THE STAG 181 



rapidly, that, in sheer self-defence, I took to my back, 

 and half slipped, half propelled my body, I knew 

 not whither. When the pace threatened to get too 

 rapid, I steadied myself for a moment, by placing 

 my foot against some projecting piece of rock, or 

 by grasping at some mountain willow or tuft of 

 holly fern. Though all's well that ends well, it was 

 an experience to pass through only once. 



If this painful labour is not to be so much loss, 

 the wind must be looked to ; a comparatively 

 simple matter in the open country, where, if it blows 

 west at all, it blows west everywhere alike ; but by 

 no means so easy among the hills, where it has 

 an awkward habit of changing its direction quite 

 suddenly. 



When on a level with the deer, the mode of 

 progression may be changed from the back. The 

 bare rough channel of the mountain torrent, or the 

 shelter of the scattered boulders, together with every 

 knot on the ground which will hide a prostrate 

 figure, must be taken advantage of. Stony tracks 

 must be crawled over on all-fours, with the action 

 of a toad ; or wriggled over, in a prone attitude, after 

 the manner of a snake; while toil, and friction 

 must be met with the stoicism of a North American 

 Indian. 



