176 SPORT. 



bare flat of about lOO yards to cross before I can 

 " get in " at them, i.e. gain ground from whence 

 I have a fair chance of a quiet shot at a sporting 

 distance. Crawhng on such ground is both difficult 

 and painful ; loose stones roll and make a noise, 

 fast ones tear the clothes and abrade the skin. The 

 only plan is to niake oneself as short as possible, 

 and creep along in a humpbacked, doubled-up posi- 

 tion at such times as the deer are feeding or looking 

 the other way, and prepared, If one of them should 

 " caich^' you, i.e. happen to turn his head your 

 way while you are moving, instantly to become a 

 stone. In such a case don't move, or even wink. 

 The deer will try and stare you into motion again, 

 but you must continue to be a stone, and try to 

 stare him back into the belief that you are one, 

 and that when he saw you move he was the victim 

 of an optical delusion. When he has satisfied 

 himself of this, as he will do if 3'ou keep quite 

 still, he will begin to feed again, and you can 

 alter your form, which you will find a great relief, 



