WITHIN FOUR YARDS. 333 



neck. The other three does were a little 

 further away. 



The stag came last, and I am not exaggera- 

 ting by an inch, when I say that he came to 

 within four yards of me, without showing the 

 slightest sign that he distinguished me in any 

 way from the rest of the inanimate landscape 

 around him. 



He came mooning along, and had nearly 

 passed me, when, turning his head, he noticed 

 me for the first time, and at once stopping and 

 half turning round stood with his head raised, 

 looking fixedly at me. I remained absolutely 

 motionless, and the stag, after staring hard at 

 me for some moments, turned and walked a 

 few paces forwards. Then he swung round and 

 stood looking at me again. 



Two of the does now also stopped and stood 

 looking either at me or more probably at the 

 stag, whose whole attitude was full of suspicion. 

 Then they moved on a little and turned and 

 looked again, and continued so doing until they 

 were some distance from me. They did not 

 appear to have taken alarm, as they never ran, 



