106 DEER-STALKING. CH. XXVI. 



dreary landscape before me, with the exception of 

 a pair of ravens who passed at no great height 

 above me, uttering their harsh croaks of ill omen as 

 they winged their way in a direct course, to feast 

 probably on the remains of some dead sheep or 

 deer. 



My attention was suddenly roused, however, by 

 hearing a couple of shots in quick succession, the 

 sound coming from the direction in which I expected 

 Donald. As the reports did not appear to be at 

 any great distance, I rose with the intention of going 

 to meet him ; though I could not understand what 

 he was shooting at, it being quite against both his 

 and my ideas of propriety that he should hunt the 

 very ground over which I intended to beat home- 

 wards. On second thoughts, I fancied that he had 

 fired off his gun to warn me of his approach ; but, 

 just as I was passing these things over in my head, I 

 saw a stag of good size come in view from the direc- 

 tion in which I had heard the shots. Down I 

 dropped instantly behind a rock, as the deer was 

 coming straight towards me. As he approached, 

 I saw that the poor beast was hard hit. One of 

 his forelegs was broken, and swinging about in a 

 miserable manner, and he had also one of his 

 horns broken off a few inches above his head ; 

 altogether he seemed in a most pitiable state. 



