RANGE OF THE RIFLE. 123 



distance, you may often approach the desired points 

 without the necessity of being concealed by inequalities of 

 ground. At what particular distance they will see you, 

 must depend upon the state of the atmosphere and the 

 nature of the ground you are traversing. If the point is 

 dubious, you should always select the dark heather and bog 

 to walk upon, and avoid the green sward, where you will 

 be more easily descried. Be careful to expose as small a 

 front as possible, walking rank and file, each file covering 

 the leading one. Sometimes it happens that there is a 

 small space only to be passed, in which you will evidently 

 be visible ; and in this case it is very difficult to elude the 

 vigilance of the sentinels of the moor. The best way is to 

 watch your opportunity when all are browsing, and then 

 dart forward rapidly with your bodies bent across this dan- 

 .gerous point, one behind the other, as before described. I 

 have often done this successfully ; but it is a ticklish busi- 

 ness, and will never succeed when you are near the quarry. 



In all cases of approach, when it is necessary to advance 

 in a stooping position, or to crawl, you had better keep a 

 constant eye upon the men in the rear, for, believe me, no 

 man is implicitly to be trusted ; one will most unconscion- 

 ably put his head up because, forsooth, his back aches 

 insupportably ; another likes to have a peep at the deer ; a 

 third (and he is the most unpardonable of all) does not like 

 to have the burn water enter the bosom of his shirt, which 

 is very inconsiderate, as nothing tends to keep a man more 

 cool and comfortable than a well-applied streamlet of this 

 description. So, look back constantly to the rear, that every 

 gilly may do his duty, and observe that no man has a right 

 to see the deer in approaching to get a quiet shot, except 

 the stalker. In fact, after a certain distance is gained, no 

 one but he and his Achates, who holds the spare rifles, 

 should come forward at all. 



The most perfect shots and celebrated sportsmen never 

 succeed in killing deer without practice; indeed, at first, 

 they are quite sure to miss the fairest running shots. This 

 arises, I think, from their firing at distances to which they 

 have been wholly unaccustomed, and is no reflection upon 

 their skill. It is seldom that you fire at a less distance than 



