DEATH OF THE BROW ANTLERED STAG. 273 



we covered up the remainder with grass, as Francis said the 

 people would come for the meat, but there were some hungry 

 vultures watching us. 



I was on the Nielgherries on December gth, 1869, but 

 I hardly expected a good stag would fall to my rifle this 

 morning, for I had been unfortunate with a fine fellow I 

 had seen at peep o' day ; he either winded or heard me, 

 and was soon over the hills and far away. It then set in 

 misty with a drizzling rain which put a stop to stalking. 

 However, I thought I would send the two men to walk 

 through a long strip of shola that occasionally harboured a 

 deer, so posting myself near the top I awaited the result. 

 The men had nearly reached me when I heard a movement 

 in the wood close to me. I was not at all sure it might 

 not be one of the men, when suddenly the horns and head 

 of the well known brow antlered stag appeared not thirty 

 yards from me. He instantly saw me and stood ; as instantly 

 I sent him rolling back into the wood and he was "gathered 

 to his fathers." A well shaped head, with very thick fine 

 brow antlers. I had known him for some years, but had not 

 seen him often. He had evidently been fighting desperately 

 during the night and had a great gash and a stab in his 

 throat and two or three prods in his face. As he had no 

 hind with him I conclude he lost the fight. May I come 

 across the victor ! 



1 killed my last sambur on the 10th February, 1871, at 

 the Avalanche, Nielgherries. I saw a fine stag with a hind 

 lying down on the slopes about one hundred yards below me. 

 They saw me, but allowed me to change the carbine for the 

 Toy rifle without getting up. I took a very deliberate shot at 

 the stag, heard the hit, but he galloped down the side of the 



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