176 The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 



and buck were for a few moments beneath the water; 

 when they reappeared, the old dog was hanging on 

 nis ear. Merriman at once had him by the other ear ; 

 and one after another the seizers had him. In vain he 

 tried to drown them off by diving ; as his head again 

 rose above the surface the dogs were at their places : 

 his struggles were useless, and the knife finished him. 



We now searched the jungle for Tiptoe's body, ex- 

 pecting to find him dead where we had last seen him 

 enter the jungle. Upon reaching the spot we found him 

 lying down with his bowels in a heap by his side ; the 

 quantity would have filled a hat. The hole in his side 

 was made by a blow from the buck's hoof, and not 

 being more than two inches in length strangulation had 

 taken place, and I could not return the bowels. The 

 dog was still alive, though very faint. Fortunately we 

 had a smalL-bladed knife, with which I carefully en- 

 larged the aperture, and, having cleaned the bowels 

 from the dirt and dead leaves which had adhered to 

 them, I succeeded in returning them, although I ex- 

 pected the dog's death every instant. Taking off my 

 neck-tie, I made a pad, with which I secured the aper- 

 ture, and bound him tightly round with a handkerchief. 

 Making a sling with a couple of jackets upon a pole, 

 we. placed the dog carefully within it and carried him 

 home. By dressing the wound every day with mar- 

 gosse oil, and keeping the pad and bandage in the 

 place, to my astonishment the dog recovered, and he is 

 now as well as ever he was, with the exception of the 

 loss of one eye, which was knocked out by the horn of 

 an elk on another occasion. 



The margosse oil that I have mentioned is a most 

 Valuable balsam for wounds, having a peculiar smell, 



