162 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



The bull now laid himself out to rejoin his herd, whose 

 retreat he had so gallantly protected, and we followed as fast 

 as the elephants could get over the ground, and overtook 

 him standing in a field of grass, where he awaited us, and 

 charged fiercely, receiving the contents of four more barrels 

 at close quarters ; nevertheless, he went away strong on his 

 legs, albeit bleeding from a dozen wounds, particularly from 

 those in the ribs, the more forward shots showing as white discs 

 upon his shoulders. I had meanwhile sent for my horse, and 

 mounting as soon as he could be brought up, galloped after the 

 bull, then fully a mile away, going south at a slow canter after 

 the cows, and every now and then pulling up to look around 

 and behind him. The country was quite open, and except 

 for numerous small " nullahs " into which the tide flowed at 

 the springs, presented no obstacles, it having been one of the 

 best for hog-hunting in all Bengal, and famous for its fleet 

 and savage boars. 



No sooner did the bull find himself again pursued by 

 something new with a man on it, than he increased his pace 

 and made for the banks of the Megna on his right, and while 

 I was still a hundred yards in his rear, plunged into it, keep- 

 ing his head down stream and with the ebb tide. I followed 

 slowly at a walk along the bank for a short distance till I 

 met a small boat being towed up-stream, the crew of which 

 received me on board on the promise of a present and a share 

 of the buffalo's flesh, one of them holding my Arab on 

 land. 



The boat, pulling three or four oars, was then turned 

 round towards the bull, which, at a distance of forty or fifty 

 yards from the shore, was swimming strongly, and on per- 

 ceiving that we gained upon him, headed towards the river 

 bank. I was seated on the bow, gun in hand ; the crew, 

 much excited, were shouting and pulling hard, so that we 

 overhauled the chase in a few seconds when close in shore, 

 and, sheering alongside, I fired, striking him on the back of 

 his huge brawny neck, but missing the spine, whereon he 

 turned sharply upon me, and the boatmen, dashing our craft 



