chm- xi. A LONG RUN WITH A BUCK. 257 



we listened among the deep hollows on the other side, 

 but again we were disappointed ; the sound of the tor- 

 rents was all that we could hear. 



Descending again to the plain, we procured some 

 breakfast at a friend's house, and we started for the 

 Matturatta Plains. These plains are about three or 

 four miles from the barracks ; and I had a faint hope 

 that the buck might have crossed over the mountain, 

 and descended into this part of the country to a river 

 which flows through the patinas. We now mounted 

 our horses, having been on foot all the morning. It 

 was three o'clock P.M., and, with little hope of finding 

 the dogs, we rode along the path towards the Mattu- 

 ratta Plains. 



We had just entered the forest, when we met a 

 young hound returning along the path with a wound 

 from a buck's horn in the shoulder. There was now 

 no doubt of the direction, and we galloped along the 

 path towards the plains as hard as we could go. About 

 half way to the plains, to my joy 1 saw an immense 

 buck's track in the path going in the same direction ; 

 the toes were spread wide apart, showing the pace at 

 which he had been going ; and there were dogs' tracks 

 following him, all as fresh as could be. This was a 

 gladdening sight after a hard day's work, and we gave 

 a random cheer to encourage any dogs that might be 

 within hearing, rattling our horses over the ground at 

 their best speed. 



