A GRAND HEAD 101 



must conclude this yarn. He after many most interest- 

 ing manoeuvres fed straight towards us and walked into 

 a very small sholaJi (wood). Thinking he would stop 

 there some time, Brine went round to give him his wind, 

 whilst I cut him off from his favourite jungle. As I 

 was on the way there the old stag and I met face to 

 face ; my heart turned two or three somersets and then 

 stuck in my throat. He saw me plainly as I saw him. 

 He was an awful long way off, but no time was to be lost. 

 Now or never; I fired ! The stag gave a convulsive bound 

 but recovered, and placing his immense antlers along 

 his back, he charged like an old bull bison through the 

 long brushwood, straight to the forest. I thought all 

 was lost, but was led towards the spot ; I fired at him ; 

 as I went there I fancied I heard a sigh and a heavy 

 breathing, but attended to nothing, got the track, followed 

 it up, and oh ! my dear, good mother, round a turn we 

 found the aged stag stone dead, looking in death like the 

 most grand, grand picture. His antlers were enormous. 

 Oh, how I long to see them safe in dear old C. B. ! how 

 you will appreciate them ! I assure you, my greatest 

 pleasure at times is to think of showing you all my 

 trophies, and feeling they are thought something of. 

 Hard won they are, but it's that which adds the deep 

 pleasure of having deserved them. Could you have 

 seen the proud expression in the glazed eye of that 

 old stag ; his immense size ; his matted mane ; in fact, the 

 glorious old fellow, as he lay when I first touched him, 

 I should be happy, but I must be content with you 

 seeing the grand head. He is one of the finest stags 

 that has ever been shot in India. Hamilton says he 

 must be twenty or twenty -five fancy, older than 

 myself! I killed five stags in that expedition and in 

 the last month four one very fine stag and a grand 

 old black buck ibex. The most difficult creature in 



