184 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



ferred stepping in and settling the matter with his 

 knife. After walking several times round the poor 

 creature, which, disabled as it was, still strove to keep 

 a tormidable front, he at length succeeded in seizing 

 it by one hind leg ; but now he found his match ; for 

 though the beast was unable to escape by flight, it 

 could resist and struggle. And struggle and resist it 

 did; for when his companion rose from the heather, 

 some time after, expecting to find it all over, he saw 

 his friend and the deer still straining their very utmost, 

 the one exerting all his energies to shake off his foe, 

 while all the strength and activity of the other were 

 needed to prevent his being thrown violently to the 

 ground, in unpleasant proximity to a pair of formidable 

 antlers. Again therefore the poacher lay down, leaving 

 the two to carry on their combat unwitnessed. After 

 wheeling round more than once, and well-nigh getting 

 rid of his antagonist, the deer began to show signs of 

 distress. His open mouth and heaving flanks told 

 plainly that death was at work, and the poacher, sud- 

 denly springing forward, leaped upon his back, and 

 throwing his arms round the animal's neck, remained 

 BO immoveably fixed that by no efforts could it dis- 

 lodge him. And now the other poacher again rose, 

 expecting by this time that the struggle must have 

 terminated. But on seeing how matters were, he for- 

 got his caution, and stepped forward to aid in the con- 

 test. As he approached, the wearied animal made one 

 desperate and prolonged attempt to unseat his rider, 

 which he was just on the point of effecting when the 

 poacher, drawing his knife, by an immense effort suc- 

 ceeded in plunging it to the hilt in the animal's breast, 

 and as his comrade came up, the victor and the van- 

 quished sank down together. 



Notwithstanding the extraordinary powers of sight, 



