of the Old World. 19 



Walter, who had a very much longer shot, 

 brought another fine hart to the ground, hitting 

 him through the hind quarters, and paralyzing 

 them, and, as the herd rushed by, wounded another 

 as it sprang from an adjoining thicket, where it 

 must have been lying down unobserved. I heard 

 the " thud " as the ball struck against his dun 

 side, and, jumping on a rock close by, let fly with 

 my second barrel, but the shot was too high, it only 

 cracked against his horns and stunned him for a 

 moment, for he soon recovered and went off with 

 the rest, seemingly as well as ever. " A splendid 

 shot, by Jupiter!" exclaimed Walter, u for he was 

 a good three hundred yards when you fired, but 

 you were not quick enough, and as it has failed to 

 stop him, we will first 'pay the last offices to the 

 fallen,' and then sent Ponto on his track, for I feel 

 sure he is hard hit, and if we do not urge him 

 whilst the wound is fresh, but give it time to 

 stiffen, he will be obliged to slacken his pace and 

 fall out from the rest of the herd." 



Walter had shot his stag through the small of 

 the back, and although completely- disabled, so as 

 not to be able to drag itself along, it was not dead, 

 and it was with some difficulty that he managed, 

 with Ponto's assistance, to plunge his long knife 

 in his chest and finish him. After we had bled, 

 opened, and " gralloched " both, we covered the 



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