42 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap. hi. 



ing himself in an instant, he retreated on three legs to 



the water. 



We now received assistance from an unexpected 



quarter. One of the large bulls, his companions, 



i 



charged after him with great fury, and soon overtaking 

 the wounded beast, he struck him full in the side, 

 throwing him over with a great shock on the muddy 

 border of the lake. Here the wounded animal lay 

 unable to rise, and his conqueror commenced a slow 

 retreat across the plain. 



Leaving B. to extinguish the wounded buffalo, I 

 gave chase to the retreating bull. At an easy canter 

 he would gain a hundred paces, and then, turning, he 

 would face me ; throwing his nose up, and turning his 

 head to one side with a short grunt, he would advance 

 quickly for a few paces, and then again retreat as I 

 continued to approach. 



In this manner he led me a chase of about a mile 

 along the banks of the lake, but he appeared deter- 

 mined not to bring the fight to an issue at close 

 quarters. Cursing his cowardice, I fired a long shot 

 at him, and reloading my last spare ball I continued 

 the chase, led on by ignorance and excitement. 



The lake in one part stretched in a narrow creek 

 into the plain, and the bull now directed his course 

 into the angle formed by this turn. I thought that I 

 had him in a corner, and, redoubling my exertions, I 

 gained upon him considerably. He retreated slowly 



