MY FIRST STAG 



One more shot ; and, without a struggle, he falls 

 dead! 



My first bullet had hit him low down in the 

 chest ; and the second had gone through his 

 shoulder, though too high to do much damage. 

 Still it was an extraordinary example of the vitality 

 of wild animals that, with those two wounds, he 

 should not only keep on his legs so long, but 

 actually clear a five-foot fence ! 



He was an odd twelve-pointer I tried in vain 

 (alas !) to persuade a hunting horn to hang on the 

 apology for a sixth point that adorned his right 

 antler and he weighed 22 st. clean. His right and 

 left antlers measured respectively 35 in. and 34!- in., 

 with a spread of 26f in. 



Thus we triumphed ! 



But as I looked at my prize lying lifeless among 

 the pine trees, with the soft eyes fast glazing, and 

 the limbs, that had once borne him so swiftly, stiff 

 and stark was there not beneath my feelings of 

 joy and pride at the death of this my First Stag 

 a tinge of sadness a little ghost of a feeling of 

 something like remorse ? 



I think so ! 



37 



