ABOUT Twelve Months Elapsed Without My Pulling A Trigger.
I had
contented myself with elk-hunting in Newera Ellia and the vicinity, but
in November, 1850, the greyhounds were again in their palanquin, and, ac
companied by my brother V., I was once more in the saddle on my
steady-going old horse Jack, en route for the Park.
It was 5 P.M. on a cool and lovely evening that we halted, and unsaddled
in this beautiful country. Our tents and coolies were far behind, our
horse-keepers were our only attendants, and we fixed upon a spot as the
most eligible site for the tents. A large open park lay before us,
interspersed with trees, and clumps of forest. A clear stream flowed
from some low rocky hills upon our right, and several detached masses of
rock lay scattered irregularly here and there, like the ruins of an old
castle. Large trees grew from the crevices of these rocks, and beneath
their shade we turned our horses loose to graze upon a soft sweet grass,
with which this part of the Park is covered. We had the greyhounds with
us, and a single rifle, but no other guns, as the servants were far
behind. Having given directions to the horse-keepers to point out the
spot for the tents on the arrival of the people, we took a stroll with
the greyhounds to get a deer, as we depended upon this chance for our
dinner.
Just as we were starting, we noticed two large elephants feeding on the
rocky hills within a quarter of a mile of us; but having no guns up,
with the exception of one rifle, we were obliged to postpone the attack,
and, cautioning the horse-keepers to observe silence lest the game
should be alarmed, we left the elephants to their meal, while we struck
off in another direction with the greyhounds.
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