330 SHOET STALKS 



three miles, as the crow flies, from the spot where the clog 

 first detected them, Tostin, who was now some way ahead 

 of me, suddenly crouched down, and got hehind a rock. 

 I followed his example, and creeping up to him, took 

 one look. There they were sure enougli — eight or nine 

 deer, slowly feeding away from us about three hundred 

 yards off". 



A ridge of rock favoured us, and we worked up to 

 them behind it. At last Tostin said, " Now look over and 

 you will see the buck." I did so, and there he was plain 

 enough, but too far for a fair shot, at least I had not 

 suflicient confidence in myself to try him at that distance. 

 It was my first chance at reindeer, and I determined to 

 make sure of a bag, which indeed the state of our larder 

 made highly desirable. A pretty good hind stood broad- 

 side on, about one hundred yards off", and I felt that she 

 was to be the victim. As the smoke cleared ofi" she lay 

 kicking on her back. I shall not apologise for this un- 

 gallant action. In Norway the pot is the first considera- 

 tion. Besides I wanted to shoot a reindeer anyhow. 



Unlike the red deer, the hinds carry horns of their 

 own. They are said to carry them some months after 

 the bucks have shed theirs, and at this time, as I am told, 

 they inflict condign punishment on their lord. He is a 

 faithless brute and doubtless deserves it. For every 

 chance you get at a buck you get ten at hinds. I do not 

 think that five per cent of the deer we saw in Norway 

 were bucks. The reason of this is perhaps, that their 

 skins are thicker, and they can withstand the attack of 

 the mosquitoes. Therefore while the hinds are driven to 

 take refuge in hio;h oround, the bucks can afibrd to remain 



