24 THE WILD REINDEER OF NORWAY. 



making a successful stalk. We cautiously crept up 

 the brow of the hill, and on raising my head inch 

 by inch, on arriving near the top, I had the satis- 

 faction of seeing five deer lying down on a patch of 

 snow about 600 yards off. 



They had evidently neither seen nor smelt us, as 

 the wind was favourable, but were in a most difficult 

 position, as there was a perpendicular cliff behind 

 them, and if we had attempted to descend the slope 

 we should have been in full view. The herd con- 

 sisted of a fine full-grown stag, with massive, wide- 

 spreading antlers, a younger male, apparently about 

 four years old, and three hinds. The stags lay still 

 contentedly chewing the cud, but one or other of 

 the hinds got up every now and then and walked 

 round the group in a restless manner, snuffing the 

 air, and evidently keeping a sharp look-out for any 

 approaching danger. We lay concealed for some 

 time behind a large boulder, attentively examining 

 the ground and trying to find out some means of 

 approaching within shot. At last we noticed some 

 broken rocks to the right of the deer that we thought 

 might be reached by making a considerable detour, 

 and under the shelter of which we might crawl up 

 within shot. 



Down we crept as cautiously as possible, taking 

 care to place our feet so as not to allow pebbles to 

 roll down, and above all to prevent the rifle barrels 



