The Nillho. 229 



was seen alternately rearing from the water with the 

 dogs hanging upon him in all directions, then strug- 

 gling in a confused mass nearly beneath the surface of 

 the stream. He was a brave fellow, and had fought 

 nobly, but there was no hope for him, and we put an 

 end to the fight with the hunting-knife. 



It was past four o'clock P.M., and he had been found 

 at seven A.M., but the conclusion fully repaid us for the 

 day's work. The actual distance run by the buck was 

 not above eight miles, but we had gone about twenty 

 during the day, the greater portion of which was over 

 most fatiguing ground. 



On an open country an elk would never be caught 

 without grayhounds until he had run fifteen or twenty 

 miles. The dense jungles fatigue him as be ploughs 

 his way through them, and thus forms a path for the 

 dogs behind him. How he can move in some of these 

 jungles is an enigma ; a horse would break his legs, 

 and, in fact, could not stir in places through which an 

 elk passes in full gallop. 



The principal underwood in the mountain districts 

 of Ceylon is the " nillho." This is a perfectly straight 

 stem, from twelve to twenty feet in length, and about 

 an inch and a half in diameter, having no branches ex- 

 cept a few small arms at the top, which are covered 

 with large leaves. This plant, in proportion to its 

 size, grows as close as corn in a field, and forms a 

 dense jungle most difficult to penetrate. When the 

 jungles are in this state, the elk is at a disadvantage, 

 as the immense exertion required to break his way 

 through this mass soon fatigues him, and forces him to 

 come to bay. 



Every seven years this " nillho" blossoms. The jun- 

 20 



