w, the buck exerting his utmost stride,
and the greyhounds stretching out till their briskets nearly touched the
ground; Killbuck leading with tremendous bounds, and Lena about a length
behind him.

By degrees the beautiful spring of the greyhounds appeared to tell, and
the distance between them and the buck gradually decreased, although
both deer and dogs flew along with undiminished speed. The plain was
nearly crossed, and the opposite jungle lay within 200 yards of them. To
gain this, the buck redoubled his exertions; the greyhounds knew as well
as he did, that it was his chance of escape, and with equal efforts
they pressed upon him. Not fifty paces now separated the buck from the
jungle, and with prodigious bounds he sped along; he neared it; he won
it! the yielding branches crashed before him, but the dogs were at his
haunches as the jungle closed over them and concealed the chase.

I was soon up; and upon entering the jungle, I could neither hear nor
see anything of them, but, by following up the track, I found them about
fifty yards from the entrance of the bush. The buck was standing on the
sandy bed of a dry stream, endeavouring in vain to free himself, while
the greyhounds pinned his nose to the ground, each hanging upon his
ears. The knife finished him immediately. There never was a more
exciting course; it had been nobly run by both the dogs, and well
contested by the buck, who was a splendid fellow and in fine condition.

On my way to the tent I wounded a doe at full speed, which Lena followed
singly and pulled down, thus securing our coolies a good supply of
venison. The flesh of the spotted deer is more like mutton than English
venison, and is excellent eating; it would be still better if the
climate would allow of its being kept for a few days.

There is no sport in Ceylon, in my opinion, that is equal to
deer-coursing, but the great difficulty attending it, is the lack of
good greyhounds. The spotted buck (or axis) is an animal of immense
power and courage; and although most greyhounds would course him, very
few would have sufficient courage and strength to hold him, unless
slipped two brace at a time, which would immediately spoil the sport.
A brace of greyhounds to one buck is fair play, and a good strong horse
will generally keep them in view. In two weeks' coursing in the Park, we
killed seventeen deer with three greyhounds; at the expiration of which
time, the dogs were so footsore and wounded