Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-02-28
HOW RAMA KILLED
THE ELK
By r. Y. BLACK.

'Ah up the CeytOn mountain, where
the village huts crowded together,
lne little naked children, open
mouthed and wondering, chartered and
admired respectfully around the camp
and in the glow of the camp fire.
About it lay the dores, the masters,
all young men, laughing and hearty,
with short pipes in their teeth. Be
tween their legs, listening gravely,
lolled the veteran hunters, the leaders
OF the pack, the wiry, low-running,
clear-throated beagles. Back in the
shadows, with q proud disregard of the
village and the villagers. tie dogboys
and the horseboys tended their
charges, ate their rice and talked of the
elk of the mountains
There were swift runners to follow
the horses, each with his bright, shin
ing hunting blade secure i'm its sheath.
each in the livery of his master. Some
wore snowy heaGcloths and some caps
of the skin of the panther. Black and
brown were their faces and their lean
limbs, bare from the knee, with feet
impervious to thorn or flint stone
Suddenly from the mountain ridges
there rang cry.
To their feet ieaped the white men;
to their legs jumped the beagles; the
attendants ceased their work and their
chatter; even the naked children for
got their awe and listened. 1t came
again from the GiStance-the bark of a
great bull elk calling for mate.
The hearts of the young men
thrilled; the swarthy heaters and fol-
lowers squatted down again, polishing
with renewed ardor the weapons of the
masters; the dogs whined restlessly in
their leashes, and the pet veterans
licked the masters faces. eager then
and there, by the white moonlight, 10
follow the chase.
"a grand fellow by his bark" said
McNaughton, chief of the hunt He
should give us a run if we can fasten
on his scent tomorrow"
'over Malulla way" said young
Prior, of the bank, that is where, /
judge, and bad country, too
Il believe YOU" said another Look
out for choppers tomorrow, if we have
o run. The place is full of Jungle patch
es and little rocky streams and dry Gull
Ees-lots of jumping"
YEA" said McNaughton, 'and don't
forget that precipice where the Malulla
lake lies. We must head him off from
there, or he's lost to us. A man down
Badulla way, old Merriman, was telling
me OF a hunt years ago where the elk
took the leap, plunged into the lake
and swan safely away"
Then to the well-cleaned huts of the
welf-paid villagers the hunters betook
themselves, aud the attendants rolled
themselves up by the dogs and horses
and silence fell upon the camp.
Rama lay awake and apart from the
other servants-Rama, dogboy and a
swift runner. with proud heart, now
very sore. All the evening he had re-
manned by himself lying in the long
grass, sulienly watching the freight
play on the faces of the masters.
Rama was newcomer to McNaugh-
tons tea estate. Black, with bright
eyes, straight, swife of foot and strong
Tof wrist, McNaughton had soon noticed
and admired him as one athlete adj
mires the sinews of rival. So Rama
did not work in the field long, but
was brought to the kennels and the
stables and trained by the wealthy
master to ride, to shoot and to carry
his masters second gun.
llama was soon longing for a chance
TO show his strength and skill, and 10!
the chance had come, and he was dis
graced. On the setting out of this.
Rama's first elk hunt, misfortune had
befallen him. The masters favorite
horse had strained its shoulder at ex
ercise-and Rama was blamed. Also a
young beagle had strayed and been
lost, and Rama was blamed. More. on
arrival at the camp, the master found
he had forgotten his field glasses, and
again Rama was blamed. The master
had even said that Rama was unworthy
10 follow the chase and must 90 back
10 the lines and work in the field with
the dumb coolies.
Therefore Rama lay in the dew-wet
grass with bitter heart, for he ad-
mired and worshiped the master, and
1t is hard TO be thrust back by those
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