JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE. 101 



we do all this, you must mount your Arab, and join 

 me in a rattling scurry after the spotted deer over the 

 same plains on which we killed our elephants in the 

 last chapter ; and also add all your little available in 

 the way of lungs in making the Pusilarva hills resound 

 with a louder echo to our " tantivy " as we view the 

 stubborn old hog -deer chevying away before a pack 

 of English foxhounds then, having sent a ball 

 through the brain of a buffalo intent on your de- 

 struction, we will leave this locality of the island to 

 the next comers ; and, changing the scene, 



We'll dive where the gardens of coral lie darkling ; 



that is to say, we won't dive in propriis personis, but 

 whilst the Malabar professionals execute that part of 

 the business, we will be found ready to relieve them 

 of their pearly spoils the moment they pop their heads 

 out of water. 



Deer coursing is a sport very little pursued in Cey- 

 lon, being, I suppose, voted " tame," after elephant 

 shooting ; still, in its way, it is a most exciting and 

 pleasurable pastime, and, at all events, affords scope 

 for a ride at racing pace over an uninterrupted plain. 



Major R , the celebrated elephant shot mentioned 



in my last chapter, was particularly fond of this amuse- 



would make a pun would pick a pocket?" Don't you vote 



it a most illiberal 



Compounding for sins he was inclined to, 

 By damning those he had no mind to? 



