These occurrences frequently happen when the elk takes away through an impervious country, where a man cannot possibly follow.

In such cases the pack is either beaten off, or they pull the elk down and devour it.
This was exemplified some time ago, when the three best dogs were nearly lost.

A doe elk broke cover from a small jungle at the Horton Plains, and, instead of taking across the patinas (plains), she doubled back to an immense pathless jungle, closely followed by three greyhounds--Killbuck, Bran, and Lena.

The first dog, who ran beautifully by nose, led the way, and their direction was of course unknown, as the dogs were all mute.

Night came, and they had not returned.