OF PLANTS. 229 



and crept backward till I could only just see the points 

 of his horns. His position was as disadvantageous as could 

 be imagined, and my only hope of securing him lay in a 

 little brook which wound along between us and fell 

 beyond, over a steep cliff, into the lake. By making a 

 considerable circuit I succeeded in reaching its bed 

 unnoticed ; the steep bank concealed me so that I could 

 steal along, always keeping the points of the horns in view, 

 to within about a hundred paces. Here I had a full view 

 of the noble beast, as he lay there stretched out among 

 the red heather and the pale green rushes, now and then 

 rubbing his flanks with his horns. At last he rose, 

 stretched himself and walked leisurely toward a turn in 

 the brook, from which I was only separated by a smooth, 

 narrow hillock, round which the water wound. I grasped 

 my rifle, providently changed the cap, and crept along the 

 bank till I caught sight of the brute some fifty paces 

 before me, standing up to his knees in the water and 

 drinking in long draughts. I fired at his neck, close to 

 the head. He fell to his knees, but rose again and sprang 

 up a hill, but already too far gone for such an attempt, he 

 staggered, turned back toward the brook, and fell apparently 

 dead a few steps before me. I threw down my gun, and 

 rushed with a joyful halloo ! and with drawn hunting-knife 

 upon, as I thought, my certain booty. But scarcely had I 

 touched the noble beast when he sprang up and with a 

 thrust hurled me backwards against the rock, so that I 

 rose again with pain and aching limbs. I was half 

 stunned and in an unpleasant position. Behind me was 

 the steep cliff over which the brook fell into the lake, 

 before me was the angry animal, dripping with sweat and 

 water, and, as it seemed, preparing for a fresh attack. 

 Thus, for some anxious minutes, did we stare one another 



