RECKLESSNESS OF RUTTING STAGS. 271 



that during the night another hangul had actually come and 

 rolled in the mud beside the pond, within about twenty yards 

 of which the dead one was lying. This sounded rather im- 

 probable ; but, as I intended hunting again in that direction, 

 I resolved to go and examine the place myself. There, sure 

 enough, was the fresh impression where a second stag had 

 rolled in the wet mud and had left some of his hair sticking 

 to it. Of one thing there was no doubt both the watchers 

 must have fallen asleep and let their fire go out, although 

 they stoutly denied having done so. 



These ponds or "trags" are used by the herdsmen for 

 watering their cattle when up grazing on the hill-tops. They 

 are always favourite resorts of the stags for soiling themselves 

 in during the rutting season, when the animals become very 

 restless, and often so reckless that when following a stag in 

 thick forest you may sometimes even attract him towards 

 you by breaking a dry twig, the slight noise of which the 

 stupid beast, in his love-sick imagination, supposes may be 

 caused by a hind. 



Shortly after leaving the pond, a hangul raised his voice in 

 a thick pine-wood below us; so we determined to try and 

 follow him up there, for it was too late in the morning to 

 expect him to show himself outside it. As the roaring was 

 not continued, we adopted the following plan: after care- 

 fully testing the wind in the usual manner, by tossing up 

 scraps of dry grass, Eamzan and I moved stealthily towards 

 the place where the bellowing was last heard ; whilst the 

 other two men of our party made a wide circuit below to 

 search for tracks, should the deer have moved downwards. 

 Each time we stopped to listen, the twig-breaking trick was 

 tried, but with no effect. On reaching the supposed position 

 of the deer, not a trace of any sort could we find to direct us, 

 when " too whoo," " too whoo-oo," comes the hoot of an owl 

 from among the dense dark pines some distance lower down. 

 This time, however, it proceeds from no bird of ill-omen, for 



