SUNSHINE ON BENULA 99 



fortune; but he suggested we should have a try 

 round Benula mountain, as though it was farther 

 to the ponies it was a more gradual descent and 

 better walking, and there was the chance of a stag, 

 so, of course, I was all for it. We had not gone 

 very far before we spied a stag feeding below and 

 in front of us with a few hinds; he was only a 

 small beast, but offered us a fair stalk, and after 

 all the stalk is the thing, especially so early in the 

 season, and so we determined to pocket our pride 

 and go for him. We had no difficulty in getting in 

 above him, as he was a great deal below us; but 

 then commenced a very long slither down a very 

 steep grassy slope, which proved very trying to the 

 seat of my knickers, and must have worked 

 sad havoc with Susan's undies ! However, we 

 slithered down all right to about 300 feet above 

 him, and then found we could get no farther on 

 account of the hinds, and he was lying down and 

 only his horns were visible; so there was nothing 

 for it but to wait, which we did with great content 

 for half an hour, as the sun was shining most 

 gloriously and we had a lovely, mossy couch to 

 lie on. All the mist had cleared away and the 

 view was superb, and if the stag had been a good 

 one it would have been as near heaven as it is 

 possible for a mortal to be in this twentieth 

 century of din and discord. After half an hour 

 our friend got up and showed me his back, but 

 his legs were out of sight, and I was rather sur- 



