264 SPORTLVG ADVENTURES 



water. After supper we retired to rest in security, and awoke 

 the next morning 1 before daylight, and after breakfast started 

 towards the summit of the mountain, intending to beat 

 downwards always the best plan to be followed in stalking 

 the mule deer. In the course of half an hour we entered 

 a most picturesque glade, which was clad with the greenest 

 of grasses, and dainty, bright-lined sub-alpine flowers, and 

 there saw two stags grazing as serenely as if they did not 

 have a foe on earth. After a brief consultation we concluded 

 to separate, and while my friend worked to the windward I 

 crawled tediously downward from the leeward, taking care not 

 to even tread on a decayed branchlet. When I reached to 

 within what I deemed to be sixty yards of them, Iraised my head, 

 and peered cautiously forward, and when I saw they were still 

 there my heart gave a throb of joy, for I felt almost sure of 

 one at least, but before I could raise my rifle they were off 

 like a flash, and running past me up the mountain. I fired 

 at random, and almost simultaneously with my report came 

 another from the left. Rushing into the glade, to see what 

 the result of the fire was, I met my companion, and we 

 both commenced searching for some signs of blood, and 

 though we followed up the slots, which were readily discer- 

 nible in the grass for half a mile, in the most careful manner, 

 we concluded that both had missed, and we blessed ourselves 

 accordingly. 



As the characteristic of a true hunter is to never get dis- 

 heartened under any circumstances, we resumed our journey, 

 and began crawling and 'peering as before. We had not 

 proceeded far before we saw four or five in a group near a 

 ravine, and these we tried to stalk at once. I went up the moun- 

 tain to head them oil', and on reaching a favourable position for 

 a running shot, I gave a long but not loud whistle, as a signal 

 to my companion that he might open the ball, lie answered 

 promptly \\ith his rille, and on hearing it I jumped behind 

 a tree and placed my gun to my .shoulder. In a lew seconds, 

 I heard a crashing through the bushes, and on looking out saw 

 a splendid stag c<nne bounding towards me at an easy gait. I 

 waited until he came to within a few yards of me, then gave 



