CHAP. XI. BRAN WOUNDED, 267 



came to bay in a deep pool in the river. Regardless 

 of his wound, old Bran followed him ; Smut and the 

 other dogs joined, and there was a fine bay, the buck 

 fighting like a hero. The dogs could not touch him, 

 as he was particularly active with his antlers. 



I jumped into the water and gave them a cheer, on 

 which the buck answered immediately by charging at 

 me. I met him with the point of my hunting-knife in 

 the nose, which stopped him, and in the same moment 

 old Smut was hanging on his ear, having pinned him 

 the instant that I had occupied his attention. Bran 

 had the other ear just as I had given him the fatal 

 thrust. In a few seconds the struggle was over. 

 Bran's wound was four inches wide and seven inches 

 long. 



My brother had a pretty run with the doe with the 

 other half of the pack, and we returned home by eight 

 A.M., having killed two elk. 



Daybreak is the proper time to be upon the ground 

 for elk-hunting. At this hour they have only just re- 

 tired to the jungle after their night's wandering on the 

 patinas, and the hounds take up a fresh scent, and save 

 the huntsman the trouble of entering the jungle. At 

 a later hour the elk have retired so far into the jungle 

 that much time is lost in finding them, and they are 

 not so likely to break cover as when they are just on 

 the edge of the forest. I had overslept myself one 

 morning when I ought to have been particularly early, 



