34 HUNTING CAMPS. 



neither my rifle nor my gun owing to an accident, I 

 seized my companion's Colt, and as the buck sprang 

 away I fired at his shoulder. The buck disappeared, 

 and my man remarked that the Colt did not shoot very 

 straight, a fact I happened to be well aware of, as I had 

 previously tried it at a target with the poorest of results. 



But on this occasion I felt sure that I had heard the 

 bullet strike, and, following, I soon picked up a blood 

 trail, which brought me at length to the animal lying 

 dead in a currant brake. The bullet had entered his 

 neck, and as I had aimed at the shoulder I was very 

 lucky to get him. The horns, to which shreds of velvet 

 still hung, measured ten and a quarter inches, consider- 

 ably more than those of the best museum specimen. 



A few days later, as I was riding beside the river on 

 my way back to camp, I chanced to look up and saw 

 far above me, at the head of a huge rift in the cliff, a 

 guemal buck and a doe. He was standing overlooking 

 the valley, and between me and him lay several 

 hundred yards covered with rocky fragments. I dis- 

 mounted and focussed him with my telescope, and, 

 judging that he had a fine head, I began to stalk him. 

 As I had only shot a few deer I was resolved not to 

 lose this one, and consequently I moved with great care, 

 worming my way among the boulders. At a distance 

 of about four hundred yards I again used the telescope, 

 and saw that the head carried an extra point and was 

 far the finest I had seen. But soon after I recommenced 

 my stalking the buck grew suspicious, and without 

 warning bounded away. 



Surprised at this for hitherto the guemal I had shot 

 had proved so tame as to afford little sport I made 

 my way back into the valley, and, riding round the bluff, 



