ROEBUCK MISSED. 17 



and, as Walter did. not purpose joining me in this 

 particular branch of sport after the 'present occasion, I 

 gave him the choice of stations ; and he accordingly 

 took his stand at the boulder-stone, while I took the 

 pass at the further end. 



At the time agreed upon, when we were all supposed to 

 have had sufficient time to reach our several positions, 

 the beating commenced. For some time nothing was 

 heard; and then a loud shout proclaimed the game 

 afoot. My heart now began to beat audibly; for, of 

 course, I did not know which way the game might be 

 making, and in a moment it might shoot past and 

 escape, if I were not vigilant. My ears, therefore, 

 were strained to the utmost to catch any sounds of 

 approach ; but in vain. Just, however, as I quite 

 accidentally cast a look upwards, I caught sight of a 

 roebuck standing on a crag some eighty yards distant, 

 and looking down in an attitude of the most profound 

 attention upon me ; his head slightly on one side, his 

 neck stretched forward, and one fore-foot a little raised, 

 ready to give one stamp of warning, and then bound 

 away. In an instant my gun was to my shoulder, and 

 I fired ; but the buck had sprung from the rock almost 

 before I touched the trigger, and I heard my shot 

 flatten on the rock. 



Eaising a shout of warning, I reloaded, and resumed 

 my watch. One of the beaters now approached, and at 

 the same instant three roe emerged from the wood, and 

 again retreated before I had time to fire. I could bear 

 this no longer; so, running up to the spot at which 

 they had disappeared, I entered the wood, determined 

 to follow, as quietly as possible, in the hopes that I 

 might fall in with them again. 



I had not made much progress among the irregular 



