172 The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 





the hunting-knife and dogs, are the only available wea- 

 pons. The largest that I ever killed wejghed four hun- 

 dredweight. I was out hunting accompanied by my 

 youngest brother. We had walked through several 

 jungles without success, but on entering a thick jungle 

 in the Elk Plains, we immediately noticed the fresh 

 ploughings of an immense boar. In a few minutes we 

 heard the pack at bay without a run, and, shortly after, 

 a slow running bay there was no mistake as to our 

 game. He disdained to run, and, after walking before 

 the pack for about three minutes, he stood to a deter- 

 mined bay. The jungle was frightfully thick, and we 

 hastily tore our way through the tangled underwood 

 toward the spot. We had two stanch dogs by our side, 

 Lucifer and Lena, and when within twenty paces of 

 the bay we gave them a holloa on. Away they dashed 

 to the invisible place of conflict, and we almost im- 

 mediately heard the fierce grunting and roaring of the 

 boar. We knew that they had him, and scrambled 

 through the jungle as fast as we could toward the field 

 of battle. There was a fight! the underwood was 

 leveled, and the boar rushed to and fro with Smut, 

 Bran, Lena and Lucifer, all upon him. Yoick to 

 him ! and some of the most daring of the maddened 

 pack went in. The next instant we were upon him 

 mingled with a confused mass of hounds, and throwing 

 our whole weight upon the boar, we gave him repeated 

 thrusts, apparently to little purpose. Round came his 

 head and gleaming tusks to the attack of his fresh ene- 

 mies, but old Smut held him by the nose, and, although 

 the bright tusks were immediately buried in his throat, 

 the stanch old dog kept his hold. Away went the boar 

 covered by a mass of dogs, and bearing the greater part 



