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A CHACE.
197

in consequence obliged to walk on tiptoes, was commonly called Jingy—I suppose because the tracks that he left were like nothing human, just as the prints of bullocks and of men wearing boots were pronounced by the natives, when seen for the first time, to be " Jingy," i.e. "devil," tracks. No sooner did the dog perceive Jacky than the chace began, and the noise which was made by the lookers-on, in trying to call back the dog, brought us into the garden imagining that nothing less could cause such shouting than the house having taken fire.

Pursued by the dog, Jacky went flying like the wind three times round the outside fence, then made a diversion and took his course up a rising ground; but sugar-beer being bad for training, and Jacky therefore out of condition, the dog gained so much on him here that we held our breath, expecting that a few moments more would end his days miserably. At that instant a girl appeared, who was on her way to fetch water, and carrying two empty buckets on a hoop. She stopped as if in astonishment, waiting for the hunt to come up to her: the kangaroo passed her, the dog only a yard or two behind, when the girl met him, and flinging up her hoop under his jaw, gave poor Jacky time to turn through a little gate and find security in a garden. There he lay crouching until our man, who had done his best to follow in the race, lifted him up in his arms and carried him back in a very winded plight, perfectly knocked up, but able to lap a little beer when he was set down in the kitchen. The poor old native dared not show his face for many a long day after.

But as the winter advanced and the green crops came