Old Smut's Ruse. 175 



up, and swimming the river they opened upon a hot 

 scent on the opposite bank, and running parallel to 

 the stream they drove the buck out of the jungle, and 

 he came to bay in a rocky part of the river, where 

 the velocity of the torrent swept every dog past him 

 and rendered his position secure. The whole pack was 

 there with the exception of Tiptoe ; we looked for him 

 among the baying hounds in vain. For about twenty 

 minutes the buck kept his impregnable position, when 

 in a foolish moment he forsook it, and dashing along 

 the torrent he took to deep water. The whole pack 

 was after him ; once Merriman got a hold, but was im- 

 mediately beaten off. Valiant, who was behaving 

 nobly and made repeated attempts to seize, was struck 

 beneath the water as often as he advanced. The old 

 veteran Smut was well to the point, and his deep voice 

 was heard loud above the din of the bay ; but he could 

 do nothing. The buck had a firm footing, and was 

 standing shoulder-deep ; rearing to his full height, and, 

 springing at the dogs as they swain toward him, he 

 struck them beneath the water with his fore feet. The 

 bay lasted for half an hour ; at the expiration of this 

 time a sudden thought appeared to strike old Smut : 

 instead of continuing the attack, he swam direct for the 

 shore, leaving the buck still occupied with the baying 

 pack. The elk was standing about fourteen feet from 

 the bank, which was covered with jungle. Presently 

 we saw the cunning old hero Smut creeping like a 

 leopard along the edge of the bank till opposite the 

 elk ; he slowly retreated for a few paces, and the next 

 moment he was seen flying through the air, having 

 made a tremendous spring at the elk's ear. A cloud 

 of spray for an instant concealed the effect. Both dog 



