176 CARIBOU SHOOTING IN NEWFOUNDLAND. 



low him, the main herd's attention was attracted to 

 that, and no stampede occurred just then. From this 

 point forward the cover was so light that we had to 

 worm along very close to the ground part of the way, 

 through water and muck, regardless of wet knees and 

 elbows ; but finally succeeded in getting within about 

 225 paces of the 'king;' but here the cover ended and 

 our position on sloping ground exposed us to the deer, 

 and I was obliged to try my hand again at long range. 

 I raised the sights for the estimated distance as well 

 as I could, and as I was lying down, took very careful 

 aim from an elbow rest, military style. I fired, 

 and as the rifle cracked I saw that the ball had 

 struck him too far back ; it seemed to make him per- 

 fectly ferocious, as he crippled around in the herd with 

 a broken thigh, still holding the fort against all comers. 

 He soon turned a broadside, and I fired again with 

 better results; he made a few wicked lunges in the 

 direction of one of his late rivals, and fell dead. We 

 then broke cover and ran down to where the fallen 

 hero lay ; and strange to say, the herd seemed to be 

 panic-stricken at the downfall of their leader some 

 of them trotting around close by, and others standing 

 as if paralyzed within easy shot. Just then I noticed 

 a large stag standing about eighty yards off with a 

 magnificent head of antlers. I shot him down in 



