316 THE HUNTING GKOUNDS 



whicli I knew came from an elk, and, stealing as 

 gently as possible to a ledge of rock which com- 

 manded a view of the slope, I had the satisfaction 

 of beholding a herd of sambur feeding in a glade 

 about eighty yards below us. A fine stag with 

 sweeping antlers was grazing, unconscious of dan- 

 ger, witliln easy range, and a second was lying down 

 in the shade chewing the cud, surrounded by hinds. 



" Now, Ned," whispered I to B , who had 



johied me, "take that fellow well behind the 

 shoulder, and he 's your own/' 



He raised his rifle, took deliberate aim, fired, and 

 the stag, leaping with a convulsive bound high into 

 the air, fell dead. The second hart, startled by the 

 shot, sprang on his feet, and threw up his head with 

 a wild snort, which gave me a fair shot, and I sent 

 a two-ounce ball crashing into his brain, when he 

 tumbled heavily forward in the high grass ; and, 

 without removing the rifle, I brought the sight to 

 bear upon a fat doe, and dropped her with a broken 

 shoulder ; But she immediately regained her feet, 

 and would have given us a long run, or perhaps 



have got off" altogether, if B had not given her 



the contents of his second barrel, which again rolled 

 her over, and, whilst she was struggling, Chineah 

 .sprang forward and buried his long knife in her 

 chest. Her dark, languid eye rolled wildly round 

 for a moment, and distending her wide nostrils, she 

 gasped painfully for breath, heaved a convulsive 

 sigh, stretched out her limbs, and all was still. 



