248 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



was clear that, owing to the stillness of the day and the 

 unsteadiness of the little wind there was, they had 

 caught enough scent of us to be on the alert, though 

 not greatly alarmed ; and after watching them, and for 

 some little time following them, without succeeding in 

 getting nearer, we resolved, as the best of the day was 

 now past, and there were no signs of their again 

 becoming careless, to leave them without further delay, 

 and try some fresh ground. 



After a very forced march of a mile or two we came 

 in sight of deer feeding on a slightly rising eminence 

 at some distance from us. For a few minutes we lay 

 down to consult on the plan of operations, and then 

 with recovered wind and spirits began the stalk. A 

 slight detour had to be made to keep another rising 

 ground between ourselves and the game. Every now 

 and then we paused to peer over some crag, and then 

 hurried on again under shelter of the " banks and 

 braes." Everything went on smoothly ; the deer were 

 evidently a fresh herd, which had as yet been un- 

 disturbed. Each time we paused to reconnoitre, the 

 distance between us was sensibly diminished. At 

 length, following the example of my leader, I crept ou 

 hands and knees for some distance till we reached a 

 boulder stone, over which Grillespie bade me look very 

 cautiously and on looking what did I see ? ? A fine 

 hind feeding within eighty yards, and in perfect 

 innocence of our proximity. Slowly and cautiously 

 I raised my rifle, aimed at the deer's shoulder as near 

 to the heart as her position would allow, and fired. 

 She fell without a struggle. 



The shot being a single one so little alarmed the 

 rest of the herd, consisting of another good hind and 

 five or six young stags, that we remained in our place 

 of concealment, until having trotted away to a distance 



