174 SPORT. 



Strides. Arrived at the lower ledw of rocks, extreme 



caution is of course necessary, as we cannot tell how 



short a distance they may have run down before 



stopping, and they may be close to us. Armed 



with my toy, I go first, avoiding every loose stone 



as if it were a red-hot iron, and raising my head 



by slow inches over each successive ridge ; at last 



my outspread hand, extended backwards, warns my 



followers that I have them in sight. I remain 



motionless, but taking in at a glance, and with 



rapid intuition, all the surroundings. Then I lower 



my head as gradually as I had raised it and beckon 



up the old hunter, show him the deer, and indicate 



by a motion of the hand the course I mean to 



pursue. He, after grave contemplation, and testing 



the wind by tearing out recklessly a few of his 



scanty hairs, assents to my plan, and after retiring 



a short distance we make a tlank march, which, 



avoiding an exposed plain in our front, brings us 



to a lower cluster of rocks towards which the 



deer had seemed to be feedin<^ It is rather close 



