2$S The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon. 



open country, which was full of game, miles behind 

 us, and we were in a close jungle country, where a rifle 

 was not worth a bodkin. It was too annoying. I voted 

 for turning back to the lovely hunting-ground that we 

 had deserted ; but after a long consultation we came to 

 the conclusion that every day was of such importance 

 to V. Baker that we could not afford to retrace a single 

 step. 



Thus all this beautiful country, abounding with every 

 kind of game, was actually passed over without firing a 

 single shot. 



I killed a few couple of snipe in a neighboring swamp 

 to pass the time until the coolies arrived with the bag- 

 gage ; they were not up until four o'clock P.M., there- 

 fore the whole day was wasted, and we were obliged to 

 sleep here. 



Nov. 24. This being Sunday, the guns were at rest. 

 The whole of this country was dense ch^nar jungle ; 

 we therefore pushed on, and, after a ride of fourteen 

 miles, we arrived at the Rhatamahatmeya's residence 

 at Doolana. He insisted upon our taking breakfast 

 with him, and he accordingly commenced his prepara- 

 tions. Borrowing one of our hunting-knives, two of 

 his men gave chase to a kid and cut his head off. 

 Half an hour afterward we were eating it in various 

 forms, all of which were excellent. 



We had thus traveled over forty-four miles of country 

 from Minneria without killing a single head of game. 

 Had we remained a week in the country through which 

 we had passed so rapidly, we must have had most ex- 

 cellent sport. All this was the effect of being hurried 

 for time. 



In the neighborhood of Doolana I had killed many 



