214 DEER-STALKING. 



long mile. I came in half an hour to a large extent of 

 heather-covered ground, interspersed with a great number of 

 tumulus-shaped hillocks. I looked carelessly over these, 

 when my eye was suddenly attracted by a red-coloured spot 

 on one of the mounds. I turned the glass in that direction, 

 and at once saw that it was a large bright-coloured stag with 

 fine antlers, and altogether an animal worth some trouble. 

 He was in a very difficult situation to approach. He com- 

 manded a complete view of the face of the hill opposite to 

 him, and over the summit of which I was looking, and I was 

 astonished he had not observed me, notwithstanding all my 

 care. As the wind blew, I could not approach him from the 

 opposite direction, even if I had time to get round there 

 before he rose ; and I knew that once on foot to feed, his 

 direction would be so uncertain amongst the mounds where 

 he was, that my chance would be small. 



After a short survey I started off at my best pace to the 

 right, thinking that from the nature of the ground I might 

 succeed in getting into the valley unobserved; and once 

 there, by taking advantage of some hillock, I should have a 

 tolerable chance of approaching him. After what appeared 

 to me a long tramp I came to a slight rise of the shoulder of 

 the hill : beyond this was a hollow, by keeping in which I 

 hoped to get down unobserved. It was already past three, 

 but the stag had not yet moved ; so, keeping the tops of his 

 horns in view, I began to crawl over the intervening height. 

 At two or three places which I tried, I saw that I could not 

 succeed. At last I came to a more favourable spot ; but I 

 saw that it still would not do, however well the dog behaved, 

 and a capital stalker he was, imitating and following every 

 movement of mine, crouching when I crouched, and crawling 

 when I crawled. I did not wish to leave him quite so far 

 from the deer, so I made another cast, and this time found a 

 place over which we both wriggled ourselves quite unseen. 

 Thank God ! was my exclamation, as I found myself in a 

 situation again where I could stand upright. Few people 

 excepting deer-stalkers know the luxury of occasionally 

 standing upright, after having wormed oneself horizontally 

 along the ground for some time. There were the horns with 

 their white tips still motionless, excepting when he turned 

 back his head to scratch his hide, or knock off a fly. I now 

 walked easily without stooping till I was within three or 

 four hundred yards of him, when I was suddenly pulled up 



