346 SHORT STALKS 



herd of eleven deer in front of us, galloping off as hard as 

 they could, having taken the alarm before we saw them. 

 They were led by the finest buck I saw all the time we 

 were out, and I could have cried when I saw them ooino-. 

 We sat down and watched them o-o. They settled down 

 into a long swinging trot till they disappeared over a ridge 

 about two miles off. It was likely to be the last chance, 

 and it was worth making a special eftbrt to come at them ; 

 so we made a circuit of some miles to be sure of o^etting; 

 to leeward of them, and then quartered the ground up the 

 wind, in a series of lono- swino-ino- zio-zao-s. This was a 

 protracted business, for the dog, who was a very inferior 

 specimen to "Barfod," seemed to have some family cares on 

 her mind, and took no interest in the proceedings. Thus, 

 we had to trust entirely to our own senses. After some 

 hours of this search I began to despair, but at length 

 Bjornen, who was in front, stooped stealthily, after peering 

 over a ridge, and there, as good luck would have it, were 

 the missino- herd. 



They had recovered from their fright and were lying- 

 down l)y a little lake baskino; in the sun. We left the doo- 

 in charge of Bjornen's son, and got up within fair distance, 

 sheltered by a rock. Here I left Bjornen, and dragging 

 myself l)y my ell^ows through the grass for another thirty 

 yards, reached another rock just big enough to hide me, 

 and lay quite flat. Besting on my elbows, I could look 

 over and survey them. The whole herd, except their 

 leader, lay exposed to view on a little knoll. He was 

 couched on the farther side of it, and I could only see his 

 horns, and occasionally his head and part of a great shaggy 

 neck, when he lazily raised his nose to snuff the breeze. 



