THE CEYLON ELK 



shortest way now was through the tea clearing, and in five 

 minutes we had entered the jungle again and were making 

 for the bay. 



The question now was how to reach him, as he was sure 

 to be very much on the look-out after his experience, and, 

 moreover, was not hard hit, judging from the way he was 

 going for the hounds. After a short consultation it was 

 arranged that W. should work up to the right so as to get 

 above him, whilst I stayed where I was in case of his break- 

 ing back the way he had come. My excitement was intense 

 as I heard W. cautiously creeping away, and I expected 

 every moment to have the stag on top of me ; it seemed 

 ages that W. was taking to get into his position, and the 

 noise grew deafening, as the dogs, knowing that we had 

 arrived, plucked up courage and went in boldly, only to be 

 driven off again and again. 



I could stand the waiting no longer, and determined to 

 creep up and get a view of the fight. Slowly and cautiously 

 I crept up, foot by foot, on hands and knees, keeping 

 the 12-bore well in front, so as to fire at a moment's notice 

 in the event of a charge. I managed with luck to get 

 up behind a large boulder within a few feet of the arena, 

 and, parting the branches of a stunted keena, I saw the 

 whole of the proceedings. There stood the buck, with 

 the long mane round his neck erect, lips drawn back in 

 a savage grin, and covered with blood from a long gash 

 reaching from his hind quarters to within 3 or 4 inches 

 of his spine where the bullet had grazed him. The 

 ground all around for about 10 yards was ploughed up, 

 and all the young saplings razed to the ground ; the dogs 

 kept in a wide semicircle, rushing in now and then when 

 an opportunity occurred. I now took a cautious look 

 round for W., and presently saw him crawling on his 



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