chap. vili. RETURN OF LOST DOGS. 187 



and the open character of the country, make the 

 hunting a far more enjoyable sport than it is in Newera 

 Ellia, where the plains are of much smaller extent, and 

 the jungles are frightfully thick. During a trip of 

 two months at the Horton Plains, we killed forty- 

 three elk, exclusive of about ten which the pack ran 

 into and killed by themselves, bringing home the 

 account of their performances in distended stomachs. 

 These occurrences frequently happen when the elk 

 takes away through an impervious country, where a 

 man cannot possibly follow. In such cases the pack 

 is either beaten off, or they pull the elk down and 

 devour it. 



This was exemplified some time ago, when the 

 three best dogs were nearly lost. A doe elk broke 

 cover from a small jungle at the Horton Plains, and, 

 instead of taking across the patinas (plains), she 

 doubled back to an immense pathless jungle, closely 

 followed by three greyhounds— Killbuck, Bran, and 

 Lena. The first dog, who ran beautifully by nose, led 

 the way, and their direction was of course unknown, 

 as the dogs were all mute. Night came, and they had 

 not returned. The next day passed away, but with- 

 out a sign of the missing dogs. I sent natives to 

 search the distant jungles and ravines in all directions. 

 Three days passed away, and I gave up all hope of 

 them. We were sitting at dinner one night, the fire 

 was blazing cheerfully within, but the rain was pour- 



