A rANTALISTXC QrEST 311 



over II loiiii' ledu'o of rock, as he rulli.wcd the hinds. We 

 moved oil, [Kirallrl wiih him, in llic liopc he would v^>\\\{- up 

 into view, l)ut lit' disappeared down u gully, and Adiinet 

 started on anotlicr run to cut 1iim otf at tlie next ravine. 

 1 readied the edu'c of a clill'. and lookino; over, saw seven 

 liinds (luickly passing us, thirty yards oclow, Imt tlie stag 

 was not at first to he seen. When lie did conir inio sight 

 lie was iiio\iiig slowly through thick trees sixty yards 

 beneath me. How often have I wished for the return of 

 tliat moment and with what remorse 1 ha\e thouuliL over 

 the mess I made of this golden opportunity. 



'■' 1 can see it all now. the gi-oat heast passing hetween 

 two trees, his nose near the ground, scenting the hinds' 

 tracks, his massive l)ranclie(l horns King hack over his 

 withers and his shao-o-y neck outstretched, while I crouched 

 on the edu'c of the cliU'. paiiliii!' with the run and the 

 suspense of such a nninieiit. the stag so near that I gloated 

 o\"er the ti'iuniph n\' which 1 felt assured. Alas for inv 

 l>luii<ler I Was it hiick fever or over-conlldeiice ( I think 

 it must have lieeii due t(» tlie \-er\- ;size of the animal — 

 such a liroadside ol' Innwii ! I lired (juicklv hefoi'e his 

 shoulder was (|uite covered hy the trunk <A' the next tree, 

 lie fell 'HI his knees to the >hiit. Imt hefore the echo df the 

 valley had aiiswer<'(l the crai-k of the ritle he was plunging 

 down the ]preei[.it(ius ninmitaiii-side liriiiuing with him an 

 avalanche of stones. Once he reappeared four hundred 

 yards oft', slowly mounting the opposite side of the corrie. 

 In despair, fi'i>m the recoiled ion of iii\' ]»i'e\'ious ex})crienc(\ 

 I fired auain. and vet auain with niv last siirht uii. A 

 putf of ilu>t uihlei- his hind-foot marked the first hiillet, 

 he winced to the next, hut I saw no sign of his heing 



