2i6 A Sporting Tour in Norzvay. [Sess. 



special mission being to explore the suitability of the island 

 as sporting-ground. Being from home, the guide did not turn 

 up till the following afternoon, when we at once started for 

 the hills. Though shooting was out of the question, I asked 

 our courier to carry my rifle, as I thought it possible with a 

 lean to try a shot off my left shoulder. After walking about 

 an hour and a half, the hunter — " Donald " I called him — 

 informed the courier that he saw a deer. Getting my tele- 

 scope drawn out for me, I leant it over a rock, and saw a 

 splendid stag lying about 400 yards off, the cups on the tops 

 of his antlers indicating a " royal" I at once forgot all about 

 my shoulder, and became " eager for the fray." I never saw 

 any one in such a state of excitement as the courier ; so order- 

 ing him to sit down and not to move till he heard the shot, 

 I started with " Donald " for the scene of action, and had no 

 difficulty in getting behind a small rock within 130 yards of 

 his majesty. " Donald " loaded the rifle for me, and signalled 

 me to shoot. I shook my head, and by signs indicated that 

 I would wait till the stag rose and began to feed. He took 

 in the situation, whispering " Ja, ja," and nodding, assent. We 

 sat down with our backs against the rock, and " Donald," putting 

 about a finger-length of tobacco into his mouth, began dili- 

 gently to chew. Looking to where we had first spied the 

 deer, what did I see but the black turban of the courier over 

 the light-coloured rock, moving up and down, and finally bob- 

 bing out of sight ! I sprang to my feet and looked for the 

 stag, but he was gone. I, however, got sight of him a little 

 farther off, taking what I thought a last look at the movements 

 of the black cap on the rock. I threw up the rifle, hurriedly 

 aimed as I best could, and fired, but without any apparent 

 result other than making the stag scuttle off at a rapid pace. 

 The courier came running forward in a state of great excite- 

 ment, shouting in half English, half Norwegian, denouncing 

 me for having " missed ze buck." It will scarcely be credited, 

 but I kept my temper. I did not even indulge in the unpar- 

 liamentary language that crowded to my lips. I merely sug- 

 gested that, as the day was far spent, we had better go home. 

 My reputation as a sportsman was on the wane, for had I not 

 missed a stag within 150 yards, and lost a salmon under the 

 gaze of a hundred eyes ? Determined, however, to retrieve my 



