BROUGHT TO BAY. 245 



was tinged with blood. The famished dogs redoubled 

 their plaintive howls. We accelerated our pace ; our pur- 

 suit grew so furious that we lost breath, and paid no heed 

 to the difficulties of the ground or the enormous trunks 

 of the forest cedars. 



In the midst of an iiitertangled copse I came upon an 

 open space, which led me to a marshy valley besprinkled 

 here and there with venerable trees, whose swart and 

 rugged trunks rose upwards of one hundred feet above 

 the ground. There my stag was brought to bay. Fatigue 

 had exhausted his strength, his feet refused to second his 

 courage; but, despite of his weakness, he still reared his 

 head on high, and at each motion of his rugose antlers the 

 dogs bounded backward, their barks betraying a sentiment 

 of fear. They fixed their greedy eyes upon the animal, 

 and gnashed their teeth, without daring to venture within 

 six or seven yards of him. 



The elk before my eyes was a truly splendid animal. 

 From the sole of his foot to his haunch he was at least 

 six feet in height ; and at the moment of my advance I 

 seemed to read in his large black eye a mute but eloquent 

 supplication for mercy. Alas ! every hunter is pitiless ; 

 this is a fact abundantly proved, and not one of the 

 disciples of St. Hubert would dare, on his return to his 

 home, to commit, out of gaiety of heart, in his poultry- 

 yard or garden, such barbarous slaughter as he joyously 

 takes part in when armed with his rifle and in the heart 

 of the wood. 



The elk's sentence of death was probably written in my 

 eyes. The poor animal knew that he was to die, and 

 from that moment made no effort either in flight or 

 defence. I took aim at my ease, let go the trigger, and 



