v A GOOD BIT OF STALKING 121 



a bit of it. He rushed off, and I missed him with the 

 second barrel. It was too dark to think of looking for 

 tracks, so I sneaked quietly round by the edge of the 

 wood. 



To HIS MOTHER. 



e 1863. 



Right merrily the old horse carried me out, and at 

 about five o'clock I found myself at the rendezvous. 

 Two minutes more and the old ' weepon ' was loaded, the 

 horse sent back, and I was happy again, wandering with 

 the old black companion over wood and dale, with 

 the old friend, feeling like doing, lying nicely balanced 

 on my shoulder (the rifle, not Francis !). On coming 

 to the foot of the ibex hills I found my expectations 

 were not unfounded ; there, on the topmost pinnacle, 

 stood the old sentinel, as cunning an old lady as ever 

 breathed ; I was so far off that I fancied the stalk 

 could be made without alarming her, so edged slowly 

 into the forest that layabout I oo yards behind me. I will 

 not bother you with all the details of the stalk. In 

 some places it was desperate work. F. had to take the 

 rifle whilst I climbed up the precipices hanging on a 

 sheer drop below us. At last the top was won. On 

 cautiously peeping through the grass I saw the back of 

 a good male ibex about 60 yards from me ; his 

 quarters being turned to me I would not take the shot, 

 but taking off my boots, and slipping on an old green 

 skullcap, I determined to get nearer. This I accom- 

 plished rather too completely. I found myself within 

 5 yards of some of the ibex ; there's stalking for you, 

 my lady ! It was too close ; I had no time to look 

 for the gentleman, so had to content myself with 

 knocking over two splendid does right and left. One 

 was our friend the sentinel, and with one vast dive she 



