SEPT. ESCAPE OF DEER. 295 



a cigar. Whilst so employed, with our heads bent 

 from the cold misty blast, we again heard the 

 man below us shouting more frantically than be- 

 fore, and looking up we were just in time to see 

 him fling his stick at another stag, who had risen 

 from the same spot and had cantered away in a 

 contrary direction, passing almost close to the 

 beater. Like the first stag, too, he managed to 

 keep his great body out of our view as long as 

 within shot, although he almost ran round the man, 

 as if perfectly understanding the difference between 

 two double-barrelled rifles and one walking-stick. 

 We afterwards ascertained that the two deer had 

 been lying in a small hollow of the ground at the 

 foot of a single birch-tree, which stood a little in 

 advance of the main wood. They must have been 

 lying with their heads close to the ground, hoping 

 to escape being seen ; and there they remained 

 until they perceived that the beater as well as 

 ourselves was walking directly towards them. 



In taking up a position near a wood which the 

 men are about to beat for deer and roe, the sports- 

 man should go as cautiously and quietly as if he 

 was stalking a deer on the open hill, as nothing will 

 drive either stag or buck near a spot where he has 

 discovered or suspected that any concealed danger 

 is awaiting him : rather than do so, he will pass 



