234 THE HUNTING GEOUNDS 



rock overhanging precipices down which we dare 

 not look, and with a good deal of manoeuvring 

 managed to get above our wary quarry, who was 

 still apparently intently observing the movement of 

 our party below, whilst seven others, confident in 

 his watchfulness, were carelessly browsing on the 

 short crisp herbage close by. By dodging from crag 

 to crag, after some intensely-exciting stalking, we 

 crept behind an isolated boulder of rock about a 

 hundred and twenty paces to leeward of the herd, 

 who were still grazing unconscious of danger; and, 

 as the nature of the ground was such that we could 

 not hope to steal any nearer without great fear of 

 discovery, we prepared for immediate ofiFensive ac- 

 tion. Having taken the precaution of putting fresh 



caps on our rifles, B aimed at a fine buck that 



was carelessly receiving the caresses of a couple of 

 does, whilst I took the sentinel, and firing almost 

 simultaneously, both fell to our shots. I wounded 

 a doe with my second barrel, but it got away with 



a broken leg ; B , however, was more fortunate, 



for he stopped a second doe with a ball through the 

 spine, and kiUed a young buck with the second gun, 

 as it was bounding along a ledge of rocks at least 

 four hundred paces distant. " Well done, indeed, 

 Ned ! " I exclaimed, rather taken aback with this 

 splendid display of marksmanship ; " that was a 

 shot I envy you for having made, as I have rarely 

 seen a bounding deer bagged at such a distance, not- 

 withstanding I have hunted with the crack sports- 



