132 The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 



the jungle, in the direction taken by my friend. My 

 rifle was still unloaded when a spotted doe bounded 

 out of the jungle, followed by a white pariah dog in 

 full chase. Who would have dreamt of meeting with 

 & dog at this distance from a village (about four miles) ? 

 1 whistled to the- dog, and to my surprise he came to 

 me, the deer having left him out of sight in a few 

 seconds. He was a knowing-looking brute, and was 

 evidently out hunting on his own account. Just at this 

 moment my friend called to me that he had wounded 

 a buck, and that he had found the blood-track. I picked 

 a blade of grass from the spot which was tinged with 

 blood ; and holding it to the dog's nose, he eagerly fol- 

 lowed me to the track, upon which I dropped it. He 

 went off in a moment ; but, running mute, I was 

 obliged to follow ; and after a chase of a quarter of a 

 mile I lost sight of him. In following up the foot- 

 track of the wounded deer, I heard the distant barking 

 of the dog, by which I knew that he had brought the 

 buck to bay, and I was soon at the spot. The buck 

 had taken up a position in a small glade, and was 

 charging the dog furiously ; but the pariah was too know- 

 ing to court the danger, and kept well out of the way. I 

 shot the buck, and, tying a piece of jungle-rope to the 

 dog's neck, gave him to a gun-bearer to lead, as I 

 hoped he might be again useful in hunting up a 

 wourTded deer. 



I had not proceeded more than half a mile, when we 

 arrived at the edge of a small sluggish stream, covered 

 in most places with rushes and water-lilies. We forded 

 this about hip-deep, but the gun-bearer who had the 

 dog could not prevail upon x our mute companion 

 to follow ; he pulled violently back and shrinked, 



