32 RED DEER. 



out of sight, and raced after the five. Two 

 of them were heavy in calf. So soon as 

 they felt safe, having got over a few 

 hundred yards, the whole eight paused in a 

 group and watched me. After a moment or 

 two they trotted again, again stopped and 

 gazed at me: and then taking no further 

 notice, as I showed no sign of pursuit, they 

 began to graze, and so moved slowly on 

 over the hill. 



By the edge of t lie coombe I found 

 their path ; it was well trodden, and 

 evidently much used ; the heather was all 

 bent down one way, leaning over down hill, 

 but the dry stums and the hard ground had 

 taken no impression or slot. In the dry 

 heather the heat of the sun seemed greater 

 than where the surface had been burnt, and 

 walking was slow and difficult. But in a 

 short time another coombe opened — the 

 upper shallow end of a valley — and on the 

 opposite side I saw a stag. He was lying 

 down, but immediately got up, and looked 



