326 A DAY IN THE SOUTH GLEN 



which had been missed a few days before. When we 

 got to the spot from which we intended to spy the 

 ground, the first thing descried was a large number of 

 hinds, with the very stag we wanted. After getting a 

 few hints from McLeay (the stalker of the north), I 

 got an easy stalk, the ground and wind suiting in 

 every way. McLeay was behind me, looking over my 

 left shoulder, when I fired a left barrel, the rifle I was 

 using being a new oval-bore, made by Lancaster. 

 The stag was hit just a little too high, at lOO yards, 

 and did not move away when struck, but was stretch- 

 ing out his fore-leg straight from him preparatory to 

 toppling over. Wishing to put the poor animal out of 

 pain, and also to try the rifle, I again put the latter to 

 my shoulder, though McLeay tried to dissuade me, 

 saying, ' Do not fire ; she's done.' However, I did 

 fire, and, strange to say, this second bullet entered the 

 hole made by the first, and produced the most extra- 

 ordinary result, for all the blood in the animal seemed 

 to have collected in the spot where it was first struck ; 

 and when the second bullet struck it, a huge red 

 fountain of blood spurted up to a height of two feet, 

 and this, with the sun shining behind it, presented the 

 most remarkable appearance. After we had gral- 

 loched that stag, there was not a drop of blood left in 

 its body. I henceforward made up my mind never 

 again to shoot deer with explosive bullets, for the sight 

 was too sickening, and the flesh torn about in the 

 most dreadful manner. Some of my friends would 

 hardly believe that such a result could have been 

 brought about by the use of these bullets. I sent the 

 account of it to Land and Watei% thinking thereby 

 to prevent people using explosive bullets lor deer- 



