SHOOTING ELK WITH A POINTER. 119 



" As soon as the dog got scent of the elks, he would draw 

 very carefully, almost upon his belly indeed, towards them. 

 During this time he would occasionally look back upon his 

 master, who followed close behind ; and this manoeuvre was 

 the oftener repeated, the nearer he approached the deer. 

 When therefore his master was convinced that they could 

 not be far distant, he would signal the dog to make a cast 

 to one side. This the sagacious animal perfectly understood, 

 and fetching a half circle in the same cautious manner as 

 before, he, when sure that the elks were between himself and 

 M. Greiff, would close upon them. They were generally 

 lying on the ground ; but on seeing the dog, they would get 

 on to their legs and gaze at him attentively. And he in 

 his turn would challenge to them every now and then. It 

 seldom happened, however, that they were so much alarmed 

 as to take to flight. So far from running away, indeed, they 

 would in most instances show a bold front to the enemy, and 

 either oppose him with their antlers, or strike at him with 

 their fore-feet, the most formidable of their weapons. In 

 this while his master would stealthily approach the spot, 

 and from the attention of the elks being altogether taken up 

 with the dog, he was in most instances enabled to sight the 

 animals before he himself was discovered. It was needful, 

 however, so to place the ball that the deer fell dead on the 

 spot, or at all events at no long distance, because the dog 

 would not follow their tracks, but come creeping back as 

 if to receive farther orders. These were generally that he 

 should remain at the Valplats, or battle-field, where the elks 

 often returned after a time in search, as it would seem, of 

 their fallen companion, or they halted again elsewhere in the 

 forest, when the same manoeuvre was repeated." 



