48 The Rijle and Hound in Ceylon. 



Running round the borders of the creek as fast as I 

 could, I arrived at the opposite side on his intended 

 landing-place just as his black form reared from the 

 deep water and gained the shallows, into which I had 

 waded knee-deep to meet him. I now experienced 

 that pleasure as he stood sullenly eyeing me within 

 fifteen paces. Poor stupid fellow ! I would willingly, 

 in my ignorance, have betted ten to one upon the shot, 

 so certain was I of his death in another instant. 



I took a quick but steady aim at his chest, at the 

 point of connection with the throat. The smoke of the 

 barrel passed to one side ; there he stood he had not 

 flinched ; he literally had not moved a muscle. The 

 only change that had taken place was in his eye ; this, 

 which had hitherto been merely sullen, was now beam- 

 ing with fury ; but his form was as motionless as a 

 statue. A stream of blood poured from a wound 

 within an inch of the spot at which I had aimed ; had 

 it not been for this fact, I should not have believed him 

 struck. 



Annoyed at the failure of the shot, I tried him with 

 the left-hand barrel at the same hole. The report of 

 the gun echoed over the lake, but there he stood as 

 though he bore a charmed life ; an increased flow of 

 blood from the wound and additional lustre in his eye 

 were the only signs of his being struck. 



I was now unloaded, and had not a single ball re- 

 maining. It was now his turn. I dared not turn to 

 retreat, as I knew he would immediately charge, and 

 we stared each other out of countenance. 



With a short grunt he suddenly sprung forward, but 

 fortunately, as I did not move, he halted : he had, how- 

 ever, decreased his distance, and we now gazed at each 



