52 ERCHLESS AND FARLEY, 1918 



round behind them and chance their getting our 

 wind, as they were lying at the foot of a rock 

 high enough to take our wind over and past them ; 

 so I suggested it to Fraser, and he said there was a 

 chance, and we resolved to try it desperate 

 situations require desperate remedies. Susan, 

 however, had had enough of it; she must have 

 covered ten miles and still had four to go, so she 

 and Jimmy returned to the car and to tea at 

 Mrs. MacMillan's, and I said I would be down in 

 half an hour but rhomme propose et le cerf 

 dispose. We got round behind them all right, 

 and were just doing the last crawl to the edge of 

 the rock below which they were when an old hind 

 who had climbed nearly to the top of the rock got 

 us and gave the alarm, so that when I got into 

 position they were all at attention, and our stag 

 was facing me about 150 yards away and 50 feet 

 below. They were evidently just off, so I fired, 

 and, alas ! missed, and away they went, but not 

 very fast and not very far, as they had not seen us, 

 and they evidently did not expect us to be where 

 we were, almost down- wind on them. However, 

 they went about a mile, and then began to feed 

 again, and Fraser asked me if I would have one 

 more try, though it was now 6.30. I assented, 

 and away we went in pursuit, almost exactly 

 whence we had come, and without much difficulty 

 got to about 150 yards from our stag, who had 

 now only a few hinds and one small stag with him. 



