第66章

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.I, jumped off my horse, and the buck fell dead by a thrust with the knife behind the shoulder.

I now examined the dog; he was wounded in several places, but as he bled but little, I hoped that his apparent exhaustion arose more from the fatigue of the fight than from any severe injury.

At this time Bran and Lena came up; they had lost their deer in some high lemon grass, but they also were both wounded by the buck's horns.Inow put Killbuck and Lena together in the slips, and with the buck, carried upon cross-poles by six men, I rode towards the tent.I had not proceeded far when the man who was leading the greyhounds behind my horse suddenly cried out, and on turning round I saw Killbuck lying on the ground.I was at his side in a moment, and I released his neck from the slips.It was too late; his languid head fell heavily upon the earth; he gave me one parting look, and after a few faint gasps he was gone.

I could hardly believe he was dead.Taking off my cap, I ran to a little stream and brought some water, which I threw in his face; but his teeth were set, his eyes were glazed, and the best and truest dog that was ever born was dead.Poor Killbuck! he had died like a hero, and though Igrieved over him, I could not have wished him a more glorious death.

I was obliged to open him to discover the real injury.I had little thought that the knife which had so often come to his assistance was destined to so sad a task.His lungs were pierced through by the deer's horns in two places, and he had died of sudden suffocation by internal haemorrhage.A large hollow tree grew close to the spot; in this Iburied him.The stag's antlers now hang in the hall, a melancholy but glorious memento of poor Killbuck.

In a few days my leg had so much improved that I could again use it without much inconvenience; I therefore determined to pay the cave a visit, as I felt convinced that elephants would be more numerous in that neighbourhood.We started in the cool of the afternoon, as the distance was not more than eight miles from our encampment.We had proceeded about half-way, and our horses were picking their way with difficulty over some rocky hills, when we came upon fresh tracks of a herd of elephants.It was too late to go after them that evening; we therefore pitched the tent upon the spot, resolving to track them up at daybreak on the following morning.

We were accordingly out before sunrise, and came upon the tracks within a mile of the tent.We at length discovered the herd upon the summit of a steep rocky hill.There were no trees in this part, and we carefully ascended the hill, stepping from rock to rock and occasionally concealing ourselves in the high grass, till we at length stood at the very feet of the elephants, two of whom were standing upon a large platform of rock, about seven feet above us.They were so high above us that I was obliged to aim about four inches down the trunk, so that the ball should reach the brain in an upward direction; this shot proved successful, and killed him.V., who had not taken this precaution, missed; and the whole herd of eight elephants started off in full retreat.