CHAP. TWENTY-ONE MY FIRST STAG 



to feel for it, and held it out to me. All this takes some time 

 to describe, but did not occupy a quarter of a minute. At 

 the same instant that I got the rifle, the gillie lifted up his 

 head from the water,andhalf turning,sawthestag,andalso 

 saw that I was about to shoot at him. With a presence of 

 mind worthy of being better seconded, he did not raise him- 

 self from his knees, but remained motionless with his eyes 

 fixed on the deer. As I said before, I had never killed a deer, 

 and my hand shook,and my heart beat. I fired however with, 

 as I thought, a good aim at his shoulder. The deer at the 

 instant turned round. After firing my shot, we all (includ- 

 ing Donald, who by this time comprehended what was go- 

 ingon)ran to the top of the bank to seewhathadhappened, 

 as the deer disappeared the instant I fired. I had, I believe, 

 missed him altogether, though he looked as large as an ox, 

 and we saw him going at a steady gallop over the wide flat. 

 Donald had out the glass immediately, and took a steady 

 sight at him, but having watched the noble animal, as he 

 galloped up the opposite slope and stood for two or three 

 minutes on the summit, looking back intently at us,he shut 

 up the telescope with a jerk that threatened to break every 

 glass in it, and giving a grunt, vastly expressive of disgust, 

 returned to the well, where he took a long draught. His 

 only remark at the time was, "There's no the like of that 

 staginthe country; weeldo I mind seeinghimlastyear when 

 shooting ptarmigan up yonder, and not a bullet had I. The 

 deil's in the rifle, that she did na kill him; and he'll cross the 

 river before he stops." It required some time and some 

 whisky also, to restore Donald to his usual equanimity. 



This was on Saturday. On the Monday following at a 

 279 



