PURSUIT CONTINUED. 213 



which the animal was sure eventually to make, there, 

 if possible, to turn him back, so as to give me another 

 opportunity. Away, therefore, we went as fast as 

 legs could carry us, each in his own direction ; and I 

 was soon left to myself, Alister and Hector being both 

 out of sight. Before me, however, at the distance of 

 more than a quarter of a mile, was the stag, still keep- 

 ing out of reach, but evidently labouring, the short rest 

 having only served to stiffen his limbs. 



I could not but feel for the noble creature as he held 

 on his way with difficulty, but with too much courage 

 to yield. Still this only made me the more anxious to 

 put an end to his sufferings ; and, having passed the 

 crest of a moderate ascent, I increased my pace down 

 the slope which followed, but still found the distance 

 between us, in spite of my exertions, gradually increas- 

 ing. Presently I was compelled to slacken my pace, 

 and ultimately to pause, to recover breath, still, 

 however, keeping the stag in sight. And now we were 

 Hearing the edge of a great cliff, overhanging a deep 

 valley, its face being in many parts quite perpendicular, 

 and the descent only to be accomplished in two spots, 

 one by a steep but winding path, and the other by the 

 rocky bed, of a burn, the latter, however, so very rugged 

 as to be almost too much for a wounded animal to 

 undertake. The stag was making for the easier descent, 

 without any power on my part to prevent him, and if 

 he should accomplish that, I was perfectly aware that 

 he would be lost in the depths below for this day at 

 least, and probably expire before the search could be 

 resumed on the morrow. This would be a pro- 

 voking finale to my sport for the day; but it had 

 all been contemplated by the wary shepherd, and his 

 plans laid accordingly. Just as the stag was about to 



