128 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON, chap, vl 



could not get to him ; but most likely it was in the 

 spine, as so small a portion of his body was above 

 water. 



I passed nearly the whole day in practising at long 

 ranges ; but with no very satisfactory effect ; several 

 buffaloes badly wounded had reached the jungle, and 

 my shoulder was so sore from the recoil of the heavy 

 rifle during several days' shooting with the large 

 charge of powder, that I was obliged to reduce the 

 charge to six drachms and give up the long shots. 



It was late in the afternoon, and the heat of the 

 day had been intense. I was very hungry, not having 

 breakfasted, and I made up my mind to return to the 

 tent, which was now some eight miles distant. I was 

 riding over the plain on my way home, when I saw a 

 fine bull spring from a swampy hollow and gallop off. 

 Putting spurs to my horse, I was soon after him, 

 carrying the four-ounce rifle ; and, upon seeing himself 

 pursued, he took shelter in a low but dry hollow, 

 which was a mass of lofty bulrush and coarse tangled 

 grass, rising about ten feet high in an impervious mass. 

 This had been a pool in the wet weather, but was now 

 dried up, and was nothing but a bed of sedges and 

 high rushes. I could see nothing of the bull, although I 

 knew he was in it. The hollow was in the centre of a 

 wide plain, so I knew that the buffalo could not have 

 passed out without my seeing him, and my gun- 

 bearers having come up, I made them pelt the rushes 



