25S The RiJJc a?td Hound in Ceylon. 



open country, which was full of game, miles behind 

 us, and we were in a close jungle country, where a rifle 

 was not worth a bodkin. It was too annoying. I voted 

 for turning back to the lovely hunting-ground that we 

 had deserted ; but after a long consultation we came to 

 the conclusion that every day was of such importance 

 to V. Baker that we could not afford to retrace a single 

 step. 



Thus all this beautiful country, abounding with every 

 kind of game, was actually passed over without firing a 

 single shot. 



I killed a few couple of snipe in a neighboring swamp 

 to pass the time until the coolies arrived with the bag- 

 gage ; they were not up until four o'clock p.m., there- 

 fore the whole day was wasted, and we were obliged to 

 sleep here. 



Nov. 24. — This being Sunday, the guns were at rest. 

 The whole of this country was dense ch6nar jungle ; 

 we therefore pushed on, and, after a ride of fourteen 

 miles, we arrived at the Rhatamahatmcya's residence 

 at Doolana. He insisted upon our taking breakfast 

 with him, and he accordingly commenced his prepara- 

 tions. Borrowing one of our hunting-knives, two of 

 his men gave chase to a kid and cut his head off. 

 Half an hour afterward we were eating it in various 

 forms, all of which were excellent. 



We had thus traveled over forty-four miles of country 

 from Minneria without killing a single head of game. 

 Had we remained a week in the country through which 

 we had passed so rapidly, we must have had most ex- 

 cellent sport. All this was the effect of being hurried 

 for time. 



In the neighborhood of Doolana I had killed many 



