238 NEWFOUNDLAND 



shootable stags, but in difificult positions. On the same day 

 I travelled up stream to a good crossing place. Several deer 

 came close to me, mostly does and young stags, and at 3 p.m. 

 I saw a party of five crossing the river about 600 yards above 

 me. It was interesting to watch their movements and to 

 see their terror when they struck the spoor of the men who 

 had travelled up the bank in the early morning. On getting 

 the wind from the track they at once rushed pell-mell back 

 into the river, where they stood staring for about a quarter 

 of an hour. Then they tried to cross it again about 100 

 yards farther down, when a similar panic overtook them. 

 After walking down the river for 400 yards, during which 

 they tested the wind and retreated from the offensive taint 

 three or four times, they came close to my position and I 

 could examine them at leisure. The party consisted of two 

 old does, a two-year old, and a five-year old stag, with eighteen 

 points. One of the does carried a head with a large number 

 of points — fifteen — this being the largest number I had seen. 



McGaw and I had built our camp right in the open and 

 commanding a view of a much-used lead, where I had seen 

 two fine stags pass two years before. Our reindeer beds 

 lay on the slope of the hill, and it was decided that whoever 

 was first awake at dawn should watch this lead. At daybreak 

 I was awakened by a violent shaking and found my companion 

 busily engaged in detaching me from the arms of Morpheus. 



"There's a big stag making for the lead," was McGaw's 

 first ejaculation, an announcement which needed no further 

 explanation than to sit up and seize our rifles. 



"Go on, old chap," I said; "you saw the beast first, and 

 must take first shot. Distance, 320 yards." 



It was a long and difficult chance with hazy light, but 

 it was our only one, as the wind was blowing directly from 



