206 The Rijle and Hound in Ceylon. 



On arrival at the tent, we found Banda and the 



trackers. 



There could not be a better exemplification of a 

 rogue than in this case. A short distance ajDart from 

 the herd he had concealed himself in the jungle, from 

 which position he had witnessed the destruction of his 

 mates. He had not stirred a foot until he saw us 

 totally unprepared, when he instantly seized the op- 

 portunity and dashed out upon me. If I had attempted 

 to run from him, I should have been killed, as he would 

 have struck me in the back ; my only chance was in 

 the course which I pursued — to wait quietly until he 

 was just over me, and then to jump on one side : he 

 thus struck me on the thickest part of the thigh instead 

 of striking me in the stomach, which he must have 

 done had I remained in my first position ; this would 

 have killed me on the spot. 



I passed an uncomfortable night, my leg being very 

 painful and covered with wet bandages of vinegar anil 

 water. The bruise came out from my ankle to my 

 hip ; the skin was broken where the tusk had struck 

 me ; and the blood had started under the skin over a 

 surface of nearly a foot, making the bruise a bright 

 purple, and giving the whole affair a most unpleasant 

 appearance. The next morning I could not move my 

 leg, which felt like a sack of sand, and was perfectly 

 numbed ; however, I kept on a succession of cold lo- 

 tions, and after breakfast I was assisted upon my horse, 

 and we moved the encampment to Nielgalla. On the 

 following day I could just manage to hobble along, my 

 leg being at least double its usual size, and threatening 

 to spoil my sport for the whole trip. 



We were seated at breakfast when a native came in, 



