KRUGER'S DEBUT 49 



speed ! I suppose just as I pulled the trigger the 

 small beast, who was invisible, stepped between 

 me and the one I was aiming at and paid the 

 penalty. My victim was only a wee staggie, but 

 as, of course, the velvet was still on them, I was 

 not sorry that his big brother with a good head 

 had escaped as the head would have been worthless 

 now, and the venison of the wee one was quite 

 excellent in spite of its being so early in the season. 



The flies drove these stags out of Farley Wood 

 a day or two after, and no more were seen for the 

 rest of July and August. All the wood-cutting 

 and the carting of the timber have absolutely 

 ruined it as a sanctuary, and the glories of Farley 

 have departed, never, alas ! to return. 



Again I was lucky enough to get the stalking on 

 Erchless, and as my first-born (whom the gods call 

 Kruger, but ot -rroXXot Nora) was with me the last 

 half of August, I thought we would try our luck 

 there. Anyway, I wanted her to see it, so on the 

 29th she, Susan, and I sallied forth and met Fraser 

 at 10.30 at the usual place. When we got to the 

 spying rock we found there were several lots of 

 deer on the ground, so we went on to the high 

 spying ground and found there was a small stag 

 with two lots one with a few hinds between us 

 and the Hare Hill, and rather below us, and another 

 also with some hinds on the top of the Hare Hill. 

 We decided to go for the latter, as he was rather 

 the better beast. The stalk was easy till just at 



