Every Hound Was At Fault, Except Two, Who Were Close At
His Heels, And Being Very Fast They Never Lost Sight Of Him.
These two
dogs were Merriman and Tiptoe; and having followed the whole pack to
their track, we soon heard them in full cry on the top of the high hills
which overlook the river; they were coming down the hill-side at full
speed towards the Black Pool.
Hiding behind the trees lest we should
head the buck, who we now heard crashing towards us through the jungle,
we suddenly caught a glimpse of his dun hide as he bounded past us, and
splashed into the river. A few seconds after, and Tiptoe, the leading
hound, came rushing on his track, but to our horror HE WAS DRAGGING HIS
ENTRAILS AFTER HIM. The excitement of the chase recognised no pain, and
the plucky animal actually plunged into the river, and in spite of his
mangled state, he swam across, and disappeared in the jungle on the
opposite side, upon the track which the elk had taken. The pack now
closed up; swimming the river, they opened upon a hot scent on the
opposite bank, and running parallel to the stream, they drove the buck
out of the jungle, and he came to bay on a rocky part of the river,
where the velocity of the torrent swept every dog past him and rendered
his position secure. The whole pack was there with the exception of
Tiptoe; we looked for him among the baying hounds in vain. For about
twenty minutes the buck kept his impregnable position, when in a foolish
moment he forsook it, and dashing along the torrent, he took to deep
water. The whole pack was after him; once Merriman got a hold, but was
immediately beaten off. Valiant, who was behaving nobly, and made
repeated attempts to seize, was struck beneath the water as often as he
advanced. The old veteran Smut was well to the point, and his deep voice
was heard loud above the din of the bay; but he could do nothing. The
buck had a firm footing, and was standing shoulder-deep; rearing to his
full height, and springing at the dogs as they swam towards him, he
struck them beneath the water with his fore feet. The bay lasted for
half an hour; at the expiration of this time, a sudden thought appeared
to strike old Smut; instead of continuing the attack, he swam direct for
the shore, leaving the buck still occupied with the baying pack. The elk
was standing about fourteen feet from the bank, which was covered with
jungle. Presently we saw the cunning old hero Smut creeping like a
leopard along the edge of the bank till opposite the elk; he slowly
retreated for a few paces, and the next moment he was seen flying
through the air, having made a tremendous spring at the elk's ear. A
cloud of spray for an instant concealed the effect.
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