MATING 69 



picture, but then I also wanted to see how it would end. 

 Decision had to be made quickly, as the fight might stop 

 at any moment, and I decided to try for the picture. It 

 would be exceedingly difficult to use a camera under the 

 conditions. Not only was there much scrub which would 

 prove a serious obstacle — as you cannot photograph through 

 bushes — but the herd of does and stags was scattered 

 around three sides of me. If they detected the slightest move 

 my chances would promptly end, it may therefore be easily 

 understood that my position was an exceedingly difficult 

 one. The first thing to do was to find my friend the big 

 white doe ; she proved to be in a clump of firs about 

 seventy yards away, so that I was fairly safe from her prying 

 eyes ; then the immediate vicinity had to be examined in 

 order that I might know where each animal was and be able 

 to keep my eye on them all, moving only when all heads 

 were down or turned away. This may sound easy enough, 

 but I found my two eyes woefully inadequate, and it was 

 only with the greatest difficulty that I managed to move a 

 few inches at a time without being discovered by my nearest 

 neighbours, some of which were not more than ten or 

 twelve yards away. How different from the stalking 

 required for shooting ! From where I crouched, both of 

 the stags could have been killed by even a poor shot, while 

 practically speaking, the camera could not be used without 

 a complete change of position. Immediately I began to 

 move on hands and knees, a young stag that had been 

 hidden by a small clump of bushes appeared so suddenly 

 that I was caught as I was about to clamber over a fallen 

 tree. Fortunately, I saw the stag at exactly the same 

 moment that he saw me, so I remained immovable with one 

 foot raised. In this very uncomfortable position did I 

 remain " frozen " while I was duly examined by the 



