Page 141 - Arabian Studies (II)

Hunting Techniques and Practices in the Arabian Peninsula 133

(madih), when the poet says, for example, my she-camel is like an
oryx, and then he goes on to describe it, then the oryx must triumph
in the hunt which follows.8 s The fact, therefore, that the odds seem
heavily weighted in favour of the oryx means simply that the eulogy
is the most common type of this early poetry which depicts oryx
hunting. Again this does not detract from the value of the poems;
they contain vivid descriptions of the battle between hunters and
hunted.
The poems86 then provide us with a picture something on the
following lines. The hunter (or hunters) is armed with bow and
arrows.8 7 He is accompanied by his salukis — clearly in hunting the
oryx, the more the better.88 The hounds wear collars89 and are
trained especially for the task,9 0 alike in appearance and invariably
hungry and very lean; this makes them all the more eager for the
chase91 and their long muzzles and necks stretch forward, their tails
carried high, covering the ground with their long strides.92 Some
already show the scars of previous encounters.9 3 The oryx, when
sighted, is not slow off the mark and the hounds are compelled to
pursue at top speed.94 Hearing them close behind, however, the oryx
changes tactics and turns to face them, lashing out with the horns,
though often trapped and seized by the hocks and the tail.9 5 The
end result would seem to depend upon the speed with which the
hunter arrives on the scene to despatch the oryx.9 6 The latter may
well, however, escape, but would in either case leave behind heavy
casualties among the hounds, some dead and the majority injured
and bleeding.9 7 The main role of the hound, therefore, was to force
the oryx to stop and face them as quickly as possible, so that the
hunter could use his bow and arrows. It must have been a hunt costly
in hounds, though clearly the prize was considered worth the death
and injuries. The remark in the Bayzarah9 8 that the oryx was hunted
only by the biggest and strongest hounds was surely no under­
statement!

Glossary of technical hunting terms9 9
BATE v.i. yikfakh
A hawk bates when it tries to fly off the fist or block,
but is held by its jesses (s.v.).
BIND v.t. yilhag
Clutch and hold the quarry in the air. See YARAK
below.
BIRD OF PREY Those birds of prey trained for the hunt are generally
termed tyur (sing, ter) in coll. Arabic. In Najd,
however, sugur (sing, sagr) is sometimes used in the
same sense. See SAKER below.