I
Tracked A Herd Of Deer Into A Large Detached Piece Of Cover, And,
Sending The Beaters Round To The Opposite Side, I Posted Myself With The
Greyhounds In The Slips Behind A Clump Of Trees, Upon A Small Plain Of
Low, Soft Grass.
The noise of the beaters approached nearer and nearer, and presently two
splendid bucks with beautiful antlers rushed from the jungle about two
hundred yards from me, and scudded over the plain.
I slipped the
greyhounds, and away they went in full fly, bounding over the soft turf
in grand style.
Mounting old Jack, who was standing at my elbow, and giving him the
spur, I rode after them. It was a splendid course; the two bucks
separated, Bran and Lena taking after one, and Killbuck following the
other in his usual dashing manner. Away they went with wonderful speed,
the bucks constantly doubling to throw the dogs out; but Killbuck never
overshot his game, and as the buck doubled, he was round after him in
fine style. I now followed him, leaving Bran and Lena to do their best,
and at a killing pace we crossed the plain--through a narrow belt of
trees, down a stony hollow, over another plain, through a small jungle,
on entering which Killbuck was within a few yards of the buck's
haunches.
Now, old Jack is as fond of the sport as I am, and he kept up the chase
in good style; but just as we were flying through some high lemon grass,
a fallen tree, which was concealed beneath, tripped up the horse's fore
legs, and in an instant he was on his nose, turning a complete
somersault. I was pitched some yards, and upon instinctively mounting
again, the sparks were dancing in my eyes for some seconds before I
recovered myself, as we continued the chase with unabated speed.
We pressed along up some rising ground, having lost sight of the game;
and as we reached the top of the hill I looked around and saw the buck
at bay about a hundred paces from me, upon fine level ground, fighting
face to face with the dog, who sprang boldly at his head. That buck was
a noble fellow; he rushed at the dog, and they met like knights in a
tournament; but it was murderous work; he received the reckless hound
upon his sharp antlers and bored him to the ground. In another instant
Killbuck had recovered himself, and he again came in full fly at the
buck's face with wonderful courage; again the buck rushed forward to
meet him, and once more the pointed antlers pinned the dog, and the
buck, following up his charge, rolled him over and over for some yards.
By this time I had galloped up, and I was within a few feet of the buck,
when he suddenly sprang round with the evident intention of charging the
horse. In the same moment Killbuck seized the opportunity, and the buck
plunged violently upon the ground, with the staunch dog hanging upon his
throat.
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