130 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



it lies down, the wounded limb stiffens, and it can be 

 more easily approached. Leading Pete down towards 

 the wood below, I left him and continued as before on 

 foot with the greatest caution. I arrived in time to 

 see my victim labouring slowly along, and limping 

 down hill with the greatest difficulty, looking for 

 some hiding-place among the bushes as it passed. At 

 length it found one to its satisfaction, and instantly 

 threw itself down. I was in full view, and afraid to 

 move until, after turning several times to lick its 

 wounded quarters, the antlered head sank slowly to 

 the earth, and I ventured to creep onwards. My 

 object was to make a circuit and get below it, and it 

 was lucky that I did so. I had carefully marked the 

 spot, and as I neared it from below I saw my stag 

 among thick undergrowth apparently dead, so, making 

 bare the hunting-knife, I laid down the rifle and 

 seized it by the horns. However, the prize was not 

 yet mine, for the deer was by no means so defunct as 

 it appeared. Shaking its head violently, and in doing 

 so alarming me considerably, it scrambled to its feet, 

 and commenced to make off at a wonderfully improved 

 pace down the hill. 



Not much more remains to tell. I had time to 

 seize my rifle and roll it over by a well-placed shot 

 behind the shoulder, and then found, to my astonish- 

 ment, as I was decapitating it, that I must have made 

 its acquaintance in the morning, for through the 

 right ear was a small round freshly-cut hole, just the 

 size of my Express bullet : 



