Thus the start was completed just as the first tinge of gold spread along the eastern horizon, about ten minutes before sunrise.
The jungles were tolerably good, but there were not as many elk tracks as I had expected; probably the high wind on the ridge had driven them lower down for shelter; accordingly I struck an oblique direction downward, and I was not long before I discovered a fresh track; fresh enough, certainly, as the thick moss which covered the ground showed a distinct path where the animal had been recently feeding.
Every hound had stolen away; even the greyhounds buried their noses in the broad track of the buck, so fresh was the scent; and I waited quietly for "the find." The greyhounds stood round me with their cars cocked and glistening eyes, intently listening for the expected sound.
There they are! all together, such a burst! They must have stolen away mute and have found on the other side the ridge, for they were now coming down at full speed from the very summit of the mountain.
From the amount of music I knew they had a good start, but I had no idea that the buck would stand to such a pack at the very commencement of the hunt.

Nevertheless there was a sudden bay within a few hundred yards of me, and the elk had already turned to fight.

I knew that he was an immense fellow from his track, and I at once saw that he would show fine sport.
Just as I was running through the jungle toward the spot, the bay broke and the buck had evidently gone off straight away, as I heard the pack in full cry rapidly increasing their distance and going off down the mountain.
Sharp following was now the order of the day, and away we went.

The mountain was so steep that it was necessary every now and then to check the momentum of a rapid descent by clinging to the tough saplings.
Sometimes one would give way and a considerable spill would be the consequence.

However, I soon got out on the patina about one-third of the way down the mountain, and here I met one of the natives, who was well posted.