146 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



effect; aiming therefore a second time at the same 

 animal, and with more care than before, I again fired, 

 and this time the shot told effectually. The poor 

 creature staggered a few paces forward, and then fell to 

 the ground. There was no time however for exul- 

 tation; the other three were still in confusion and 

 dismay, uncertain which way to run: and Walter, 

 stepping forward, fired at the remaining stag. The 

 first barrel wounded ; the second was a failure ; and 

 the stag began to make off at a slow pace, preceded at 

 a short distance by the hinds. 



Meanwhile my gun was reloaded, and leaving Walter 

 to " gralloch " the prostrate animal, I sprang forward 

 in pursuit of the wounded fugitive. 



Elated by success, and animated by hopes of further 

 slaughter, I scarce heeded where I was going. On 

 however I went, in hot pursuit, at one time plunging 

 into a bog, the bottom of which I never reached ; at 

 another, leaping recklessly down the face of a crag ; 

 and more than once wonderfully escaping the fracture 

 of some of my limbs ; until at length, when well-nigh 

 exhausted, and pausing for an instant to recover breath, 

 I found myself approaching a small mountain " tarn," 

 the stag still about two hundred yards ahead. On reach- 

 ing the bank, he took to the water without a pause and 

 swam out, while I stopped to recover myself and 

 watch his movements. The loch was of no great size, 

 and I purposed, having once made out where he was 

 likely to land, to hasten round and meet him. But I 

 was saved further exertion ; for, exhausted by loss of 

 blood, and the prolonged ' struggle, after swimming 

 about one hundred yards into the loch, the poor animal 

 was forced to relinquish his attempt, and return to the 

 shore. Concealing myself therefore behind a rock, I 

 awaited his approach, ready to put an end to his 



