A FALL HUNTING TRIP. 101 



probably been lying down behind a clump of juniper, 

 emerged into view and began to make straight for the 

 spot where we were concealed. His head was distinctly 

 superior to that of any of his four companions, and I 

 had ample opportunity to inspect it while he came slowly 

 towards us. The antlers, it is true, were not very large, 

 but exceedingly symmetrical, the bays being particu- 

 larly fine and curved inwards. I reckoned that he 

 carried thirty-five points, more or less, but quite possibly 

 more. 



The wind was so strong that we were able to indulge 

 in a council of war as to whether I should shoot him, a 

 course which Jack strongly advised. However, in con- 

 sideration of the splendid stag I had already secured, 

 which had looked about half as large again as this one, 

 I finally decided to pass him, especially as he appeared 

 to me to be a young animal, despite his fine horns. We 

 watched him for upwards of an hour, and once he was 

 within sixty yards of us. All I can say is that some 

 day that stag will carry a head worth travelling a long 

 distance to obtain. 



At length we crept away and retraced our steps to 

 the big stag, and when we saw him again Jack agreed 

 with me that I had done well to leave the thirty-five 

 pointer. Having finished the skinning, we set out in 

 the direction of camp, but had not gone very far when 

 we saw more deer to the eastward. As before we stalked 

 them, and as before we got very near, only to find, 

 however, that the best of them was inferior to the young 

 stag I had spared earlier. So we started once again for 

 camp. I do not think the recollection of our walk of 

 that evening will ever fade from my memory, and I 

 make no apology for endeavouring to call up the scene 



