52 HUNTING CAMPS. 



within a hundred paces of my hiding-place, and only the 

 presence of the small bull had stood between me and the 

 best of chances. However, I was destined to kill a good 

 bull from that same herd a few days later, when I once 

 more got within range of them, and this time secured a 

 large red bull, the only one at which I could get a clear 

 shot. 



On the whole the luck which is said to sway " to-day with 

 the hunter, to-morrow with the hunted," kept well on the 

 opposite side during all the time that I hunted wild cattle, 

 for although I had not the chagrin of actually missing any 

 animal I shot at, yet several times when I had climbed and 

 crawled within range of the outlying members of a herd these 

 turned out to be cows or small animals not worth shooting. 

 If I had been given even an ordinary degree of luck I ought 

 to have obtained at least half-a-dozen magnificent bulls. 

 As it was I had to be content with two good ones, but my 

 chief regret lies in the fact that it is unlikely I shall ever 

 have the chance of a return match with them, for the sport 

 is nothing less than first class, and the vigorous days spent 

 on the mountains possess a charm that makes one long to 

 experience it again. When hunting wild cattle in this 

 neighbourhood, I saw a number of guemal, all much wilder 

 and more difficult of access than their less experienced 

 fellows about Lake Buenos Aires ; but, though some of 

 these had good heads, I was often obliged to pass them by, 

 as the report of a rifle would have frightened away the 

 greater game. 



While going back to camp one evening I saw an animal 

 sneaking along the shore of the lake, which I soon made out 

 to be a Magellan wolf or fox. As it was moving rapidly I 

 was very much surprised when a long shot hit it. The wolf 

 snapped at the wound and vanished into some brush. I 

 followed it, and as I came close it dragged itself out and ran 

 at me. Before I could fire its teeth were fixed in my putties, 



