SEPTEMBER 229 



which flitted past among the falling flakes ; of all bird 

 voices, their pipe is the most melancholy; but they 

 went their way and left us flattened on unhappy 

 stomachs. Still the deer lingered, moving forward but 

 by inches. 



I was beginning to wonder what might be the limits 

 of human endurance short of congelation, when Donald, 

 looking round, beckoned me with his eyelids to draw 

 up alongside of him. Slipping the rifle into my frozen 

 hands, he bid me take ' that beast the dark one behind 

 the four hinds/ My eyes were full of water born of 

 sheer physical misery; I saw nothing but indistinct 

 grey forms among grey boulders. At last, but with 

 difficulty, I recognised the stag he meant a fine, thick- 

 necked fellow, broadside on, about one hundred and 

 twenty yards off. I endeavoured to aim as I lay. 

 Impossible ! By no contortionist device could I attain a 

 posture which did not completely prevent every chance 

 of hitting the mark. Slowly I raised my numbed frame 

 into a sitting attitude; before I could draw the bead 

 they saw me; the good stag turned to fly, leaving 

 nothing to shoot at but his haunches ; but he had not 

 increased the distance between us by a score of yards 

 before the other deer, hitherto out of sight, came up out 

 of the corrie and turned him. Now was my chance, and a 

 fair one, could I only make use of it in my frozen state. 



A steady aim at the stag's shoulder a pressure of 

 the trigger and a miss ! * Make sure of him now/ 

 whispered Donald, and certainly a fairer mark was 

 never offered. Crack! I saw the bullet strike the 



