358 THE DEER STALKED. 



he was not distant 100 yards. Most of the party seemed 

 inclined to doubt this information, for they verily believed 

 that the deer was at least half a mile to the right ; but 

 Finlay's organ of locality was so visibly and strongly de- 

 veloped, and his practice in deer-stalking so great, that 

 the doubts of the party were suppressed, if not altogether 

 removed. Buskar, however, soon put the matter beyond 

 question, for raising his head, he bounded forwards, and 

 almost escaped from the person who held him. No time 

 was to be lost: the whole party immediately moved 

 forward in silent and breathless expectation, with the 

 dogs in front, straining in the slips ; and on our reaching 

 the top of the hillock, we got a full view of the noble 

 stag, who, having heard our footsteps, had sprung to his 

 legs, and was staring us full in the face at the distance of 

 about sixty yards. 



The dogs were slipped ; a general halloo burst from the 

 whole party, and the stag wheeling round, set off at full 

 speed with Buskar and Bran straining after him. 



The brown figure of the deer, with his noble antlers 

 laid back, contrasted with the light colour of the dogs 

 stretching along the dark heath, presented one of the most 

 exciting scenes that it is possible to imagine. 



The deer's first attempt was to gain some rising ground 

 to the left of the spot where we stood, and rather behind 

 us; but, being closely pursued by the dogs, he soon found 

 that his only safety was in speed ; and (as a deer does not 

 run well up hill, nor like a roe, straight down hill), on the 

 dogs approaching him, he turned, and almost retraced his 

 footsteps, taking, however, a steeper line of descent than 

 the one by which he ascended. Here the chase became 



