co THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap. in. 



appeared remarkable, nevertheless I felt positive that 

 it had first passed through some portion of the 

 animal. 



Away the bull sped over the plain at unabated 

 speed for about two hundred paces, when he suddenly- 

 turned and charged toward the guns. On he came for 

 about a hundred yards, but evidently slackening his 

 speed at every stride. At length he stopped alto- 

 gether. His mouth was wide open, and I could now 

 distinguish a mass of bloody foam upon his lips and 

 nostrils — the ball had in reality passed through his 

 lungs, and, making its exit from the opposite shoulder, 

 it had even then flown across the lake. This was 

 the proof of the effect of the twelve drachms ot 

 powder. 



Having reloaded, I now advanced towards him, and 

 soon arrived within fifty paces. He was the facsimile 

 of the bull that had chased us on the previous day — 

 the same picture of fury and determination ; and, 

 crouching low, he advanced a few paces, keeping his 

 eyes fixed upon us as though we were already his 

 own. 



A short cough, accompanied by a rush of blood 

 from his mouth, seemed to cause him great uneasi- 

 ness, and he halted. 



Again we advanced till within twenty paces of 

 him. I would not fire, as I saw that he already had 

 enough, and I wished to see how long he could 



