128 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



made straight our way. Just as the leading stag 

 was plunging in to cross to our side, round he turned, 

 and back they all went whence they came. Duncan 

 gave vent to a Gaelic oath. I solaced myself with 

 an English one. 



" What turned them, Duncan ? " 



"A wild duck, sir; the ahem female dog rose 

 from under the bank, just as they got to it." 



But the deer, thinking the danger was on their 

 side, had determined to cross, and cross they did in 

 another quarter of an hour. Duncan closed his glass 

 as the " great Duke " did on that June afternoon, but 

 the day wasn't won yet. I looked my watch : we 

 hadn't an hour of daylight. Jumping into the bed of 

 the river, the banks of which gave ample cover, we 

 ran down to where the deer had crossed, and looking 

 cautiously over the bank, we saw them not five 

 hundred yards up the hill. In a very few minutes 

 we had reduced that distance to about ninety. The 

 ground was rather bare, and the Avind, what little 

 there was, very "catchy." The best stag was broad- 

 side on a beautiful shot; but just as I was getting 

 ready, he turned and faced us. Very grand he looked, 

 with his head in the air, his nostrils giving him, I 

 fancy, just a slight indication of danger. 



" Ho time to lose, sir," whispered Duncan. 



Taking a steady aim at his chest, I fired. Round 

 he swung, galloped about thirty yards, fell on his 

 knees, and rolled over stone dead. A fine stag he 



