XXV 
THE SAME UR 
339 
before me, forming a terminus to the wooded 
country of this portion of Ceylon, and affording a 
view of some 50 miles’ distance of undulating plains, 
several thousand feet below. 
“ The precipice formed a horseshoe, like an 
amphitheatre of 2 or 3 miles in width; at the 
base was an undulating patina divided by strips of 
jungle, which ran like ribbons from the main forest 
on the mountain top, and gradually terminated in 
stupendous ravines; these led down from the base 
of the amphitheatre, and yawned in wide gaps 
above the lower country. 
“In one of these narrow strips of jungle, at the 
foot of the precipice far away upon the right, I 
heard the whole pack at bay, but not being able to 
descend, I was obliged to run along the top of the 
cliff for about a mile before I could discover a way 
below. This I at length did, and the greyhounds 
immediately dashed off across the patina to join 
the bay. In a couple of minutes I arrived, and 
found the stag standing at bay in a deep gully of 
a small wooded ravine. 
“ A shallow stream flowed through the gully, and 
being a torrent in the rainy season, it had bored a 
deep gap in the high bank, which formed a sudden 
angle in its course. 
“In this gap, with his hind-quarters half concealed 
by this little fort, the stag now stood secure from 
attack, as no dog could possibly get either on his 
side or behind him; there was no advance except 
direct at his face. He was a determined fighter; 
