JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE. 103 



say I never saw more long-winded, enduring- fellows 

 in my life, than the mountain population of the island. 



I remember on one occasion being left in rather an 

 awkward predicament with Major Rogers, during one 

 of these deer-coursing expeditions. 



We had started a splendid red deer, and had kept 

 him going for three or four miles, apparently straight 

 ahead, at racing pace, not even the obstacle of a bro- 

 ken bough intervening in our path to slacken our 

 speed; when R , with his better experienced eye, 

 perceived that the deer was about to make a turn off 

 to the right, and, by way of "jockeying" me, he also 

 made an echellon movement in the same direction ; 

 to complete which, however, to perfection, he had to 

 pass beneath the branches of a large forest-tree. 



Unfortunately, he miscalculated their height. 



Still at a splitting gallop, he neared the lowest 

 branches ; there was no time for pulling up ; so throw- 

 ing himself flat along the neck of his horse (the only 

 chance he had of escape), onwards he went. 



I could see the horse, as he sprang under, dip to 

 the utmost of his power, as if aware of the emergency; 

 and, at the same moment, the lowest branch, which 

 was about the thickness of my body, shaving R, 's 

 hunting-cap, by the eighth of an inch, caught him 

 across the shoulders just below the nape of the neck, 

 as he lay along the horse's mane, and brought horse 

 and rider to the ground with a fearful, stunning 

 crash ! 



