WILD EXMOOR. 31 



being on the last syllable. After a long 

 detour, out of sight of the deer, I approached 

 the coombe again from the opposite side, and 

 found them presently. They had risen, and 

 were feeding up the coombe, rather above me ; 

 I could see them cropping the green tips of 

 the heather. They were rather of a brown 

 than a red colour, their necks straight, and 

 by the tail almost white. They fed in 

 single file, and the wind coming from them, 

 I crept up still nearer, almost within gunshot, 

 till the leading hind, turning to pick at one 

 side, saw me. 



She viewed me intently a moment, 

 and then jerked her head up, at which 

 signal the other four lifted their heads 

 with the same quick jerk and looked 

 at me. The leader lifted her head still 

 higher, her ears at a sharp angle, and in 

 another moment went off at a good pace, 

 followed by the rest. Hardly had they 

 started, than three more hinds appeared — 

 they had been feeding lower in the coombe 



