and then the head of them all proceed- 

 ing with dignity to bathe with his 

 harem. 



Had I to do again what followed, I 

 hope I should act differently. Nimrod 

 was watching them with a rapt expres- 

 sion, quite forgetful of the rifle in his 

 hands, when I, who had never seen any- 

 thing killed, touched his arm and whis- 

 pered : " Shoot, shoot now, if you are 

 going to." 



The report of the rifle rang out like 

 a cannon. The does fled away as if by 

 magic. The stag tried also to get to 

 shore, but the ball had inflicted a wound 

 which partially paralysed his hindquar- 

 ters. At the sight of the blood and the 

 big fellow's struggles to get away, the 

 horror of the thing swept over me. 



" Oh, kill him, kill him ! " I wailed. 

 " Don't let him suffer ! " 



