DEER-SHOOTING. 281 



and at a planters' ball there are normally about twelve 

 dancing men to each lady, without bringing over half- 

 a-dozen more. 



A few days before the dance I met the particular 

 young planter to whose hospitable roof I was 

 assigned for the occasion. We were both driving in 

 different directions, and he only shouted without 

 pulling up : " Bring your guns on Wednesday." I 

 had not the least idea what the sport was likely to be, 

 but put a variety of cartridges in my box. 



The ball was as cheery as most planters' dances 

 are, and it was long after daylight before we broke up. 

 It was evident that we shouldn't do any shooting that 

 day, in fact, the sun was low when we assembled for a 

 very late tiffin. Our exercise was confined to a stroll 

 through the coffee, and it was not till after dinner that 

 our host informed us of his plans for the next day. 



" The elk (sambur) have been playing the deuce 

 in my guinea-grass field lately, and there must be a 

 lot of them about. My coolies say they generally lie 

 in the bigflatana* at the other end of the estate. So 

 I propose we have a lot of the coolies out and drive it 

 to-morrow. We ought to get several." 



I need hardly say the rest of us another planter, 

 a brother officer, and myself gladly assented. I 

 was sorry he had not been more explicit before, as I 

 should have brought a rifle instead of a gun. 



It was with an effort that we kept awake long 



* Patanas are large natural grass plains, which are interspersed 

 throughout the virgin forest which covers the mountains of Ceylon, 

 or rather did cover them till the coffee-planter appeared on the scene. 



