ANECDOTE. 237 



degenerate. If this be attributable to a high latitude, it 

 tells much against Ekstrom's theory, as to the stag being 

 a hardier animal than the elk ; for the bulk of the latter is, 

 I believe, fully as great in the more northern, as in the mid- 

 land districts of Sweden. 



Speaking of the stag, reminds me of a certain individual who 

 was more famous for his Munchausen stories* than as a shot. 

 He was relating amongst other things, that when he, as an 

 officer, in the campaign of 1813, was on a march to Suabia 

 (where, by the bye, he had never been), he had killed an 

 immense stag, in such manner, that the bullet not only went 

 through the hind-foot, but the ear of the animal ! Every 

 one laughed, as well they might. " Is it not all true ?" 

 inquired the narrator of the tale of his servant, who stood 

 behind his chair. " You were, I remember, present on the 

 occasion." "Yes, to be sure, Sir," replied John very seri- 

 ously. " It was at Neustadt, close by the great linden-tree. 

 The deer had pardon me for saying so some vermin about 

 his head, and was scratching it. In the same moment you 

 fired, and hit him in the way described." Every one now 

 laughed still more. But the amiable John whispered in his 

 master's ear : " Another time, my noble Sir, don't put your 

 lies so far apart ; for this time I had great difficulty in 

 bringing them together." 



The Roebuck was also at no very distant day an inhabitant 

 of Hunneberg and Halleberg ; but in my time there were 



* In England we sportsmen are frequently said to shoot with the long-bow, 

 and it may be so ; but at all events, speaking generally, our fibs are facts as 

 compared with the stories of our brethren of the craft in Sweden. 



