18 SUCCESS. 



blocks of stone and the tissue of roots growing or 

 decaying, when I caught sight of the white rump of a 

 roe just visible above the fern ; but it was impossible 

 to get a shot. Roe have a peculiar mode of running, 

 with their heads stretched out and in a stooping 

 posture, so that amongst fern of a moderate height, 

 nothing is visible but occasionally the white rump ; 

 and this was the case now. However, this occasional 

 glimpse encouraged me, and I crept on as noiselessly 

 as possible, though I was certain that the animal was 

 aware of my vicinity, and was fleeing from me ; and yet 

 I was surprised that his flight was not more accele- 

 rated. But the distance between us now began to 

 increase, and presently I lost all sight of him ; when 

 suddenly I was startled by the sharp report of a gun, 

 and running forward found that the deer had emerged 

 close by the boulder-stone, and fallen to Walter's shot. 

 I found my friend in a mood curiously made up of 

 anger and delight. Though delighted that he had 

 killed, and been the first to kill, yet he was very much 

 provoked with himself for having previously lost a 

 magnificent opportunity. Three roe- deer had unex- 

 pectedly crossed his path abreast of each other; and in 

 the hurry and flurry of the moment, while trying to 

 single out one, he had allowed the whole to disappear 

 without a shot. However, the sight of the one at his 

 feet speedily restored him to good humour. We now 

 waited for the beaters, and then took measures for 

 trying the second wood the details of which I will not 

 give, as they would prove little more than a repetition 

 of what I have just written. We found the three roe 

 again, and I put a charge of buckshot into one, which 

 made him lick the dust. But, though we saw single 

 heads more than once, we could not get near them ; 



