FEALAR 281 



obstacle, too, was safely surmounted. Now the 

 ground was more broken into little mounds of 

 heather and stone, but even here I constantly came 

 into view of some of the hinds, and as I approached 

 within 400 yards, the most intense caution had to 

 be exercised. At last I saw a higher ridge only 

 100 yards ahead, where, if I could reach it, I should 

 be at any rate within a long shot of my stag. To 

 pass this short space was perhaps the most difficult 

 piece of stalking, but with patience and flat crawling 

 it was accomplished. 



Peering over the ridge I saw that six of the nearest 

 hinds were up feeding within 200 yards of my 

 position. To the left the ground was quite open, 

 whilst to the right other hinds came into view. I 

 got out my glass, and found the stag lying quietly 

 at about 300 yards distance. It was a long shot, 

 but I decided to take it as soon as he rose to his 

 feet. 



With the remarkable accuracy of the modern 

 high -velocity rifle it is only necessary to get a 

 perfectly comfortable position to ensure success 

 at a long shot, so I moved about until such a spot 

 was found, and waited for the stag to rise. Soon he 

 began to roar, answering the stags higher up the 

 glen, and at a particularly loud challenge from the 

 hills above he gave one glance upwards and sprang 

 to his feet. I took a very steady aim, and on the 

 shot saw him stumble and walk slowly forward; 

 a second shot missed, but the third, taking him well 

 behind the shoulder, laid him dead on the spot. 



When my uncle, who had been much interested 

 in the stalk, came up, we had lunch and packed 

 our stag, a good beast of sixteen stone, on the pony 



