118 MY SPORTING HOLIDAYS 



galloped towards the lake, giving me the opportunity 

 of a second barrel at his near side, but with no 

 apparent effect. He vanished in the trees, still 

 galloping hard. Following the trail, we found it 

 plentifully marked with blood. This looked promising 

 for a kill, and Ivor became very sanguine. Knowing 

 the chances of this kind of shot, I was more appre- 

 hensive ; but a lucky fate was with us that day. 

 Some 500 yards down the hill we found the bull 

 lying stone-dead. He had fallen in his tracks. Truly 

 the vitality of these great deer is marvellous. One 

 express bullet had raked his vitals from flank to 

 shoulder. The other, as we afterwards found, had 

 pierced his lungs from side to side. Yet he could 

 gallop, as if unhurt, for a quarter of a mile before 

 he fell. He carried a well-palmated head of sixteen 

 points, with forty-two-inch spread of horn, and was 

 a dark- coloured bull of about the same size and 

 weight as the first, but with a better head. 



Later in the day a procession of four returned home, 

 the stalwart form of Johan, the landlord, leading the 

 van with the head and horns of the bull balanced on his 

 shoulders. We had decapitated our quarry and rowed 

 over the lake with the head. The carcass was brought 

 home later. Johan had undertaken to carry the head 

 home a mile and a half downhill. He subsequently 

 confessed that this task had taxed his powers to the 

 utmost. Ivor advised as to the route, and carried 

 the trout. 



The affairs of the syndicate were now prospering 

 exceedingly. Two good bulls had been obtained in 

 the first week. Only two more to kill, and another 

 fortnight of the season to go. This was too good 

 to last, thought I, notwithstanding that successful 



