120 NEWFOUNDLAND 



more important river than its marking on the map would 

 indicate, for it brings down as much water as the main 

 branch of the Gander does from the west. 



The afternoon was glorious, so I walked ahead about 

 two miles, and saw much fresh sign of big stags about the 

 river bank. Leads came from the north, and after joining 

 the river pointed due south in many places, and the whole 

 country seemed to indicate that we were in the heart of the 

 main trails. In one place they were particularly abundant, 

 the dry timber on the bank slopes being beaten to dust by 

 the tramp of many feet. I sat down here to enjoy the sun 

 and " A Double Thread," keeping the while a desultory look- 

 out, for it was as yet a bit too early for any of the old 

 fellows to be up and stirring. Still you never know when 

 a stag is going to appear, and they often do so at the most 

 unexpected moments. 



The canoes had just reached me, and I rose to resume 

 the journey, when, looking up the river, I saw a stag walking 

 swiftly out of the stream on the far side, and looking about 

 for a path into the forest. It was hopeless to think of 

 approaching a yard nearer, and he was a good 250 yards 

 away. Instant decision was imperative, and as I could see 

 that his tops were good, I sat down against a stone and put 

 up my rifle just as he put his head into the forest. I fired, 

 and distinctly saw the splash of the bullet on a patch of sand 

 an inch above his back. He never winced, but his head 

 and shoulders were now in the forest, and in another second 

 he would disappear for ever. Taking the sight a trifle 

 lower, I pulled again, and he came staggering down the 

 bank, swayed for an instant or two, and plunged forwards 

 into the river, into which he fell quite dead. 



The head was not large, but carried a great number of 



