A Jungle Trip. 251 



gle before we were out. Wortley and I then strolled 

 along the edge of the jungle, hoping to find him again 

 in some of the numerous nooks which the plain formed 

 by running up the forest. We had walked quietly 

 along for about half a mile, when we crossed an abrupt 

 rocky promontory, which stretched from the jungle into 

 the lake like a ruined pier. On the other side the lake 

 formed a small bay, shaded by the forest, which was 

 separated from the water's edge by a gentle slope of 

 turf about fifty yards in width. This bay was a shel- 

 tered spot, and as we crossed the rocky promontory, 

 the noise that we made over the loose stones in turn- 

 ing the corner, disturbed a herd of six deer, five of 

 whom dashed into the jungle ; the sixth stopped for a 

 moment at the edge of the forest to take a parting look 

 at us. He was the buck of the herd, and carried a 

 noble pair of antlers ; he was about a hundred and 

 twenty yards from us, and I took a quick shot at -him 

 with one of the No. 10 rifles. The brushwood closed 

 over him as he bounded into the jungle, but an ominous 

 crack sounded back from the ball, which made me think 

 he was hit. At this moment Palliser and V. Baker 

 came running up, thinking that we had found the ele- 

 phant. 



The buck was standing upon some snow-white quartz 

 rocks when I fired, and upon an examination of the 

 spot, frothy patches of blood showed that he was struck 

 through the lungs. Men are bloodthirsty animals, for 

 nothing can exceed the pleasure, after making a long 

 shot, of finding the blood track on the spot when the 

 animal is gone. We soon tracked him up, and found 

 him lying dead in the jungle within twenty yards of the 

 spot. This buck was the first head of game we had 



