306 STALKING THE REAR DEER. 



outward man diminishes in some degree the agitation of 

 your mind; but really when you are lying prostrate, in 

 expectation of the deer passing without any effort of your 

 own, when you hear the trampling, the rush, and the 

 belling, and all this under doubtful auspices, you must be 

 the most odious of all stoics if your pulse beats evenly. 

 We are agitated in such a case tremendously agitated, 

 we own : our heart trembles within us ; our breath comes 

 short ; and the whole goddess Diana possesses us. Let 

 those who have cold blood pride themselves on it when 

 they need, and where they need not now. 



See, the noble herd are come in view ! Na-Shean- 

 Tulichean never bore upon his green swells a prouder 

 burthen. The antlers rise and sink over its heights ; the 

 hinds and calves pass belling along, whilst we (practising, 

 at least for once in our lives, the virtue of forbearance) feel 

 all the torments that the fabled and thirsty sinner felt as 

 he caught at the flying waters. Yes, the fable may be 

 told of us, and that somewhat to our credit. 



And now the great bulk of the herd had passed over 

 the knows, and were out of sight ; still they came on in 

 numbers ; but ever as they passed the antlers grew scarcer 

 and scarcer. Tortoise pressed the arm of his companion in 

 silence ; at length he removed his hand. 



" Now, then, all is safe ; follow me." 



He sank out of sight over the hill to the west with 

 rapid foot and bent body, and then came in more south- 

 wards, within shot of the tail deer, when both sportsmen 

 knelt down on the heather. As the hinds came on, an 

 anxious look was sent to the rear in hopes to descry the 

 points of an approaching antler. At length the horns ac- 



