ROE DEER 129 



Jilgalong, a long day's march. The last few days 

 the weather had been much better, and on any open 

 ground which faced south the snow was nearly all 

 gone again, though in the woods and on the north- 

 lying slopes there was still more than enough of it. 

 My atil had arrived, and so I was on the whole 

 fairly comfortable, being able to have a fire indoors 

 now, instead of dining out by the camp one. 



The first day at middle Jilgalong was a distinct 

 disappointment, as we only saw three or four does, 

 and Durji again looked sad, but cheered up on our 

 return, when we met a Kalmak whom we had sent 

 out in the other direction to have a look, and who 

 had seen lots of roe and a stag too. Next morning 

 we saw several lots of roe, and I stalked and shot a 

 fair buck, whose horns were so loose that they came 

 off in my hand. At the shot, some wapiti higher up 

 the hill crossed from one cover to another, giving 

 us a fair though rather distant view. There were 

 about thirty hinds and two stags, one of which the 

 glasses showed to be a pretty good one, and we 

 hoped for a closer acquaintance with him on the 

 morrow. An evening stalk after more roe was 

 a failure, owing to the wind ; but having now 

 got two pretty good ones, I was able to bear it 

 philosophically. 



The ground here was easier than in West Jilga- 

 long, as there was not so much bush jungle, always 

 difficult to get through, and the edges of the pine 



K 



