338 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
sambur deer. This is also extracted verbatim from 
my original diary :—• 
“ 1853. March 18.—Stag found on the Mattu- 
ratta Plains at 7 a.m. The dogs took the scent off 
the patina, and ran the elk down to ‘ Rest and be 
thankful’ bottom. Turning sharp up the mountains 
to the left, they went to the devil. After looking 
for the lost dogs in many directions without success, 
I returned to the Matturatta Plains. Crossing the 
river, I entered the beautiful open jungle on the 
opposite side, and strolled on in the hope of hear¬ 
ing something of them ; Bertram, Bran, and Lucifer 
were with me. 
“ It was about 1 p.m., and we had gone several 
miles, when I thought I heard the deep voice of a 
dog at some great distance. We stopped and 
listened. For some time we could hear nothing, 
and thought it must have been only fancy; per¬ 
haps the wind, grinding one bough against another, 
which is so frequently deceptive. 
“ Again we heard it, and there could be no doubt 
that it was a dog; I was almost certain that I 
distinguished another voice; they were at a great 
distance, far away upon our right. 
“After running for about half a mile, I heard 
them distinctly, but I could not make out the exact 
direction, as the elk was still on foot, and the 
position of the bay was continually changing, always 
increasing the distance. 
“At length I came to a sudden standstill, as an 
abrupt precipice of about 500 feet fell sheer down 
