A Morning's Deer-coursing. 179 



It was in the cool hour of sunrise, when the dew lay 

 thickly upon the grass, and the foliage glistened with 

 the first beams of morning, that we stalked over the ex- 

 tensive plains with Killbuck and Lena in the slips in 

 search of deer. Several herds winded us at a distance 

 of half a mile, and immediately bounded away, render- 

 ing pursuit impossible ; and we determined not to slip 

 the dogs unless they had a fair start, as one run in this 

 climate was quite work enough for a morning. After 

 several disappointments in stalking, we at length dis- 

 covered a noble buck standing, alone by the edge of a 

 narrow belt of jungle ; the instant that he observed us, 

 he stepped proudly into .the cover. This being open 

 forest, my brother took the grayhounds in at the spot 

 where the deer had entered, while I ran round to the 

 opposite side of the cover, and took my position upon 

 an extensive lawn of fine grass about half a mile in 

 width. 



I had not remained a minute at my post before I 

 heard a crash in the jungle, as though an elephant wei-e 

 charging through, and in another instant a splendid 

 buck burst upon the plain at full speed, and away he 

 flew over the level lawn, with the brace of grayhounds 

 laying out about fifty paces behind him. Here was a 

 fair trial of speed over a perfect bowling-green, .and 

 away they flew, the buck exerting his utmost stride, 

 and the grayhounds stretching out till their briskets 

 touched the ground ; Killbuck leading with tremendous 

 bounds, and Lena about a length behind him. 



By degrees the beautiful spring of the grayhounds 

 appeared to tell, and the distance between them and 

 the buck gradually decreased, although both deer and 

 dogs flew along with undiminished speed. The plain 



