SPORT IN THE TEKKES : WAPITI 77 



stag with five hinds came out on to a ridge about 

 half a mile off. One look with the glass was 

 enough ten points and heavy horns ; there was 

 no light to waste, so we ran most of the way, and 

 tumbled over sundry fallen pines as we went ; but 

 when we arrived at the spot there was no stag to be 

 seen, though the hinds were feeding unconcernedly 

 about on the open grass which covered the crest of 

 the ridge, both sides of it being covered with forest. 

 At last a stag came out, but he was noticeably 

 smaller than the one first seen ; there must have 

 been two of them. However, the light was now 

 failing fast, and half a loaf being better than no 

 bread, I concluded to try a shot, did so, and missed 

 him. He galloped off, keeping in the open for 

 some way, and I fired two more shots at him with 

 the same result. Now, though the light was bad, 

 it was not a long shot, and a stag wapiti being a 

 pretty considerable sized target, I had still a faint 

 hope that I had hit him, and might get him next 

 day. This hope lasted till I arrived at camp, which 

 I did in no very enviable frame of mind, and noticed 

 when overhauling the rifle that some idiot had been 

 fiddling with the Lyman sight, and had screwed it 

 up to 400 yards. Then hope fled. Of course, it 

 was my own fault, as I ought to have looked at it 

 before firing, but it was none the less annoying for 

 all that. 



Next morning Phelps went off to stop a night at 



