HUNTING IN THE ANDES. 35 



I found a gradient that my horse could climb, and was 

 soon galloping across the tableland, over the edge of 

 which the deer had disappeared. I had not gone far 

 when I again sighted the buck. He was standing out 

 in the centre of a grassy space watching me. As 

 there was no cover at all, I began to ride round him, 

 narrowing the circle until I got within two hundred 

 yards, when I dismounted. As I did so he ran back a 

 few yards and stopped when I shot him. 



From my later experience of these deer I am con- 

 vinced that, either afoot or on horseback, I could have 

 ventured to much closer quarters, though if I had con- 

 tinued my first line of stalk and, trying to keep myself 

 hidden, had crawled into view over the edge of the clif 

 he would probably have made off directly he caught a 

 glimpse of me. In fact, I believe that in the first 

 instance he mistook me for a puma, the only animal, 

 except the Magellan fox or wolf, which the guemal has 

 to fear. This would explain his flight. Indeed, at all 

 times I found guemal more easy to approach if I walked 

 towards them in an upright position than if I attempted 

 to get to close quarters by crawling. 



From the point of view of sport the guemal were 

 something of a disappointment after the long and 

 difficult journey it was necessary to make before 

 reaching them, and, though I shot a few for meat and 

 for specimens, I doubt if the obtaining of some record 

 heads was ever attended with less keenness : but 

 though they will stand to stare with curiosity at a 

 human being, once they get the wind they are wild 

 enough ; also in woodland and cover they are not 

 readily outwitted. Above all, the world now contains 

 few species or sub-species of deer, of which no more 



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