Chap. VIII. CHINESE DOGS— DEER-HUNT. 



153 



and a wounded animal rarely gets away from them. 

 They are clever beaters, when taught as these dogs 

 were, and at all events make noise enough. They are 

 not, however, to be compared for a moment with our 

 English dogs. 



In a few minutes after the beating began, a deer 

 was seen bounding over the brushwood across the side 

 of the hill. One of the dogs pursued it, and all eyes 

 were turned to the place, watching the point where it 

 was likely to emerge from the coppice. At last it 

 came within the range of our sportsmen's guns. Mr. 

 Wills and a Chinaman both fired at the same instant. 

 One of the shots broke the animal's hind leg, and the 

 dogs soon hunted him down. Coppice after coppice 

 was afterwards beat in the same manner with varied 

 success, and when evening came we had no reason to 

 be dissatisfied with our day's sport. 



Returning to our boat, weary and ravenously 

 hungry, we enjoyed our dinner, fought our battles 

 o'er again, and enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep. 

 Next morning I rose early, and walked across the 

 hills to the ancient temple of Tein-tung, a distance of 

 five or six miles. When I reached the top of the 

 first pass, where there is a small temple and a ruined 

 pagoda, the view was grand indeed. Behind me lay 

 the wide valley of Ning-po, watered by a network of 

 rivers and canals, and exceedingly fertile. Before me 

 lay a quiet and lovely valley, bounded apparently on 

 all sides by hills. Rice was growing in the valley, 

 and patches of tea were seen dotted on the lower 

 sides of the hills ; but all above this was in a state of 

 nature, untouched by the hand of man. 



