Sandeep K.Jain

 

 

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