DEER-STALKING. 151 



shaving as regards the wind, and more of the old 

 hunter's hair is sacrificed quite unnecessarily, for 

 some of the dry grass or reindeer moss will do 

 just as well, but he seems to prefer to denude himself 

 in this fashion. 



All, however, is safe so far. The stags have 

 reached apparently the good feeding-ground men- 

 tioned by my old prophet, whom, by the way, I 

 have called old, not because he was so, but because 

 I then, in the plenitude and arrogance of my 

 youth, so deemed him — he was about forty-five ; — 

 they are quite quiet, and, for reindeer, unsuspicious, 

 and inclined to remain there, which rather vexes 

 me, for they are too far off for a safe shot even 

 with a worthier instrument than mine. Time, how- 

 ever, will not admit of my waiting, so, leaving my 

 men under cover of the rocks, I commence a 

 somewhat risky stalk. Stalking among stones, un- 

 less the ground is much broken, is a more difficult 

 and irksome matter than stalking on moss, peat 

 or grass ; and here, unfortunately, I have an ugly 



