ANECDOTE. 199 



The way home was enlivened by anecdotes from 

 both Alister and the fox -hunter. The latter told one 

 curious circumstance, from the hoard of his own 

 experience, which had been suggested to his memory 

 by the awkward position in which we had to-day found 

 ourselves, when, forced to lie down in the middle of a 

 swamp, as described above. Here it is. He had gone 

 out in search of a hind for the Laird's larder, and 

 early in the day discovered a magnificent beast lying 

 alone, but in a most difficult position. She had chosen 

 a spot whence she could command, either by sight or 

 smell, the whole of the circumjacent ground ; and 

 though an irregularity in the surface enabled him to 

 creep up within 300 yards of her front, a nearer 

 approach was impossible without exposure of himself; 

 and the wind prevented his attempting the stalk from 

 any other quarter. Having approached therefore thus 

 near, he lay down with his head just above the bank 

 which concealed him, hoping that the beast would 

 presently rise and either feed towards him, or at least 

 alter her position for the better by moving off to 

 different ground. Undisturbed by his presence, she 

 continued motionless for more than a hour, quietly 

 chewing her cud; still he patiently waited, but 

 another hour passed slowly away and yet no change ; 

 and now losing all patience, he determined in some 

 way to arouse the creature and, if possible, drive her 

 into other and better ground. Accordingly, to use his 

 own expression, he struck the earth before him a hard 

 slap with the palm of his hand, still continuing in his 

 lying position; on seeing this, the hind, as he had 

 anticipated, immediately sprang to her feet, but instead 

 of retreating as he expected her to do, she immediately 

 advanced two or three paces towards him as though 



