126 NEWFOUNDLAND 



river bank here bent inwards, and if I crossed in its "bay" 

 the stag nmst get my wind, so I resolved to lie down 

 and fire. 



The stag was outlined against the water — always a good 

 mark for the shooter, for he sees at once whether he has 

 fired too low or too high. The bullet must have grazed his 

 back, for he sharply raised his noble head and stopped feeding, 

 whilst I saw the projectile flick up the stream in almost 

 a direct line. A little lower, bang ! The stag flinched, 

 turned round towards me, and hobbled a few paces up 

 stream. I now saw for the first time that he had a great 

 head, which is a bad thing for a man to know when he 

 greatly desires to slay a beast. I had broken his left hind 

 leg, high up, so having now the exact range I prepared to 

 give him another shot. At that moment he started, and, like 

 nearly all wounded animals, made up-wind as hard as his 

 three legs could carry him. Then it was that I thanked my 

 stars I had not tried to go nearer to him at the first chance, 

 for he came full tilt up the shore, almost towards me, and 

 up the " bay " of the stream to my left. By a fortunate 

 circumstance the river bank was here very steep, and though 

 he kept watching for an opening as he ran, I saw he would 

 come fairly close to me if I lay still, and so reserved my 

 fire. About a hundred yards away a broad opening appeared 

 in the bank, and here the grand fellow stopped, turned 

 slightly, and was about to spring upwards into the bush, when 

 I fired again, and he at once lay struggling on the stones 

 with a bullet through the upper part of the neck. His fine 

 horns were swaying from side to side as I ran up, and I 

 stood contemplating what is in some respects the best head 

 I have ever shot. 



It is hardly necessary to say much about the head of an 



