DEER-STALKING. 199 



where he says we shall have a much better chance, 

 whether Archie succeeds in moving the deer up- 

 wards or not. Rather less resigned than despondent, 

 for I hate a long crawl, I follow Donald's lead, 

 with close imitation of his movements, first on 

 all fours and then down flat, as though the primeval 

 curse of the serpent had descended on ipe — " Upon 

 thy belly shalt thou go " ! I worm myself along 

 through wet moss and black peat slime, hugging 

 and affectionately muzzling into the bosom of 

 mother earth, filthy as it is just here, and drawing 

 myself forward by the roots of heather or tufts of 

 coarse grass, without daring to bend a limb save 

 horizontally, for a distance which seems to be miles, 

 but is really only a few hundred yards ; now and 

 then stopping and remaining immovable in obedi- 

 ence to the warning of Donald's back-turned hand. 

 For I place implicit confidence in him and will 

 not attempt to raise my head an inch to see what 

 is going on, this being one of the exceptions to 

 the proverb, " Two heads are better than one." 



